It went even worse than expected for Mike Leach and Mississippi State in Tuscaloosa on Saturday night as the Bulldogs were shut out 41-0 by Alabama. It is obvious that State has a bunch of problems on offense — the absence of Kylin Hill being the most important — but for a Leach-led offense to get completely shut out, it takes a lot. It was the first shutout of his coaching career, in fact.

In his first season in Starkville, Leach now has a 1-4 record with the only win coming against what may be the worst LSU team that we have seen in recent memory. A major rebuild is coming for the Bulldogs after seven players, including Hill, have left the program. K.J. Costello, the star of Week 1 of the SEC football season, is now a liability. Will Rogers, his replacement, threw two interceptions in relief.

So where does Leach turn to when pumping up this offense for the 2021 season? Here are five candidates:

1. Will Rogers

If this was a normal season and Rogers had had enough reps to get comfortable in this offense, he might be better than he is right now. Yet it is apparent that he is still a work in progress. If anyone can turn a young quarterback into a star, it should be Leach. The Bulldogs coach has experience doing just that with Luke Falk and Gardner Minshew, among others. And Rogers has a big arm. Training him for this offense during this offseason and possibly getting him even more reps during the final four games will be important.

2. Jo’Quavious Marks

Another true freshman like Rogers, Marks has been put into the spotlight due to Hill’s injury and subsequent decision to opt out of the season to train for the NFL. While his numbers aren’t huge, Marks showed versatility in the offense by catching 8 passes for 38 yards, both team highs, against Alabama on Saturday in addition to rushing 9 times for 32 yards. The running back will have the chance to be a major part of this offense this season and in the future.

3. Lee Witherspoon

Another running back with a chance to shine in Leach’s Air Raid offense. When Leach’s offense was at its best at Washington State, the Cougars had two running backs who could carry the load both on the ground and through the air. That tandem was James Williams and Max Borghi in 2018.

4. Sawyer Robertson

The Bulldogs’ top recruit in the 2021 signing class, Robertson is a 4-star quarterback that will immediately challenge anyone to the starting job behind center. He has the size — 6 feet 3-1/2 and 200 pounds — and the arm that could be elite in a Leach offense. And, being from Lubbock, Texas, Robertson probably has studied some of the offense from when Leach coached at Texas Tech. If Rogers doesn’t pan out, this is the guy.

5. Jaden Walley

The freshman only has 14 catches this season but his potential is sky high as he averages nearly 10 yards per catch. Since the season opener, when he recorded no receptions, Walley has quickly worked his way into the rotation at wide receiver. He could become a major threat in the future.