STARKVILLE — The one element of football that frustrates Mississippi State University head coach Dan Mullen since his arrival in Starkville four years ago is the development of the Wildcat formation.
MSU (3-0, 1-0 in Southeastern Conference) has tried the unique formation with wide receiver Chad Bumphis before the arrival of electric athlete Jameon Lewis two years ago.
Bumphis was even given the football on the first play of his college career in 2009 on a reverse pass that fell incomplete against Jackson State University.
“That double-reverse was planned out for like a year, a long time ago,” Mullen said with a smile.
As a true freshman Lewis, a 5-foot-9 speed threat as a slot receiver, would rehearse the opponents Wildcat system as a member of the scout team. During bowl preparation practice for the 2011 Gator Bowl against the University of Michigan, Lewis served as the MSU scout team version of the Wolverines’ dual-threat quarterback Denard Robinson. Mullen said Wednesday during his weekly media teleconference that practice throughout the week has included dynamic elements out of the Wildcat by both Bumphis and Lewis
“We just haven’t looked smooth doing it and that’s the best way I can describe it right now,” Mullen said. “We’ve looked good in practiceand then we get in games we haven’t looked as great. How the game goes along is a long way from seeing how we use that package from week to week.”
With the primary use of junior quarterback Tyler Russell, who isn’t known for moving the offense with his feet, the assumptions were the Wildcat formation might have been a bigger option in the Bulldogs game plan in 2012 but so far the statistics in games haven’t seen that personnel group work effectively.
So far in 2012, Lewis is the only player to receive Wildcat formation snaps and has accumulated just eight yards on three carries this season. Last week, Lewis had just one touch from behind center for a loss of three yards in MSU’s 30-24 victory at Troy University.
What wasn’t seen last Saturday was the use of backup quarterback Dak Prescott in short-yardage situations after the redshirt freshman got four carries, including three on fourth down, in the first two games.
“We have the package to get him in and force feed him some snaps,” Mullen said. “We didn’t do it last week and that’s on me to put him in and give him confidence in games like we did in the first two. Every game we want to get him in.”
Marcus ready to play multiple positions: With the current lack of depth at the tight end position, MSU coaches have turned to a veteran to line up at that position when senior Marcus Green can’t be on the field.
Junior fullback Adrian Marcus was seen at tight end during the Bulldogs victory last weekend at Troy and said, depending on the injury situation, could be used in that spot a lot more in the upcoming weeks.
“I feel comfortable at tight end because (MSU running backs coach Greg Knox) puts us in the best spot in practices to know multiple positions,” Marcus said. “The way football is today, you have to know more positions because we don’t line up with a fullback much.”
Marcus, a 225-pound back, currently has no statistics for the 2012 season but in his three-year career has a total of 16 carries for 55 yards.
MSU currently is without backup tight ends Malcolm Johnson and Brandon Hill to injuries with Hill’s status still questionable due to a severely sprained ankle in the win two weeks ago against Auburn University.
“I don’t really want to define myself as a fullback or tight end but as a football player that wants to be on the field as much as I can,” Marcus said. “Right now it’s not about carries, playing time or anything. I think I can help the team win and that’s what this season is about.”
Mullen said Monday the Bulldogs hope to get Johnson back after recovering from his pectoral muscle injury for the contest at the University of Kentucky on Oct. 6.
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