Leach Provides Spring Ball Update
April 02, 2022 | Football, Joel Coleman
State head coach pleased with energy and improvements from Bulldogs
STARKVILLE – Mike Leach was asked the question and answered with little hesitation.
Mississippi State had just wrapped up its fifth practice of the spring on Saturday when the leader of the Bulldogs fielded a query from a reporter: What have been some of the biggest positives seen since spring practice started?
"Probably the energy we practice with," Leach responded. "We have really good energy and intensity when we come out and practice."
To get where the Bulldogs want to be, they can't be afraid to get their hands dirty. There's no time to be lackadaisical. A third of the way through the spring, none of that has been a concern.
MSU is getting after it. Spirits are high.
"Everybody likes being out here and everybody embraces the work," Leach continued.
And there's work of course happening all over the place. On Mike Leach teams, no jobs are ever settled. Competition and improvement are paramount.
So, the grind continues, practice after practice. Here are a few other observations from Leach following Saturday's workout.
Leach on the progress of quarterback Daniel Greek: "I think he's improved. I thought it was good work for him [on Saturday]. It was good to check out what he could do. I think that Will [Rogers] and Sawyer [Robertson] still have the upper hand though."
Leach on the battle to replace both offensive tackles: "Work in progress. [We've seen] more good than bad, just that we want to get more consistent. Percy [Lewis] is still getting in shape but does some good things and moves extremely well for a guy his size."
Leach on the potential of receiver Rara Thomas: "Rara needs to keep coming out of his shell a little bit. I think Rara's good plays are really good. He's got to be able to do it every time. Right now, he's fighting consistency I think."
Leach on if he's seen his receivers learning to use their hands more: "A little bit. We've got a long way to go there. Violent hands. That's why they have football so people can hit other people. So, we definitely have to improve on that. We're better than we were last year, but we're still not where we need to be."
Leach on what he's seeing from quarterback Sawyer Robertson: "He's steadily improved. He can help himself out with his feet a little bit. He's got a strong arm when he makes a decision. He puts it on a guy quick. That's when he's at his best. The biggest thing is he needs the reps so he's decisive on everything really."
Leach's observations of transfer receivers Justin Robinson and Jordan Mosley: "They're getting better. I don't think they're in a rhythm yet. I think this spring is going to be very good for them. Really, it's just the timing of things. They're still kind of absorbing and learning the offense. But both are getting better."
Leach on how quarterback Will Rogers has progressed: "I think he's more consistent. I think he can kind of aggressively check more of the package on his own. The other thing is – he's been good at this but even better now perhaps – he brings energy to the offensive unit."
Leach on if it's a big adjustment for receiver transfers to adapt to the Air Raid, or if they can rely on what they already know: "A little of both. I think they've got to learn the routes and the concepts. We ask them to adjust some to the coverage, so they've got to get tuned in on that. Then the other thing, since we throw it quite a bit, technique is very important. I think as they improve their techniques, the better they get. There's a point to where it's one thing to be able to draw a line on the board and another thing to instantly do it on the field you know. Then you adjust to where the other routes develop. You adjust to what the quarterback does. You adjust to a couple of things and just [learn] the timing that comes with that."
Mississippi State will return to the practice fields on Tuesday. There are 10 total practices left this spring. The annual Spring Game is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, at Davis Wade Stadium as part of Super Bulldog Weekend.
