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5 players to watch when Mississippi State hosts Louisiana Tech
By Randy Capps
Published:
Mississippi State continues its break from SEC play this weekend when Louisiana Tech comes to Starkville (noon ET, SECN).
Last time out, the Bulldogs dispatched Troy, 45-17, and did so with their star quarterback, Dak Prescott, playing less than a quarter because of a stomach illness.
Prescott shouldn’t be limited this weekend, and he and the Bulldogs will look to build on last week’s offensive success.
It’s an interesting game for Mississippi State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, as he’ll be facing his previous employer.
“It helps with familiarity,” coach Dan Mullen said. “If there is something out of the norm, it’s not bad to know why they are doing it or what they are trying to accomplish in that. That’s why we study the film. Hopefully by the time the game hits there are no secrets out there.”
With that in mind, here are five Bulldogs — including one in the other colors — to keep an eye on Saturday:
1. QB Dak Prescott — Maybe once I’ll write one of these and not list the senior quarterback first. I suppose in 2016, I’ll have to. Anyway, even with last week’s abbreviated outing, he’s still third in the SEC with 1,353 passing yards to go along with eight touchdown passes and three more scores on the ground. His stomach should be just fine this time around. We’ll see if the same can be said for the Louisiana Tech defenders charged with trying to stop him.
2. RB Dontavian Lee — Another frequent theme in this space is the need for a reliable running back to emerge from a crowded Bulldog backfield. Lee had the most success last week against Troy with 44 yards on five carries. It’s a job waiting to be won, and Lee may have the momentum heading into this game.
3. WR Fred Ross — The junior wideout had a big game against the Trojans, hauling in a 59-yard scoring strike from Prescott and taking a punt back 77 yards for a touchdown — all in the first quarter. He’s tied for the SEC lead with 35 catches on the season, which comes as a result of being targeted on 24 percent of MSU’s passing plays.
4. LB Gerri Green — The freshman continues to impress, leading the Bulldogs with a career-high 11 tackles against Troy, giving him 29 for the season. He’s the backup to middle linebacker Richie Brown, the fourth-leading tackler in the SEC, and Diaz and Mullen have to be excited to see Green making so many plays in a reserve role.
5. QB Jeff Driskel — The former Florida quarterback is having a fine senior season in Reston. He’s passed for 1,812 yards and 11 scores and is also the team’s second-leading rusher for 211 yards and five scores. He’s a dual-threat quarterback with plenty of SEC experience who’s unlikely to be fazed by the environment in Starkville. Stopping him will be the focal point of Diaz’s game plan against his former team.
Randy Capps is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers SEC football, South Carolina and Georgia.