Following Mississippi State’s 34-29 win at LSU, the Southeastern Conference league office suspended Bulldog senior center Dillon Day Tuesday for stomping on two different LSU Tigers. Day will be suspended for MSU’s next game against Texas A&M on Oct. 4.
Day issued a statement to all Bulldog fans from his twitter on Monday. Day attempted to explain his side of the story, giving explanations for both plays. He explained he was hustling to the ball on both plays, but just could not stop his momentum and happened to land on both players. Day was suspended for one half last season against Troy after stomping on an Auburn player in a similar situation.
LSU Head Coach Les Miles said after the game that LSU would file a complaint to the SEC office about the offense.
“That’s already in the works,” Miles said at his weekly Monday press conference. “Not only did TV catch that. Certainly the conference will do the right thing.”
The suspension is for “the result of multiple flagrant and unsportsmanlike acts during the game, as well as previous disciplinary action for similar behavior,” according to the SEC’s statement.
Bulldog Head Coach Dan Mullen said he disagreed with the penalty handed down by the conference.
“We completely disagree with the ruling that was given to us by the league, but we are going to follow the commissioner’s decision,” Mullen said in a post-practice interview Tuesday.
Day has been a staple on the offensive line for the past three seasons. Day is the unquestioned leader of the offensive line.
What MSU will miss most from Day will be his audibles at the line of scrimmage. Day has the responsibility of reading the blitz packages from the defense and changing the offensive line blocking schemes based on those reads.
“We will have to move a bunch of guys around and mix and mingle some things, no different than if he was injured,” Mullen said in regard to changes to the offensive line following the suspension.
Archie Muniz is listed on the depth chart as the backup to Day. However, after a poor snap from Muniz in the fourth quarter of the LSU game, Ben Beckwith, a senior as well, will probably shift from his left guard position into the center role.
Beckwith will presumably be charged with the role of changing the offensive line schemes before the snap. If Beckwith makes the switch to center, sophomore Jamaal Clayborn will be the likely candidate to fill in at the left guard position.
The Bulldogs are fortunate for the circumstances of the suspension. The Bulldogs had a fortuitous bye week this weekend, so MSU will have an extra week to prepare for the change at center and allow Beckwith to gain confidence running the offensive line.
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SEC suspends center Dillon Day
Blake Morgan
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September 26, 2014
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