Week 1 Mississippi State Report Card
Aug 30, 2014; Starkville, MS, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Dak Prescott (15) passes the ball during the game against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Spruce Derden-USA TODAY Sports
Offense
Grade: B+
Most of the criticism for the offensive unit will really be minor quibbles. It’s hard to be to tough on a unit that put up 42 points (7 came from special teams). The offense was solid all night, but far from perfect.
Earning Bonus points: The offense piled up 550 yards of offense, and was highly effective both running and throwing the ball. The Bulldogs picked up 349 yards through the air with both quarterbacks completing a total of 23 of 34 attempts. Prescott threw for four touchdowns and 1 interception while Damian Williams added a touchdown as well. The ground game featured six different backs that averaged 4.6 yards a carry for 201 yards total. Josh Robinson picked up where he left off last year. He gained 87 yards on 14 carries for an average of 6.2 yards per carry. He even picked up 49 yards receiving on 6 receptions.
Speaking of receiving, this is where Mississippi State was most impressive. The Bulldogs had seven players get multiple receptions. One of the biggest question marks entering the season was if their would be receivers outside Jameon Lewis that stepped up. Hard to say that we got a definitive answer to that with the opponent we played, but you can’t argue with the results. De’Runnya Wilson really shined with 2 of his 4 receptions going for touchdowns.
Forgot to put their name on their paper: The Bulldogs lose points for their offensive line play. There were times that the Golden Eagles got penetration and made plays in the Mississippi State backfield. The line really struggled after a Preston Smith interception gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Southern Miss four, and weren’t able to punch it in. That might be excused though because Coach told us this morning that was more because of scheme than execution.
The Bulldogs also seemed to play tight after getting the ball on a turnover or getting great field position. When the Bulldogs forced Southern Mississippi into a turnover or started a drive at their own 40 or better, the Bulldogs were only able to score 14 points on 6 possessions. We can’t waste those opportunities against SEC opponents.