STARKVILLE — There’s a reason Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott isn’t running the ball as much this season.
The past two seasons, Prescott showed his versatility throwing and running the ball. As a sophomore, he ran for 829 yards and 13 touchdowns. He followed that season up by rushing for 986 yards and 14 touchdowns last season.
Entering this season, Prescott had rushed for 1,913 yards and 31 touchdowns in his three-year career. Through two games, he has 18 carries for 53 yards. He is tied for the team lead in carries with Ashton Shumpert. Each player has accounted for 33.3 percent of MSU’s 54 carries. Even though Prescott remains a focal point of the Bulldogs’ running game, he acknowledged he has matured at the position and is more comfortable staying in the pocket and going through his reads.
“When you’re younger, things seem to happen a lot faster, so you feel like you need to run a lot earlier than you have to, rather than getting to your last progression,” Prescott said. “Now I think I am getting to the last step of my progression, checking the ball down and knowing when the defense is set up in a certain coverage for me to run the ball or when they don’t have a spot to open up those lanes for me.”
Prescott hopes to continue his development as a quarterback at 3 p.m. Saturday when MSU (1-1) plays host to Northwestern State (0-2) at Davis Wade Stadium. SEC Network will broadcast the game live.
The Haughton, Louisiana, native is 56 of 90 for 572 yards and three touchdowns this season. He is expected to be taken in the NFL draft next year, so learning to go through an entire progression is good practice for what he will have to do at the next level. Quarterbacks are running the ball in the NFL more now than they have in the past, but injuries have run rampant at the position as more dual-threat players have entered the league. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson led all quarterbacks and was 26th in the league with 849 rushing yards (six touchdowns) last season.
Even Prescott’s wide receivers are impressed with how he has stayed in the pocket and looked at every route.
“If his first read is not open, he’s not afraid to go through the check down,” junior wideout Fred Ross said.
Ross leads the Southeastern Conference and is 14th in the nation with 14 receptions. He is tied with De’Runnya Wilson for the team lead with 141 yards. Ross had a career-best nine catches in a 21-19 loss to then-No. 14 LSU.
Prescott took a lot of hits the past two seasons and was sidelined for a couple of games as a sophomore. He fought through pain last season and kept himself healthy for the most part. Ross said Prescott’s decision to run less might have something to do with him protecting his body. But MSU coach Dan Mullen wants Prescott to pick his running times wisely.
“I think it is just that fine line of back and forth,” Mullen said. “It is not something by design. I think it is just his development and the fact that he is getting father through progressions in the pass game that you are seeing him take off and run less.”
Mullen admits there haven’t been many run plays called for Prescott this season. There have been times where the quarterback kept the ball on a read option. A year ago, Prescott had 26 carries for 134 yards through two games. Compared to this season, the difference is skewed because MSU beat Southern Mississippi 49-0 in its opener and defeated Alabama-Birmingham 47-34 in its second game. Prescott had 18 carries for 111 yards against UAB on a day the Bulldogs rushed for 320 yards. MSU had a much more difficult time running the ball in its second game this season, rushing for only 43 yards on 26 carries.
After reviewing the LSU film, Prescott admitted there were a couple of times he should have run and not stayed in the pocket. He ran the ball 10 times for -19 yards against the Tigers, but he was sacked three times for a loss of 28 yards.
“I’ve just got to realize when I have those lanes, take them early and don’t let those lanes close up,” Prescott said. “But know the defense that’s behind it and know when it’s important to go and run and get those yards versus going through the progression all the way.”
MSU is averaging 410 yards in its first two games. Last season, Prescott led the way and helped MSU average 514 yards per outing. MSU has only 248 rushing yards this season, good enough for 124 per game. A season ago, MSU averaged 233 yards rushing, but Prescott also had Josh Robinson, who is now playing for the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, by his side. Robinson rushed for 1,203 yards, which took some pressure off him. MSU’s leading rusher this season is junior running back Brandon Holloway (12 carries, 88 yards).
Prescott may run the ball more as the season progresses, but it will depend on what the defense does.
“If they want him to run the ball, he is going to run the ball and I am sure he will do a great job,” Mullen said.
n Last week, Prescott was one of 30 Football Bowl Subdivision seniors named a candidate for the 2015 Senior CLASS Award. The award, which is based on academics, community service, character and competition, celebrates loyalty and achievement for staying in school (CLASS).
One of five Southeastern Conference players to be named a candidate, Prescott has set 20 school records since arriving on campus (12 single-season, eight career). A candidate for seven national awards, he has led MSU to 420-plus yards of total offense in 20 of his 22 games started. He has thrown a school-record 139 straight passes without an interception. He also is second in the FBS in consecutive games with a touchdown thrown (16).
Off the field, Prescott is a team leader in community service, raising awareness for cancer and giving back to local youth on a consistent basis. Prescott is the second football player in school history (Johnthan Banks, 2012) to be a candidate for the award.
The Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. Starting in October, the candidate class will be narrowed to 10 finalists, and those names will be placed on the official ballot.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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