Mississippi State players won’t be handing Mike Leach their headshots and résumés on Saturday when they take the field against Auburn, but they might as well consider the game an audition for their job.

It has been a rough-and-tumble first year for the Bulldogs in Leach’s first year. We all are aware what has occurred: a 2-6 record, Egg Bowl loss, players opting out or transferring and a slew of COVID-19 cases that has hit the roster hard.

Leach has been open about the challenges that face State heading into this week’s game and beyond. While the goal currently is to end the season with an upset victory over these Tigers (or the No. 25 Missouri Tigers on Dec. 19) and a possible bowl bid, the future starts now for the players that want to be part of Leach’s rotation next season.

That starts with quarterback Will Rogers. The true freshman has shown signs of improvement over the past few games, throwing 5 touchdowns to 0 interceptions, including 3 scores in the 31-24 loss to Ole Miss on Nov. 28. Taking the full-time position from transfer quarterback — KJ Costello — it is likely that he will have to fend off another one this upcoming spring and fall in Jack Kristofek, a transfer from Sam Houston State.

Rogers, of course, has the head start but putting together a 4th solid game in a row would put his name starkly at the No. 1 position.

Yet this is Leach we are talking about and with him comes the fact that he will play whoever he feels gives him the best chances to win no matter what accomplishments the player has achieved in the past or his relationship with said athlete.

That puts what could be a lasting impression for the season to utmost importance for a lot of the guys left on the decimated roster.

Unless he decides to take advantage of the redshirt rule this year due to COVID-19, Osirus Mitchell, the team’s second-leading receiver and top option, will be gone next season. This gives freshman Jaden Walley, who has recorded more than 100-yard receiving the last 2 games, a shot at showing why he deserves to take over as the No. 1 receiver. The same for Austin Williams and Malik Heath.

In fact, you can consider each player who takes the field on trial by Leach and his coaching staff. As Leach admitted during a press conference earlier this season, he expects there to be even more roster turnover coming. This is all part of building the program the way he wants to be. It’s the same situation he found himself in in previous stops at Texas Tech and Washington State, programs that he quickly turned around.

So while the main focus of the Bulldogs will be to walk out of Davis Wade Stadium the next 2 Saturdays with a victory, there is way more on the line for each player: the chance to be the future of this Mississippi State program.