The highlight of Super Bulldog Weekend, the annual Maroon and White game, gave Mississippi State University’s football team a chance to show they were not the same group of defensive backs picked on last season, and they capitalized on this chance. 
The White team, which had most of the starting defensive players, beat the Maroon team, which had most of the starting offensive players, by a score 21-10. MSU’s secondaries, arguably the weakest part of their team last season, were the stars of the day. 
Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, a junior from Richmond Hill, Georgia, threw four interceptions to those secondaries. 
“They’re out there doing what they can to get the ball, they’re getting into position to make plays,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s fantastic, I’ll throw four and be happy that they are definitely improving.” 
The highlight of the day came from White defensive back Cameron Dantzler. The 6’2”,174 pound player from Hammond, Louisiana, housed an interception 81-yards for the first touchdown of the day. Fitzgerald threw a ball into coverage and it was tipped. Dantzler, a redshirt freshman, took advantage and plucked the ball out of the air. 
“Coach told me to play hard inside, and I was kind of behind the receiver and he just misjudged the ball,” Dantzler said. “I was right there to make the play.”
More than just one highlight, Dantzler consistently played well. Dantzler finished the day with two interceptions and three solo tackles.
Dantzler said he was excited to play today. He redshirted last season, which means he could practice with the team but could not play in any games. This gained him an extra year of eligibility by doing so. 
“I was really preparing for this day, this was my chance to show what I can do because I could not do anything last year,” Dantzler said. “I felt like this was my chance to show what I can do.”
Head coach Dan Mullen said Dantzler was not 100 percent going into the game today. He then said Dantzler’s play showed an ability to learn how to play through things.
“It is great when everyone feels good, but when you aren’t feeling great can you still make those plays,” Mullen said. “It was good to see him make those plays.”
Today the White team caught five interceptions, with four of those being picked off by defensive backs. Between the two teams, they had 13 pass breakups.
 Jamal Peters, a junior from Bassfield, Mississippi, Lashard Durr, a senior from Gulfport, Mississippi, and Tyler Williams, a true freshman from Oxford, Mississippi, each had two pass breakups. Brian Cole, a junior college transfer from Saginaw, Michigan, flashed speed today, racking up six tackles, one interception and one pass breakup. His returned his interception 54-yards for a touchdown. 
“It’s amazing, they are playing lights out right now,” Fitzgerald said. “You can see, there is very little room to complete passes right now, they are doing a great job.”
MSU will play another spring practice on Tuesday. They will play their first game of the 2017 season on September 2 against Charleston Southern University.