Mississippi State reportedly making change at QB for Music City Bowl following post-practice altercation
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This is not the type of news you want to see leading up to a bowl game.
With defensive backs Cameron Dantzler and Brian Cole planning on sitting out in order to prepare for the 2020 NFL Draft, Mississippi State was already going to have to be somewhat concerned about the team’s focus for the 2019 Music City Bowl against Louisville. Now, the team will reportedly be making a change at quarterback following a post-practice altercation.
Joe Moorhead made it very clear leading up to his team’s upcoming matchup with Louisville that freshman quarterback Garrett Shrader would be the team’s starter in the game.
“We’re starting Garrett because he’s earned the right to be the starter,” Moorhead said back on Dec. 20. “I think he’s 2-2 in the games he’s started, two SEC games. He’s moved the ball well against teams that we haven’t beaten. He’s fully healthy and has the confidence of the team.
“That’s certainly not a knock against Tommy (Stevens). Tommy’s healthy, but – I don’t want to say go with the hot hand – but Garrett’s proven when he’s the starter, that we’ve won football games. Tommy’s going with the twos right now.”
Now, according to David H. Murray of 247Sports, Mississippi State plans to start Stevens for the 2019 Music City Bowl. However, the change isn’t the biggest news out of Starkville, it’s how the change came about.
According to 247Sports, Shrader will not be playing in the game following a post-practice altercation involving a teammate. Shrader sustained an injury so significant during that post-practice altercation that he is not expected to play at all in the Music City Bowl.
While a certain amount of competitiveness is necessary to play college football at a high level, it goes without saying that teammates should never be the reason why a team’s starting quarterback is unable to compete in a crucial game.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
