STARKVILLE — Mississippi State University right guard Justin Malone just wasn’t completely sure he was ready for college football in the Southeastern Conference.
Then he had a moment last year in practice that assured him his fears were correct and he had a lot to learn in his redshirt season.
“I had my ‘welcome to the SEC moment’ and I was lined up opposite of (current National Football League first-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles) Fletcher Cox,” Malone said with a smile. “And he nearly sent me into the trees (behind the MSU practice field).”
Last season the 315-pound freshman from Madison-Ridgeland Academy was simply trying to figure out the proper technique to practice properly after having only three years of playing experience in his lifetime.
“Coming from a small private school, I just didn’t know anything about football until I started playing late in my high school career,” Malone said. “I’ve noticed since I got to Mississippi State that my knowledge has increased and then my speed at which I play has increased. Everything I do is just getting better.”
Malone’s teammates scoff at the idea the 6-foot-7 guard isn’t a quality talent as his mentor on and off the field in senior Tobias Smith had a bold prediction for the redshirt freshman’s future.
“That’s my boy and mark my words, he’ll be an All-American before he leaves Mississippi State,” Smith said. “He’s a real smart guy and all he needed was some wisdom on the game.”
Malone’s coaches would agree with that assessment as the redshirt freshman has stepped into the right guard spot as Smith has become essentially a part-time player due to the ongoing rehabilitation from his severe knee injury last season.
“I saw him play much calmer this week, with a lot more confidence out there on the field which is something that we need,” MSU head coach Dan Mullen said. “The fact that he continues to grow will allow the continuing of the rotation.”
Mullen said Monday Malone graded out by the coaching staff in much better fashion than his college football debut two weeks ago against Jackson State University when they sellout crowd and atmosphere got to the rookie immediately.
“The first game you could see he wasn’t very good, not that he didn’t have the talent, you could just see the pressure of that situation was getting to him,” Mullen said. “As soon as he made one mistake he was ready to make another one because he was kind of freaked-out from making the first one.”
Malone said he knew from the minute that fall camp started he would be given an opportunity to earn playing time at one of the guard positions with Smith, fifth-year senior, only having started four games in his MSU career due to consistent injuries.
“I knew that Tobias was recovering and staying where I was at in terms of my play wasn’t going to be a option at all,” Malone said. “I knew I would have to play in important spots this year and my teammates were counting on me to improve. I needed that push.”
Mullen and MSU offensive line coach John Hevesy have said previously this season that whether or not injuries occur up front, the rotations among the five starting spots in front of junior quarterback Tyler Russell are a fluid situation.
“I know you love to have that continuity on the o-line, you’d love those guys to play but I also don’t mind (substituting) guys through every once in a while and staying fresh.,” Mullen said. “You don’t have to be up big to get these guys experience and it can develop their future.”
Malone says he still gets nervous for games in his first season but having a signal caller like Russell, the current SEC offensive player of the week, has allowed him to focus on the task at hand – which is usually the defensive lineman directly in front of his own face.
“Tyler is like a general out there and when I’m feeling nervous and jittery, he’ll take those few seconds to calm me down in the huddle,” Malone said. “I’m just so fortunate to have all these veterans treat me like I’m their little brother. I knew this was the place for me but didn’t know it would be this comforting.”
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