Photo by: Austin Perryman/MSU Athletics
Leach Evaluating Quarterback Competition
August 06, 2021 | Football
STARKVILLE – Midway through last season, Mississippi State's Mike Leach made a decision that he'd never made in his nearly two decades as a head coach.
Leach handed the reins of his prolific Air Raid offense over to a true freshman quarterback for the first time and the Bulldogs found their stride over the last month of the season. Will Rogers started the final six contests behind center and re-wrote most of MSU's freshman passing marks and even shattered Dak Prescott's single-season completion percentage record.
Leach, however, would have loved it if either Rogers or former signal caller K.J. Costello could have seized the starting job outright in fall camp and maintained that status throughout the season.
"I would've loved to do that a year ago but the thing is these guys change, they don't always stay the same," Leach said. "The good news is that they usually improve so you've got to keep peeking in on them and seeing what they're doing and then try to distribute the reps…You're constantly trying your best to evaluate and make the best decision that you can."
Rogers, who was just the seventh true freshman quarterback to start for the Bulldogs, appeared in nine total games in 2020 and led the Southeastern Conference in completions per game (26.5). The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder finished with 1,976 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions but only tossed three picks across his six starts.
"In leadership, he's come a long, long way as far as elevating the play of others," Leach said following Friday's first practice. "He seems more consistent obviously than he was starting as a true freshman without a spring but there's plenty of progress to make. Some of it is getting tuned in with your receivers too."
Leach has also been pleased with the offseason study habits and attention to detail that Rogers had ingrained in him by his father Wyatt, an offensive coordinator at Brandon High School.
"He's constantly watching film, constantly texting with questions and observations," Leach said. "Off the field, he probably works more than anybody on the team. Coach's kids are like that. They're used to being around film and evaluating. I imagine when they sit down to dinner in the Rogers' household, besides pass the potatoes they talk about football."
Although Rogers returns for his sophomore season, Leach will once again welcome competition among the seven quarterbacks listed on the roster during fall camp.
"We've got a number of quarterbacks and we've got to work through all of them," Leach said.
Oddly enough, the other six signal callers taking snaps with Rogers are all new to the program. Jack Abraham (Southern Miss), Chance Lovertich (South Alabama) and Jack Kristofek (Sam Houston State) were all acquired via the transfer portal while Sawyer Robertson and Daniel Greek get their feet wet as true freshmen along with walk-on Jake Weir.
Abraham and Lovertich both bring FBS starting experience with them to Starkville. Abraham, a redshirt senior from Oxford, started 27 games across three seasons at Southern Miss and led the nation with a 73.1 percent completion percentage in 2018. Lovertich started one game and appeared in five others in his lone season at South Alabama.
Abraham, Lovertich and Kristofek all went through spring practices with the Bulldogs. In the spring game, Abraham completed 23 of 34 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns, Lovertich hit on 9 of 13 throws for 144 yards and two scores and Kristofek was 2 of 8 for 31 yards and an interception.
Greek, an early enrollee, also participated in the spring and finished his spring debut completing 8 of 11 passes for 101 yards and a TD. Robertson, a former four-star recruit, was named the 2020 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 47 touchdowns and only five interceptions as a senior.
"I hope they steadily improve and I hope they react quicker," Leach said. "I hope that it's very competitive and we're going to give them the reps to try and evaluate and see when they separate themselves."
Leach handed the reins of his prolific Air Raid offense over to a true freshman quarterback for the first time and the Bulldogs found their stride over the last month of the season. Will Rogers started the final six contests behind center and re-wrote most of MSU's freshman passing marks and even shattered Dak Prescott's single-season completion percentage record.
Leach, however, would have loved it if either Rogers or former signal caller K.J. Costello could have seized the starting job outright in fall camp and maintained that status throughout the season.
"I would've loved to do that a year ago but the thing is these guys change, they don't always stay the same," Leach said. "The good news is that they usually improve so you've got to keep peeking in on them and seeing what they're doing and then try to distribute the reps…You're constantly trying your best to evaluate and make the best decision that you can."
Rogers, who was just the seventh true freshman quarterback to start for the Bulldogs, appeared in nine total games in 2020 and led the Southeastern Conference in completions per game (26.5). The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder finished with 1,976 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions but only tossed three picks across his six starts.
"In leadership, he's come a long, long way as far as elevating the play of others," Leach said following Friday's first practice. "He seems more consistent obviously than he was starting as a true freshman without a spring but there's plenty of progress to make. Some of it is getting tuned in with your receivers too."
Leach has also been pleased with the offseason study habits and attention to detail that Rogers had ingrained in him by his father Wyatt, an offensive coordinator at Brandon High School.
"He's constantly watching film, constantly texting with questions and observations," Leach said. "Off the field, he probably works more than anybody on the team. Coach's kids are like that. They're used to being around film and evaluating. I imagine when they sit down to dinner in the Rogers' household, besides pass the potatoes they talk about football."
Although Rogers returns for his sophomore season, Leach will once again welcome competition among the seven quarterbacks listed on the roster during fall camp.
"We've got a number of quarterbacks and we've got to work through all of them," Leach said.
Oddly enough, the other six signal callers taking snaps with Rogers are all new to the program. Jack Abraham (Southern Miss), Chance Lovertich (South Alabama) and Jack Kristofek (Sam Houston State) were all acquired via the transfer portal while Sawyer Robertson and Daniel Greek get their feet wet as true freshmen along with walk-on Jake Weir.
Abraham and Lovertich both bring FBS starting experience with them to Starkville. Abraham, a redshirt senior from Oxford, started 27 games across three seasons at Southern Miss and led the nation with a 73.1 percent completion percentage in 2018. Lovertich started one game and appeared in five others in his lone season at South Alabama.
Abraham, Lovertich and Kristofek all went through spring practices with the Bulldogs. In the spring game, Abraham completed 23 of 34 passes for 162 yards and two touchdowns, Lovertich hit on 9 of 13 throws for 144 yards and two scores and Kristofek was 2 of 8 for 31 yards and an interception.
Greek, an early enrollee, also participated in the spring and finished his spring debut completing 8 of 11 passes for 101 yards and a TD. Robertson, a former four-star recruit, was named the 2020 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 47 touchdowns and only five interceptions as a senior.
"I hope they steadily improve and I hope they react quicker," Leach said. "I hope that it's very competitive and we're going to give them the reps to try and evaluate and see when they separate themselves."
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