Powered By Pittman
September 10, 2023 | Football, Joel Coleman
A quick look inside State running back’s Saturday night heroics.
STARKVILLE – Late Saturday night with the game on the line in overtime, Mississippi State needed someone to step up and make a play. In only his second career contest at MSU, Jeffery Pittman answered the call.
The junior running back delivered a moment he'll surely never forget with an electric, 29-yard touchdown reception that served as the game-winning score in State's 31-24 victory over Arizona.
Dawgs take the lead!#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/F8qUvVcjbN
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) September 10, 2023
The play had everyone in awe, including the man who stands as the leader of MSU's running back room.
"I told [Pittman], 'You'll remember that for the rest of your life,'" Jo'Quavious Marks said. "That was a critical touchdown right there."
Critical to say the least. It wasn't just that Pittman came through in the clutch. It was how and when he did it.
A holding call on the first play of overtime had put the Bulldogs behind the chains. It was second-and-14 to go from the 29 when quarterback Will Rogers took a shotgun snap and looked to throw.
"We'd done some motion out of the backfield and the [Arizona] safeties really spun hard to [that side of] the field, so I knew we had the screen on," Rogers explained. "I tried to give a good pump fake to the field, and I came back to the boundary [side of the field] and saw there was one [Arizona] linebacker and three [of our] offensive linemen [in front of Pittman]. I don't think we really touched the linebacker, but Jeff made a heck of a play by bouncing off that guy and then he got a good kick-out block from [lineman Steven Losoya III ]."
A Wildcat defender was able to catch up to and hit Pittman at the 1-yard line as the State back dove for the end zone, however the contact simply spun Pittman into the air, and he landed in the end zone for the go-ahead score.
"Probably the biggest play he's made in his career to date," Rogers said of Pittman. "Jeff made a heck of a play and won the game for us."
Game. Winner. @JefferyPittma13 🫡#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/aNQOk3NZMK
— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) September 10, 2023
Of course, one of the happiest observers of Pittman's heroics was State head coach Zach Arnett. Arnett is a coach that repeatedly emphasizes it's the talent of players that ultimately decides games. Pittman provided the MSU leader with even more proof.
"He's a physical running back," Arnett said of Pittman. "He's not easy to bring down. I'm kind of partial to running backs with big thighs that it hurts to tackle. He's one of those guys.
"That was a big-time play. He broke a tackle. I think that was 2nd and [14]. He gets hit right about the line of scrimmage. Now you're looking at 3rd and [14] in overtime [if Pittman doesn't break the tackle]? That's not a good spot to be in. But he breaks a tackle and takes it for a touchdown. Great play by him."
A great play indeed, and if all goes well, the first of many memorable moments for the Bulldog back.
