STARKVILLE — J.T. Gray never had a chance.
Gray, a rising sophomore who was named to the Southeastern Conference’s All-Freshman Team in 2014, found himself between the goal line and a charging Dontavian Lee on Saturday at MSU spring game.
Lee, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound freshman running back from Forrest County AHS, took a handoff from quarterback Nick Fitzgerald at the 5-yard line and turned his sights to Gray, who waiting to prevent the touchdown. Lee lowered his shoulder and barreled through Gray to give the White team a 14-7 lead.
“He runs hard, really hard,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said of Lee.
Lee’s run was just part of a breakthrough performance for a pair of young running backs. In addition to Lee, freshman Aeris Williams broke loose for a 17-yard gain on his first carry. He finished with 31 yards on six carries. Lee and Williams, who have turned heads this spring with their play, combined for 84 yards. They also caught three passes.
Of Lee, Fitzgerald said, “We have seen it every single day in practice. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast. He’s just a really good football player.”
The performances of Lee and Williams in the spring makes MSU’s backfield even more crowded. In addition to starting quarterback Dak Prescott, who has led MSU in carries the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have rising junior Ashton Shumpert and change-of-pace back Brandon Holloway. When asked if the two freshmen were pushing for playing time, Mullen stopped short.
“The biggest thing to me is no one put themselves out of position,” Mullen said. “No one has earned a spot, but we have a long training camp to go where guys can continue to learn and improve. I think we are a young unit, and I think the guys have the intensity and the work ethic they need to be successful.”
Still doubted
Although he’s coming off a season that saw him break records for total yards and total touchdowns while leading MSU to its first Orange Bowl appearance in 73 years, Prescott feels MSU is disrespected, and he doesn’t feel like it will change any time soon.
“I think people still doubt us,” Prescott said. “It’s like they don’t believe we can do it again, even though they saw us do it last year. All we can do is work hard and go out to have another season like that one. I think we can be even better next year, but we have to prove it.”
Brown ready for his turn
In 2014, MSU defensive end Ryan Brown, then a junior, watched Preston Smith take three years of experience and turn it into a dynamic senior season, leading the team with nine sacks. Smith was a second-team All-SEC selection (media). He is expected to be an early-round pick in the NFL draft later this month. Not bad for a player who combined for eight sacks in his first three seasons.
For Brown, who lined up opposite Smith last season, the plan is to mimic Smith’s senior season.
“It’s been a whole different type of mind-set going into the summer and fall with the last year,” said Brown, a two-year starter from New Orleans. “I’ve just been trying to figure it all out. I want to keep moving from last year. If you keep looking back, you will not be moving.”
Up close view
Ben Howland has experience coaching a winner in Starkville before he takes the court as MSU’s basketball coach.
Howland served as honorary coach for the White team, which beat the Maroon team, which was coached by MSU women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer, 28-24.
Asked afterward for his impressions, Howland was pleased with the opportunity.
“They are going to have another great season,” Howland said. “To be able to see that up close, it was impressive. First of all, you see how hard they work, how well they are coached. But you also see how they handle their business, you can tell why they are so successful.
“And then there’s Dak Prescott. My goodness. That’s just an impressive young man, and you can see it in the way he carries himself.”
Going Green
One of the biggest holes on MSU’s defense is replacing All-SEC standout Benardrick McKinney, who declared for the NFL draft after a 71-tackle junior season.
McKinney led the defense at middle linebacker since his freshman season in 2012, and served as the defense’s emotional leader for much of that time.
Linebacker Gerri Green, a freshman from Greenville, had seven tackles and an interception as the Bulldogs search for someone to fill the middle of the defense.
“I think I played pretty well,” said Green, a 6-foot-4, 230-pounder. “It was fun to get out there and play in front of a big crowd. That was my first interception in a few years, so it felt great.”
Mullen has been touting Green since his arrival last season, and Green’s performance in the spring game backed those words up.
Asked after the game if Green was poised to take McKinney’s spot, Mullen agreed.
“I think he may even be ahead of that,” Mullen said. “Benardrick was a great player for this program, but he didn’t look this good as a freshman.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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