Enough To Go Around
November 05, 2021 | Football, Joel Coleman
One of the biggest factors leading to MSU’s offensive growth has been State’s deep group of pass catchers.
STARKVILLE – By now, it's no secret. Head coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense has taken off at Mississippi State.
The reasons are plentiful. From the development of quarterback Will Rogers – the SEC's leading passer – to the growth of the MSU offensive line, there's plenty of credit to go around. Included in the mix is a deep group of State pass catchers who are all getting chances to shine.
As Mississippi State heads into Saturday's 3 p.m. CT game at Arkansas, 10 different Bulldogs have already totaled 10 or more receptions this season. No other school in the Southeastern Conference has more than nine, and half of the league's teams don't have more than six guys with double digits in receptions.
The Bulldogs aren't just catching passes, they're doing damage after they haul balls in. MSU leads the nation in yards after catch in 2021.
All shapes, sizes and ages are bringing in balls for MSU. Running backs Jo'quavious Marks and Dillon Johnson are second and third on the team in receptions, respectively. Transfers Makai Polk and Jamire Calvin have made an immediate impact this season. Polk is the team's leading receiver in catches, yards and touchdowns and is one of just eight players nationally (and the only player in the SEC) with multiple games posting 10-plus catches and 100-plus yards while scoring at least one touchdown. Calvin, who previously played under Leach at Washington State, has brought his own knowledge of the Air Raid to town and has 18 grabs for 168 yards and a score.
Freshmen have gotten in the mix too. Rara Thomas has 10 catches and has scored a couple of touchdowns. Walk-ons have shined. Christian Ford totaled 14 catches for 160 yards. Ford has impressed so much that he learned earlier this week he's gone from walk-on to earning a full scholarship.
But how? How are so many guys contributing? It's not just veterans like Austin Williams and Jaden Walley, who both had a year in this offense back in 2020. It's truly just about everyone. Again, how?
"With the stuff we do offensively, the older guys start coaching [everyone else] up," State inside receivers coach Dave Nichol said. "[True freshman] Teddy Knox gets here and some guys can actually communicate with him and say, 'Nah, this is kind of how it goes.' [Rogers] might say, 'I like to throw it like this.' You really get that as you move forward. It's always been a thing in our offense. They're coaches as much as we are sometimes."
The knowledge of the Leach offensive scheme has become contagious. Some Bulldogs now have had nearly two full years of time to get things down and they're not being selfish with what they know. The rising tide is lifting all boats.
"It's huge, and that's what was tough last year," Nichol said. "The older guys still didn't know anything either. Having [Williams] and [Walley] and [Calvin] that have all played in this offense, it is huge. Now that we've got our base stuff in, I still find myself saying, here is the next little tidbit of this play. A year ago, it was just, 'Hey, we have practice today.' That's about all we knew."
State has indeed come a long way in a year's time. And, hopefully, there's even further improvement to come and other guys getting in the mix.
"We always want more," Nichol said. "I'd love to have more guys continuing to get better."
