The second year of the Mike Leach era at Mississippi State is a few weekend road trips away and Bulldogs fans are still in the dark about the starting quarterback for Sept. 4.

Leach’s recent history may shed some light on what to expect and SEC history could exemplify how the quarterback competition should play out.

SDS reported that sophomore Will Rogers appears to have the edge. Rogers finished the season as the starting quarterback with some respectable games, including throwing for 440 yards and 3 TDs in the Egg Bowl and leading the Bulldogs to a bowl victory.

Despite most thinking that Rogers will be the starter, University of South Alabama transfer, and Mississippi native, Chance Lovertich has been impressive in camp.

In a recent scrimmage, Rogers completed 11-20 for 79 yards with a TD while Lovertich completed 19-30 for 152 yards and a TD.

Regardless of who trots out with the first-team offense on opening day, the man trotting out with the starters in weeks 4-12 is the real question.

In 2018, Leach’s Washington State Cougars faced a similar wide-open competition. Graduate transfer and fellow Mississippi man Gardner Minshew won the job and went on to become the biggest single-season passer in Pac-12 history. (Minshew’s record was broken the next season by another Leach QB, Anthony Gordon.)

While Rogers already has SEC experience, it’s important to remember that Leach didn’t recruit him to MSU. Rogers was clearly the best option the Bulldogs had at the end of 2020, but that may not be true anymore.

Lovertich also started a few games at the end of 2020, though not against SEC competition (but without SEC teammates).

Is it possible that just as he did in Pullman, Leach wants a more seasoned player? Certainly. Does he need to figure this out right away? Absolutely not.

As frustrating as it could be, the right move could be giving both players meaningful snaps in the first few games of the season. Leach has said he doesn’t want to do that. He wants to pick a guy and go with it. However, by delaying that decision, it may become clear who is more deserving or, equally as important, who isn’t ready. We’ve seen recent examples in this very conference.

SEC fans can likely recall Alabama quarterback Cooper Bateman trotting after a defender who’d made an interception only to get demolished by Ole Miss linebacker Denzel Nkemdiche in 2015. That game was the third of the season and the only loss for the eventual national champion Crimson Tide, but it was the first and last career start for Bateman.

Heading into 2015, the Tide had not named a starter. Bateman, from Salt Lake City, was the former No. 1 QB recruit while Florida State transfer Jake Coker carried a pedigree of his own.

Alabama coach Nick Saban famously played both QBs for three games before Coker became the clear choice in the loss to Ole Miss.

The next season, Alabama had another open QB competition. Freshman Jalen Hurts came off the bench early in the opening game against UCLA and never looked back.

For Mississippi State, the important factor is patience. This is Year 2 a new era. The Bulldogs might do well to focus on competition and growth while letting the 2021 starter reveal himself.

For my money, experience matters quite a bit. I think it’s possible Will Rogers takes the first snap on Sept. 4, but Chance Lovertich takes the first snap later that month against LSU.