Bulldogs Looking To Take Stride Forward On The Road
September 17, 2021 | Football, Joel Coleman
MSU travels to Memphis looking to improve itself and stay unbeaten.
STARKVILLE – For two games now, the cowbells have been loud, the fans have been rowdy, and the Bulldogs have rewarded the home crowd with a pair of victories.
On Saturday though, there'll be no clanging. Those wearing maroon and white will surely be outnumbered. Mississippi State will be on the road for the first time this year, battling Memphis, and seeking to stay unbeaten.
The Bulldogs (2-0) and Tigers (2-0) tangle at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium at 3 p.m. CT on Saturday in a game televised by ESPN2. In what will be State's final contest prior to Southeastern Conference play beginning on Sept. 25, MSU has a couple of goals. First, move to 3-0. But also, keep getting better across the board.
Earlier this week on the SEC coaches teleconference, MSU head coach Mike Leach gave a short and sweet answer as to what areas he'd like to see his team improve.
"Nearly every single one," Leach said.
The Bluff City becomes the setting for Leach's bunch to try and take their next strides forward.
The Bulldogs will seek more offensive consistency. Over the first couple of weeks, there have been strong moments and times of adversity for Leach's Air Raid. However, Leach has seen signs of growth.
There's quarterback Will Rogers, who enters the Memphis game leading the nation in completions per game and ranking fifth in the FBS in completion percentage.
"I see him and his receivers starting to get tuned in in a way I haven't seen since I have been here," Leach said. "[Rogers] took a step [last week]."
Of course the success of Rogers and the offense is predicated on the success of the offensive front. That group, too, showed improvement last weekend and carries momentum into this week.
Left tackle Charles Cross is the defending SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. The MSU front allowed only one sack all game against NC State. It was a positive step forward, even if there are things to clean up.
"We have to communicate better," Leach said of his linemen. "Part of it is just experience. We have a pretty young group and we have to keep getting better."
On the other side of the football, the Mississippi State defense should certainly have ample opportunity to sharpen skills this week. Memphis enters Saturday's game leading the country in total offense.
The Tigers have been strong offensively across the board and State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett knows his unit must be on top of its game to slow Memphis down.
"Every guy out there looks to me like they have elite speed," Arnett said of the Memphis receivers. "When you're in zone coverage, you have to do a good job of staying on top of routes and not getting run by. Obviously in man coverage, you're going to get in some foot races. We have to do a good job getting pressure and not allowing the ball to be hung on to for a long time and [receivers] run by us."
State will have to limit Memphis' impressive running attack as well, and Arnett indicates that starts by every Bulldog doing his job.
"Every single play, to play good defense, it takes all 11 guys," Arnett said.
State's defense has shown already this season it has the capability to put the clamps on the opposition. The Bulldogs enter Saturday's game boasting the No. 9 pass coverage grade and No. 11 run defense grade in all of FBS. MSU has already forced five turnovers this season as well.
However, none of that really matters once the ball is kicked off in Memphis. Saturday is a new day, a new game, and a new opportunity for the Bulldogs to both prove themselves, as well as improve themselves, ahead of next weekend's SEC opener.
Like the past though, next week doesn't matter either. In the ongoing Bulldog quest to get better, all that matters right now is Memphis.
"Every Saturday, just go 1-0," State cornerback Martin Emerson said. "Don't think about the past or the future, just the present."
