Photo by: Mike Mattina/MSU Athletics
The Bulldogs' Line Of Protection
October 14, 2022 | Football
STARKVILLE – Any coach worth his salt will tell you that football games are won or lost at the line of scrimmage.
Mississippi State's Mike Leach is certainly a proponent for the offensive line and just how integral it is in making his Air Raid offense operate at an optimal level.
"I'm a big O-line guy and I make sure that everyone in that (locker) room knows that it is the most important position, but they'd better carry that responsibility too," Leach said.
The Bulldogs' front five have certainly held up their end of that commitment. The offensive line has not only kept quarterback Will Rogers upright, but also paved the way for the rushing attack to post back-to-back 100 yard games on the ground.
In last week's 40-17 win over Arkansas, MSU rushed for a season-high 162 yards.
"It gives us a lot of pride to keep our quarterback clean and giving the running backs holes to run through," said senior right guard Cole Smith. "It gives us a lot of pride to know that those guys are shining."
The offensive line was able to shutdown the Razorbacks' pass rush, which continues to lead the Southeastern Conference with 21 sacks. Not only did State not surrender a sack, the O-line allowed just one quarterback hurry during the entire contest.
"That gives us so much confidence because sacks can really mess up people's confidence and really mess up the gelling that we have as an offensive line," said junior Steven Losoya III, who has started at left guard the past two games.
The Bulldogs had to shake up its offensive line when left tackle Kwatrivous Johnson went down during the Bowling Green game on Sept. 24. Junior Nick Jones, who had started the first four games at left guard, shifted over to tackle and Losoya moved from being the backup center into Jones' vacated left guard slot.
"I'm really proud of the guys and we're maturing together," said graduate center LaQuinston Sharp. "Losoya is doing pretty good at adapting because at first we had him playing center but he's adjusted. If we need him somewhere, he's able to go. Nick Jones has been able to move around and do his thing too."
Losoya spent time starting at left guard and tackle at Middle Tennessee State before transferring to the Bulldogs during the offseason and Jones started last year's Liberty Bowl for the Bulldogs at left tackle.
"It's a difference between playing tackle and guard because once you go to tackle, you're out there on that island more and every play you've got someone in front of you," Jones said.
Cross training for multiple positions along the offensive line is nothing new for the Bulldogs. In fact, Sharp, Smith, Johnson, Nick Jones and Kameron Jones have all started at multiple positions during their time at MSU.
In fact, Sharp, Smith and Johnson have starts at three different spots during their careers.
Offensive line coach Mason Miller wants his guys to be versatile enough to play both guard and tackle on one side of the line or the other.
"We'd like to have three guys that can play on the left side, three guys on the right side and then just have two centers," Miller said. "That's pretty big. Last year, I was having to take Kam and flip him (from left guard) over to right tackle and he had to flip his feet and that's hard for a kid to do so I'm trying to eliminate that."
Smith and Kameron Jones have been able to anchor the right side of the line all season, starting all six games at guard and tackle respectively. Their chemistry along with the stellar play and leadership from Sharp has helped form a cohesive group for the Bulldogs up front.
"We're starting to mesh together very well and our communication is getting a lot better," Smith said. "We're obviously playing a lot more physical but we're really starting to gel well as an offensive line."
Twice this season, Sharp was selected as the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. But an internal award simply known as "The Bone" is what really gets the competitive juices flowing amongst the O-line.
"The Bone" is awarded to the offensive lineman that displayed the meanest, nastiest and toughest performance during a victory. The award is an actual rawhide dog bone with the player's name inscribed on it.
"All of us like that bone award that we get," Kameron Jones said. "We're always arguing about who did the best and trying to perfect ourselves. It's created a competition within the group that helps get each of us better and is making us better as a unit."
Mississippi State's Mike Leach is certainly a proponent for the offensive line and just how integral it is in making his Air Raid offense operate at an optimal level.
"I'm a big O-line guy and I make sure that everyone in that (locker) room knows that it is the most important position, but they'd better carry that responsibility too," Leach said.
The Bulldogs' front five have certainly held up their end of that commitment. The offensive line has not only kept quarterback Will Rogers upright, but also paved the way for the rushing attack to post back-to-back 100 yard games on the ground.
In last week's 40-17 win over Arkansas, MSU rushed for a season-high 162 yards.
"It gives us a lot of pride to keep our quarterback clean and giving the running backs holes to run through," said senior right guard Cole Smith. "It gives us a lot of pride to know that those guys are shining."
The offensive line was able to shutdown the Razorbacks' pass rush, which continues to lead the Southeastern Conference with 21 sacks. Not only did State not surrender a sack, the O-line allowed just one quarterback hurry during the entire contest.
"That gives us so much confidence because sacks can really mess up people's confidence and really mess up the gelling that we have as an offensive line," said junior Steven Losoya III, who has started at left guard the past two games.
The Bulldogs had to shake up its offensive line when left tackle Kwatrivous Johnson went down during the Bowling Green game on Sept. 24. Junior Nick Jones, who had started the first four games at left guard, shifted over to tackle and Losoya moved from being the backup center into Jones' vacated left guard slot.
"I'm really proud of the guys and we're maturing together," said graduate center LaQuinston Sharp. "Losoya is doing pretty good at adapting because at first we had him playing center but he's adjusted. If we need him somewhere, he's able to go. Nick Jones has been able to move around and do his thing too."
Losoya spent time starting at left guard and tackle at Middle Tennessee State before transferring to the Bulldogs during the offseason and Jones started last year's Liberty Bowl for the Bulldogs at left tackle.
"It's a difference between playing tackle and guard because once you go to tackle, you're out there on that island more and every play you've got someone in front of you," Jones said.
Cross training for multiple positions along the offensive line is nothing new for the Bulldogs. In fact, Sharp, Smith, Johnson, Nick Jones and Kameron Jones have all started at multiple positions during their time at MSU.
In fact, Sharp, Smith and Johnson have starts at three different spots during their careers.
Offensive line coach Mason Miller wants his guys to be versatile enough to play both guard and tackle on one side of the line or the other.
"We'd like to have three guys that can play on the left side, three guys on the right side and then just have two centers," Miller said. "That's pretty big. Last year, I was having to take Kam and flip him (from left guard) over to right tackle and he had to flip his feet and that's hard for a kid to do so I'm trying to eliminate that."
Smith and Kameron Jones have been able to anchor the right side of the line all season, starting all six games at guard and tackle respectively. Their chemistry along with the stellar play and leadership from Sharp has helped form a cohesive group for the Bulldogs up front.
"We're starting to mesh together very well and our communication is getting a lot better," Smith said. "We're obviously playing a lot more physical but we're really starting to gel well as an offensive line."
Twice this season, Sharp was selected as the SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week. But an internal award simply known as "The Bone" is what really gets the competitive juices flowing amongst the O-line.
"The Bone" is awarded to the offensive lineman that displayed the meanest, nastiest and toughest performance during a victory. The award is an actual rawhide dog bone with the player's name inscribed on it.
"All of us like that bone award that we get," Kameron Jones said. "We're always arguing about who did the best and trying to perfect ourselves. It's created a competition within the group that helps get each of us better and is making us better as a unit."
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