Leach’s Key: Do Your Job
November 01, 2021 | Football, Joel Coleman
MSU’s growth is perhaps best explained by a little bit of familiar coaching lingo.
STARKVILLE – Sipping on a cup of StrangeBrew coffee on Monday afternoon at his weekly press conference, Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach walked reporters through his usual routine for the Sunday following a game:
"[I'm] exhausted, [so I] sleep [more]. I really don't eat very much," Leach explained.
From there, Leach said he and his staff hold meetings, start looking at the next opponent, and evaluate MSU's film from the day before, all prior to an evening practice and more film.
The film review of the Bulldogs had to be a little sweeter this past Sunday for Leach. On the heels of a convincing, 31-17 win over then-No. 12 Kentucky, MSU's momentum continues to grow.
The Bulldogs have now won two straight games and three of their last four. With victories over NC State, Texas A&M, and now Kentucky, MSU is the only team in the nation with three wins over teams that are currently ranked inside the Top 25 of either the Associated Press or coaches polls.
Headed into this coming Saturday's 3 p.m. CT contest at Arkansas, Mississippi State has earned the right to be a confident bunch. Leach explained on Monday how he plans to keep the confidence from becoming cockiness.
"Try and just keep them focused on their job, the technique," Leach said. "We try to lock in the technique and detail. Think about yourself rather than think about your opponent because really, yourself is always the opponent. How you do your job, that's the opponent."
It sounds so coach-speak-esque: "Do your job."
As basic as it may seem though, it's precisely why the 2021 Bulldogs are starting to thrive. It's the reason MSU sits only one win away from bowl eligibility with sights set much higher than simply sneaking into a postseason game. This team is doing its job. And it's doing it better by the week.
Check that. By the day.
"I just think it's a growth process," Leach said. "You do it again and again, over and over. You just get better at it. One thing we've done a good job this year is get older. We woke up every day, went out there and practiced, and lookie here, we are a day older. That was helpful in the case of our team."
There's perhaps no better time than now to evaluate how improved State is as the Bulldogs reunite with the Razorbacks this week. It was in last year's meeting against Arkansas when MSU had its first bit of adversity of the Leach tenure.
The difficulties of youth and a brand-new offensive system proved to catch up to State that day. But with another year on the calendar since then, MSU is a totally different bunch.
Quarterback Will Rogers hadn't even made his State debut yet when the Dogs and Hogs matched up last year in Starkville. Now, he's 14 starts into his career. He leads the SEC and is third in the entire country in passing yardage this season. After winning his second SEC Offensive Player of the Week award on Monday, it's plainly seen that Rogers' development has the Air Raid offense and the Bulldogs as a whole flying high.
"He has done a good job," Leach said of Rogers. "He has continued one step at a time and steadily improved. But along with that, it's hard to gauge sometimes because of the receivers. The improvement of the receivers, the offensive line and the running backs contribute to Will's improvement."
Ah, yes. Quarterbacks always tend to get the lion's share of the attention, but don't forget those around Rogers are progressing, too. Some of that progression can be traced back to the growth of Rogers. Then again, some of Rogers' development is a direct reflection of the improvement around him. It all goes hand in hand.
"[The offensive line has] gotten a little better at our technique," Leach said. "They've played together longer. Will gets rid of [the football] quicker. The receivers oftentimes get open quicker. In other words, we are more efficient."
Or, to simplify it, here's that phrase again. Mississippi State is doing its job. It might not be all that exciting to hear, but sometimes the key to getting better really is that simple.
Anyone familiar with Leach's coaching career shouldn't be shocked the Bulldogs are figuring it out. Just like Texas Tech and Washington State before, Leach is quickly elevating Mississippi State. Saturday at Arkansas provides a chance for the Bulldogs to gain even more altitude.
If all goes well, it'd once again make Leach's Sunday activities a lot more joyous.
