STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University officials announced the indefinite suspension of three players for the season-opening game against Jackson State University.
Junior wide receiver Ricco Sanders, sophomore defensive tackle P.J. Jones, and sophomore defensive back Jamerson Love were suspended for the game.
Sanders, who has 17 catches in two seasons, saw action in 12 games last year, including his second career start in the win at the University of Kentucky.
Jones played in all 12 regular-season games but didn’t participate in MSU’s Music City Bowl victory against Wake Forest University. The Tupelo High School product had nine tackles in a backup role last year. He was expected to compete significant playing in the middle of MSU’s defensive front four.
Love appeared in all 13 games last season as a redshirt freshman and recorded 18 tackles on the way to being an All-Southeastern Conference freshman team nomination. He had 11 tackles in a stretch against the University of South Carolina, Kentucky, and the University of Tennessee at Martin.
The announcement failed to include any details to the violation or length of the suspension. MSU football spokesperson Joe Galbraith said the players were being punished for what the program called a violation of team rules.
Bell gets first crack at kicking duties; Egan gets second half
For the time being the questions surrounding who would be the primary kicker for MSU might continue.
After the Bulldogs marched 66 yards on the game’s opening drive, freshman Devon Bell attempted the first extra-point attempt of his college career.
Bell, who was battling with junior Brian Egan for the kicking duties, was a three-star recruit by Scout.com and ESPN.com after having 28 of his 32 kickoffs result in touchbacks last season,
The first-team All America selection by Sports Illustrated then stayed on the field for the first kickoff for MSU. With the new rule having touchbacks resulting in the ball being placed on the 25-yard line, Mullen elected to try a sky kick and booming the football into the end zone.
Bell also was given a 42-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter, but the Warren Central High School product missed the kick wide right.
The Vicksburg native was 5-for-5 on extra points in the first half.
Egan took the second-half kickoff, which resulted in a touchback, and received the rest of the MSU kicking opportunities the rest of the game.
Egan took over kickoff duties in the early part of last year and recorded five touchbacks throughout the season.
Smith starts but sits most of game
MSU senior guard Tobias Smith and his surgically repaired knee were handled with care Saturday night, as the Columbus native didn’t see much action beyond the first drive.
The former Columbus High School star made his fifth career start but was replaced by redshirt freshman Justin Malone. Smith was in on MSU’s opening drive that went for a touchdown in just eight plays, but the combination of junior Gabe Jackson, sophomore Ben Beckwith, and Malone played the two guard spots.
Without Smith, the current first-team offensive line group for MSU has 39 combined starts but none on the right side, 26 from Jackson, an Outland Trophy Watch List nominee.
Smith has been limited in fall camp because of multiple ankle surgeries and due to rehabilitation from a knee injury he suffered last year in a 19-6 loss to LSU on Sept. 15 in Starkville.
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