Another Step Forward
September 11, 2023 | Football, Joel Coleman
Arnett and Bulldogs using last weekend to grow stronger ahead of Saturday showdown with LSU.
(NOTE: Watch head coach Zach Arnett's full Monday press conference by clicking the image above.)
STARKVILLE – In the record books, Mississippi State's overtime win over Arizona last weekend can only count as one victory. However, to hear MSU head coach Zach Arnett speak on the game, it certainly appears the Dawgs might've won more than once.
In addition to claiming the W against the Wildcats, it was another game that provided another week of film to review. It was another chance for State to simply get better.
"We improved in a lot of ways [from Week 1 to Week 2] and there are areas where we can still improve," Arnett said at his weekly press conference on Monday. "If we can improve in those areas we highlight, we can line up and play versus anybody."
Anybody. That'd include defending Southeastern Conference Western Division champion LSU, who'll be in town this Saturday for an 11 a.m. game at Davis Wade Stadium.
The No. 14 Tigers are obviously MSU's biggest test yet.
"They're as talented as any team in the country," Arnett said of LSU. "It's quite a challenge. Our guys are excited to get to work."
By the time you read this, that work is already well underway. State returned to the practice fields on Monday night, building on last weekend with the hopes of making a 2-0 record 3-0 come Saturday.
But again, that'll take improvement, and it's not just the players looking to progress.
In a moment of brutal honesty, Arnett declared Monday he has much room to grow himself. Sure, he's three games into his head coaching career and remains undefeated as the leader of the Dawgs. However, he's under no illusions that his perfect ledger means he can't refine his own processes.
When Arnett was asked what all he learned from the Arizona game, the list wasn't short at all.
"There was a lot of situational stuff that came up in that game [to learn from]," Arnett said. "There was a lot of 3rd-and-3 or 3rd-and-4. Does that turn into a punt? Is it a go for it? Is it a long field goal? Situations like that."
He continued on.
"I've decided to go for it twice [near the end zone] – once in each game – and we haven't gotten either one," Arnett said. "Hindsight being 20-20, you can line up and kick a field goal, but you also like the odds of defending a long field with your defense. But that's six points that I've prevented from being on the scoreboard simply because I made the decision to go for it. Those situations are going to continue to come up."
Arnett wasn't done. He wanted a do-over on another choice he made last weekend after the Dawgs halted a long Arizona drive by forcing and recovering a fumble. Arnett called for his offense to slow the game down so the Dawg defense could rest. He wishes now he'd have done otherwise.
"If I could do it all over again, I'd have told us to be super aggressive," Arnett said. "We could've firmly taken the momentum in that game. We'd just caused a big play to prevent a score and could go be super aggressive, score a touchdown there and make it 21-0 at that point. Yeah, your defense would have to go back out really tired, but it'd have been worth the tradeoff for the momentum and the three scores.
"I very poorly managed that situation. I'll own up to it to the team. I'll tell them it's completely my mistake."
Arnett might've considered it a blunder, but his group still went on to win the game and he gained valuable insight to use himself next time such a situation arises.
Again, it was a win-win. The score went Arnett's way, plus he took another personal step forward. It all made both Arnett and the Bulldogs better.
And week to week, that's always the goal.
