Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
New Number, Same Walley
August 07, 2021 | Football, Joel Coleman
Jaden Walley is prepping for an impressive sequel after his outstanding freshman year.
STARKVILLE – It's only a couple of days into preseason camp, but Jaden Walley looks a little different this season.
Have no fear. The Mississippi State receiver is still the same athletic playmaker he was a year ago. It's the number on his jersey that has shifted, from No. 31 to No. 11.
"Nothing behind it," Walley said with a big smile on Saturday after practice. "I just wanted a change I guess."
No problem, just so long as No. 11 continues to be as explosive as No. 31 was. On that front, it's so far, so good. Just ask safety Collin Duncan, who's been the man tasked with covering Walley in workouts both now and last year.
"His contested catches are unlike I've seen," Duncan said of his teammate. "I've been in perfect coverage many times and he'll catch it one-handed off the ground. Or he'll jump up and tap it to himself. He does a lot of things that people wouldn't do. Contested catches. Good routes. And he's getting better. I can tell now he's getting more comfortable in the offense. He's starting to understand defenses more and the holes in the defense. That just makes it that much harder to guard him in zone and in man."
Wait, a better Walley? That's fantastic news for the Bulldogs and not-so-welcome information for opposing defensive coordinators because the Walley of 2020 was already a one-man highlight reel.
The numbers don't lie. Last season, Walley broke a 43-year-old record for single-season receiving yards by a freshman. He needed just nine games to do it.
Walley ended the year with 52 catches for 718 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was the first freshman wideout to lead the team in receiving yardage in 11 years. There were four games with 100 or more yards receiving. Walley was the very first MSU freshman to ever accomplish such a feat.
It all resulted in a campaign that saw Walley take home Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic and an All-SEC Freshman nod from his conference.
Does it really get much better than all that? It certainly seems Walley thinks so, particularly now that he's got a year's worth of running head coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense.
"It's not hard to learn, it's just hard to learn how to run," Walley said of the scheme.
Fortunately, he seemed to quickly grasp it, even if he didn't master it. Leach said, for Walley, that's the next step.
"Consistency," Leach said of what Walley should be seeking in 2021. "He's always been explosive. He's always been motivated. He always plays hard. It's just precision with what he does."
Duncan will certainly aid in Walley's ongoing quest to improve. They'll be battling again and again throughout training camp.
"We talk right before every single one on one [at practice]," Duncan said. "We say, 'We're going to keep each other healthy, but we're going to go at it like a bunch of Dawgs.'"
It's a mutually beneficial relationship. Duncan gets to grow himself, because with Walley's talent, he has to.
"When you get that caliber of a player and you have to go up against him head on head every day in this heat and all that, you have no choice but to show up and get better," Duncan said.
The new No. 11 is the proverbial rising tide that lifts all boats. And whether he's sporting No. 11 or No. 31, when you have Walley's ability and potential, there's not likely to be any mistaking who you are.
Walley's skill speaks for itself. He, his coaches, his teammates and Bulldogs everywhere are all wanting to see that continue.
"I feel like he's one of the best, if not the best, inside receivers – or just receivers period – in the SEC," Duncan said of Walley.
Have no fear. The Mississippi State receiver is still the same athletic playmaker he was a year ago. It's the number on his jersey that has shifted, from No. 31 to No. 11.
"Nothing behind it," Walley said with a big smile on Saturday after practice. "I just wanted a change I guess."
No problem, just so long as No. 11 continues to be as explosive as No. 31 was. On that front, it's so far, so good. Just ask safety Collin Duncan, who's been the man tasked with covering Walley in workouts both now and last year.
"His contested catches are unlike I've seen," Duncan said of his teammate. "I've been in perfect coverage many times and he'll catch it one-handed off the ground. Or he'll jump up and tap it to himself. He does a lot of things that people wouldn't do. Contested catches. Good routes. And he's getting better. I can tell now he's getting more comfortable in the offense. He's starting to understand defenses more and the holes in the defense. That just makes it that much harder to guard him in zone and in man."
Wait, a better Walley? That's fantastic news for the Bulldogs and not-so-welcome information for opposing defensive coordinators because the Walley of 2020 was already a one-man highlight reel.
The numbers don't lie. Last season, Walley broke a 43-year-old record for single-season receiving yards by a freshman. He needed just nine games to do it.
Walley ended the year with 52 catches for 718 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was the first freshman wideout to lead the team in receiving yardage in 11 years. There were four games with 100 or more yards receiving. Walley was the very first MSU freshman to ever accomplish such a feat.
It all resulted in a campaign that saw Walley take home Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic and an All-SEC Freshman nod from his conference.
Does it really get much better than all that? It certainly seems Walley thinks so, particularly now that he's got a year's worth of running head coach Mike Leach's Air Raid offense.
"It's not hard to learn, it's just hard to learn how to run," Walley said of the scheme.
Fortunately, he seemed to quickly grasp it, even if he didn't master it. Leach said, for Walley, that's the next step.
"Consistency," Leach said of what Walley should be seeking in 2021. "He's always been explosive. He's always been motivated. He always plays hard. It's just precision with what he does."
Duncan will certainly aid in Walley's ongoing quest to improve. They'll be battling again and again throughout training camp.
"We talk right before every single one on one [at practice]," Duncan said. "We say, 'We're going to keep each other healthy, but we're going to go at it like a bunch of Dawgs.'"
It's a mutually beneficial relationship. Duncan gets to grow himself, because with Walley's talent, he has to.
"When you get that caliber of a player and you have to go up against him head on head every day in this heat and all that, you have no choice but to show up and get better," Duncan said.
The new No. 11 is the proverbial rising tide that lifts all boats. And whether he's sporting No. 11 or No. 31, when you have Walley's ability and potential, there's not likely to be any mistaking who you are.
Walley's skill speaks for itself. He, his coaches, his teammates and Bulldogs everywhere are all wanting to see that continue.
"I feel like he's one of the best, if not the best, inside receivers – or just receivers period – in the SEC," Duncan said of Walley.
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