It will be an intriguing match this Saturday as the Mississippi State offense travels to Autzen Stadium to take on a hostile crowd and a stingy Oregon Duck defense. Both units have their weaknesses, so being able to effectively exploit those weaknesses will be the key. Before last year the Bulldogs pretty much ran at will against defenses they played. The running game is always a featured part of the MSU offense, and with a host of talented backs this year it would seem to be in good shape. This is Dontae Walker’s first time to shine as the featured back and on a national stage. After a solid 2000 campaign, last year his production dropped to only 548 net yards, averaging an even four yards per carry. His backup is the shifty Fred Reid with two stud freshmen Nick Turner and Jerious Norwood adding further depth. The offensive line is a concern however. While they have had a solid spring practice, the unit is still young and has not played very many games together. If they are able to open up the running lanes against the Ducks, Walker and company could have a big day.
Now for the bad news, the Ducks return six starters on defense and most of them are up front and in the middle. The stalwarts on the line will be tackles Igor Olshansky and Robby Venezuela. The man that puts it all together is the middle linebacker Kevin Mitchell. He is a do-everything guy that always finds his way to the ball. Are these guys good against the run? Just ask Colorado. After the Buffaloes ran all over Nebraska, Oregon held them to just 49 yards on the ground in the Fiesta bowl. Mississippi State never had a running game like Colorado last year. If the Bulldogs offensive line and running backs want to prove themselves this year, they will not get a better chance to do it.
A couple of quick stats: Oregon allowed 1,331 yards on the ground last year. That averaged out to about 121 yards per game. The Bulldogs on the other hand only gained 1,415 total yards on the ground, good for about 128 yards per game. If the guys in the backfield do not get things going early, they won’t get them going at all.
Now for the more promising part of the match up for Bulldog fans: the passing game. Four of the Bulldogs top five receivers return, led by starters Justin Jenkins, Terrell Grindle, and tight end Donald Lee. While the passing attack was horrid most of last year, the last couple of games the team showed improvement under Kevin Fant. For the year the Bulldogs averaged 214.9 yards per game through the air. However, the last two games of the season Fant completed 34 passes for 609 yards and four touchdowns. Jenkins was on the receiving end of 14 of those passes for 249 yards and two scores. The Oregon pass defense allowed 285 yards per game last season.
Missing from last year’s Duck squad will be Steve Smith and Rashad Bauman. Junior Steven Moore will fill one of the spots and will probably be assigned to Jenkins. However, he is untested at the corner position, and the rest of the secondary is equally suspect. Fant and the offense should be able to have a big game against Oregon in the air.
It is going to be important for the Bulldog offense to get off to a quick start. If they can open up the passing game early, that will take a little pressure off the running attack. It will all rest on the young shoulders of the offensive line as to whether or not the Dawgs can move the ball consistently.