Improvement All Around As Dawgs Head Into Super Bulldog Weekend Scrimmage
April 14, 2022 | Football, Joel Coleman
Mike Leach has liked the progress he’s seen out of his Bulldogs so far this spring.
STARKVILLE – With his team's Super Bulldog Weekend scrimmage set for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Davis Wade Stadium, Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach isn't looking for anything extraordinary. Quite the opposite in fact.
When the Bulldogs take the field this weekend, all Leach wants to see is progress.
"Incremental improvement I think is the biggest thing," Leach explained after Thursday's practice session at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex.
Improvement has been the theme so far this spring for Mississippi State. With each practice and each opportunity, guys have made strides forward.
The growth of the Bulldogs was the main theme of Leach's Thursday media session. Here's a quick look at all Leach had to say.
On how quarterbacks Will Rogers and Sawyer Robertson performed in Thursday's practice: "I thought both of them looked good. I thought Sawyer really did some good things in one-on-one. So did Will. Then I thought Will was a little better in skel and team, but Sawyer was good in team too. Both of them were really good in team actually. Then we didn't protect Sawyer as well, so he had to take off but looked pretty good doing it."
On wide receiver Caleb Ducking's growth: "It's kind of coming together for him. He's got to keep improving. He needs on-the-field experience. When he first got here, he really hadn't caught a lot of balls, so his ball skills have gotten better and better. But we would like to be able to utilize him more and it has to do with making the most of each play. Don't take any off. But he is one of the fastest guys on the team."
On the progress of the receiver group as a whole: "They're developing some. They need to develop faster. We've got to keep getting better at vertical balls."
On what players have made jumps forward this spring: "Some of the O-linemen have for sure. We have a little more depth there. Albert [Reese] comes to mind. Nick [Jones]. Percy [Lewis] is picking things up pretty quick. [Steven] Losoya is doing some good things. He's really versatile and can play a lot of positions. So, I think we're getting more depth there and then the D-line has some guys kind of emerging. I think the secondary is more cohesive."
On the format of Saturday's scrimmage: "It'll be similar to last week. Not sure what the matchups will be, but it'll be really similar to what last week's was."
On veteran receiver Austin Williams' efforts this spring: "Consistent. He kind of leads the charge in consistency. He makes a lot of plays. Even if it may start out ugly, he just keeps playing. He keeps playing and he keeps playing hard. So, then he finds his way to a lot of balls."
On receiver Jamire Calvin and other pass catchers: "Calvin has improved. I think Rufus [Harvey] has improved. Still got to get more consistency out of [Jaden] Walley, but he's explosive…I think Tulu [Lideatrick Griffin] is doing some good things. We'd like it to happen a little faster. Antonio Harmon is getting better and better. [Jordan] Mosley is starting to emerge a little bit. [Rara] Thomas – I think we can get more out of Thomas, but he's a big body and did some good things last year."
On the transfers that have come to Mississippi State: "We've got youngish guys, so I think they're getting better. Whether they play this year or not, they certainly have a chance to play in the future. And then for the most part, I've been pleased. You always want to plug them in as soon as you can, but we have a couple of years with a number of them."
More on Rogers, specifically his decision-making skills: "I think he's improved. I think the receivers have improved at being where they need to be, and I think we're starting to get a little more consistent on the O-line. I think it all works together."
On progress of the running backs: "I think pretty good. I think Woody [Jo'quavious Marks] and Dillon [Johnson] have been really steady. Bull [Ke'Travion Hargrove], we'd like to get more reps, but he seems to steadily improve. He's really explosive."
On confidence Rogers can elevate his game this fall: "I think he already has some. I think it's just steady work."
Steady work. Steady growth. Putting strings of good days and good practices together and getting better each day.
As basic as it might all sound, there's perhaps no better way for the Bulldogs to get where Leach wants them to ultimately be. That journey continues with Saturday's scrimmage and rolls on through the rest of spring practice, which runs through April 26.
