What’s Coming Back for 2014

Winning the final three games of the season has left State fans with a pretty high excitement level for 2014. The schedule looks nice with what appears to be a weaker Texas A&M team coming to Starkville, trading at South Carolina for a home game with Vanderbilt and the absence of a non-conference BCS team. Only seven senior starters are leaving and one of them barely played so the optimism is understandably there. Let’s take a look at the production that comes back next fall.

Offense

2-deep

17 of 22 returning:

QB – Dak Prescott,

Tyler Russell

RB –

LaDarius Perkins

, Josh Robinson

LT – Blaine Claussell, Justin Senior

LG –

Gabe Jackson,

Jamaal Clayborn

C – Dillon Day,

Dylan Holley

RG – Justin Malone (injured 2013), Ben Beckwith

RT –

Charles Siddoway

, Damien Robinson

TE – Malcolm Johnson, Rufus Warren/Brandon Hill/Artimus Samuel

Slot – Jameon Lewis, Brandon Holloway

WR – Robert Johnson, Fred Ross

WR – D’Runnya Wilson, Joe Morrow

Oct 24, 2013; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Jameon Lewis (4) advances the ball during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State Bulldogs win the game against Kentucky Wildcats 28-22. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

Rushing Yardage

LaDarius Perkins (542) and Tyler Russell (15) graduate.

77% of the rushing yardage returns:

• Dak Prescott – 829
• Josh Robinson – 459
• Ashton Shumpert – 190
• Jameon Lewis – 117
• Damian Williams – 112
• Others – 205

Rushing Touchdowns

Perkins (2) and Charles Siddoway (1) graduate.

90% of the rushing touchdowns return:

• Prescott – 13
• Robinson – 3
• Shumpert – 3
• Lewis – 3
• Derrick Milton – 2
• Others – 2

Passing Yardage 

Russell (875) graduates.

72% of the passing yardage returns:

• Prescott – 1,940
• Williams – 279
• Lewis – 84

Passing Touchdowns

Russell (5) graduates.

72% of the passing touchdowns return:

• Prescott – 10
• Lewis – 3

Receiving Yardage

Perkins (248) graduates.

92% of the receiving yardage returns:

• Lewis – 923
• Malcolm Johnson – 391
• Robert Johnson – 389
• D’Runnya Wilson – 351
• Joe Morrow – 211
• Robinson – 115
• Fred Ross – 115
• Others – 435

Receiving Touchdowns

Perkins (3) graduates.

83% of the receiving touchdowns return:

• Lewis – 5
• Wilson – 3
• M. Johnson – 2
• Prescott – 2
• Others – 3

Offensive Line Starts

Gabe Jackson (13), Charles Siddoway (13) and Dylan Holley (1) graduate.

58% of the offensive line starts return:

• Blaine Claussell – 12
• Ben Beckwith – 12
• Dillon Day – 12
• Justin Malone – 1
• Justin Senior – 1

Defense 

2-deep

19 of 22 returning:

DE –

Denico Autry

, A.J. Jefferson

DT – Kaleb Eulls, Nelson Adams

DT – P.J. Jones, Chris Jones

DE – Preston Smith, Ryan Brown

LB –

Deontae Skinner

, Beniquez Brown

LB – Benardrick McKinney, Richie Brown

LB –  Matthew Wells, Zach Jackson

SS – Jay Hughes (injured), Kendrick Market

FS –

Nickoe Whitley

, Dee Arrington (injured)

CB – Jamerson Love, Will Redmond

CB – Taveze Calhoun, Justin Cox

Tackles

Deontae Skinner (64), Nickoe Whitley (55) Denico Autry (31) and Corvell Harrison-Gay (1) graduate.

82% of the tackles return:

• Benardrick McKinney – 71
• Kendrick Market – 62
• Matthew Wells – 50
• Taveze Calhoun – 45
• Preston Smith – 44
• A bunch of others with < 40

Sep 21, 2013; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Benardrick McKinney (50) prepares for the play during the game against the Troy Trojans at Davis Wade Stadium. Mississippi State won 62-7. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports

Tackles for Loss

Autry (6.5), Skinner (4.5) and Whitley (1) graduate.

84% of TFL return:

• McKinney – 7
• Chris Jones – 7
• Smith – 6.5
• Wells – 6
• Beniquez Brown – 4.5
• A.J. Jefferson – 4
• Richie Brown – 3
• P.J. Jones – 3
• A bunch of others with < 3

Sacks

Autry (2) and Skinner (1) graduate.

85% of the sacks return:

• McKinney – 3.5
• C. Jones – 3
• Smith – 2.5
• R. Brown – 2
• Jefferson – 2
• 4 guys with 1

Interceptions

Whitley (5) and Skinner (1) graduate.

57% of the INTs return:

• Jamerson Love – 3
• Calhoun – 3
• R. Brown – 1
• Justin Cox – 1

Passed Defended

Whitley (7), Autry (3) and Skinner (1) graduate.

67% of the passed defended return:

• Love – 10
• Calhoun – 7
• Cox – 4
• Smith – 3
• C. Jones – 3
• Wells – 2
• Will Redmond – 2
• 6 guys with 1

QB Hurries

Autry (8), Skinner (3) and Whitley (1) graduate.

77% of the QB hurries return:

• C. Jones – 10
• Smith – 9
• P. J. Jones – 4
• McKinney – 4
• Wells – 3
• Jefferson – 3
• Ryan Brown – 3
• 4 guys with 1

Forced Fumbles

Whitley (2) and Autry (1) graduate.

75% of the FF return:

• Tolando Cleveland – 2
• 7 guys with 1

Special Teams

EVERYTHING RETURNS BUT HOPEFULLY NOT DAN MULLEN AS THEIR COACH.