As the Mississippi State Bulldogs prepare for their game against the No. 14 Kentucky Wildcats this weekend, Bulldog head coach Sylvester Croom is fortunate of two things. With the exception of a few minor injuries, the Bulldogs remain fairly healthy, which is a huge boost late in the season.
Secondly, Mississippi State holds a 4-4 record, still with the chance to become bowl eligible.
The Bulldogs’ has only four games remaining, and Croom knows for his team to reach the postseason, it needs to continue to improve.
Croom, however, did give his players a little time off this week, due to the grueling two-week stretch they have had.
“As we close the season, this game is a great challenge as well as a great opportunity for us; we need to play extremely well,” Croom said. “As a coaching staff we have to make sure we’re not asking our players to do anything they are unable to do this point in the season and make sure we get the techniques down and execute them to perfection.”
Heading into Saturday’s contest, the Wildcats (6-2, 2-2 SEC) are enjoying a prosperous season.
On the season, the Wildcats have top-25 wins over in-state rival Louisville and beat then No. 1 LSU in triple overtime earlier this month.
The Wildcats may be without the services of several key players on offense, however, which could slow their offensive attack.
Running back Tony Dixon is questionable with a sprained ankle, and wide receiver Keenan Burton is suffering from a knee injury.
Burton has six touchdowns this season, which ties him for the lead on the Kentucky squad.
Kentucky will be the third-straight ranked opponent the Bulldogs will face, and Croom said the Wildcats’ success starts with Heisman candidate quarterback Andre Woodson.
Woodson has compiled some impressive stats on the season, throwing for 26 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He is coming off a strong performance against Florida, in which he threw for 415 yards and five touchdowns in the Wildcats’ 45-37 loss to the Gators.
“Their offense is good because they execute well, and they execute well because they have an outstanding trigger man,” Croom said. “They ask Woodson to make decisions at the line of scrimmage, and he and the wide receiver are on the same page, and they know how to handle every situation that comes up.”
With the offensive power Kentucky brings, Croom said he knows his defense is going to be tested and that getting pressure on Woodson will be very important.
The Wildcats rank first in the SEC in scoring offense, averaging 42 points per game.
“We’re going to really get challenged this week,” Croom said. “Woodson doesn’t need a lot of time to get the ball out. We have to get pressure on him, and play a lot of variety to confuse him.”
As for the Bulldogs, State is trying to put an end to its two-game losing streak with a win over Kentucky on Saturday. However, the quarterback situation continues to have questions.
Michael Henig is still recovering from surgery on his throwing hand, and Croom is uncertain what to do about backup Chris Relf.
Croom said he would ideally like to redshirt the freshman quarterback but said if it comes down to it, he’ll do whatever needs to be done to win.”
We have to get Relf ready to play,” Croom said. “We have to get him ready to play, because if Mike is not ready, then he gives the next best chance to win.”
Kentucky head coach Rich Brooks said that despite the quarterback situation, he is still impressed with the Bulldog offense.
“I continue to be impressed by their running game and the size and physicality of their offense,” Brooks said at his mid-week press conference. “In their running game, Anthony Dixon’s a big, powerful runner. Their offensive line is huge. The quarterback is doing some good things for being a freshman.”
Despite showing signs against Tennessee, the Bulldog offense continues to be ranked near the bottom in the Southeastern Conference. Mississippi State ranks 11th in the league in scoring offense, averaging 22 points per game.
On the defensive side however, the Bulldogs rank seventh in the league. Croom said he understands that the team may not be where fans want it to be, and it’s not where he wants it to be either.
He said that the team is still rebuilding from the NCAA probation it was under when he first arrived.
Croom added that at this point in his tenure though, the Bulldogs are right where he pictured the program would be, and despite the issues at quarterback, he feels his team is still headed in the right direction.
“If we play like we’re capable of and don’t make mistakes, we still have a chance to make a bowl game,” Croom said.