STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s been through spells where a trio of pass catchers were the beginning and end of its passing attack. Tight end and slot receiver are two of the deeper positions on MSU’s roster, but the usage of Stephen Guidry, Osirus Mitchell and Kylin Hill would never have indicated such.
On Saturday, every pass catcher had a chance to shine.
Quarterbacks Nick Fitzgerald and Keytaon Thompson combined for 12 completions, and no Bulldog receiver had more than three. The Bulldogs spread 188 passing yards through eight receivers and five touchdowns through four receivers in the 52-6 win over Arkansas (2-9, 0-7 Southeastern Conference).
“We made a concerted effort this week to make sure, in each formation, the Z, the X, the Y and the H had options to make plays,” MSU coach Joe Moorhead said.
Opportunities for tight ends were Justin Johnson’s for the taking, leading the team with three catches for 59 yards and a touchdown. Freshman slot receiver Austin Williams took both of his catches for touchdowns, covering 52 yards. Mitchell had two catches for 21 yards and a touchdown and Keith Mixon’s one catch was a four-yard touchdown.
Guidry, running back Aeris Williams and tight ends Dontea Jones and Farrod Green all had one reception.
More history for Fitzgerald
With his 2-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, Fitzgerald became MSU’s sole leader in career rushing touchdowns with 43. He was previously tied with Anthony Dixon for 42.
Through the air, it was the third time he has thrown four touchdown passes in a game and the second time this season, the other coming against Louisiana Tech.
Down two starters
MSU (7-4, 3-4 SEC) did it all without two starters: running back Kylin Hill and defensive back Jaquarius Landrews.
Hill was out with the same lower-body injury that kept him out against Texas A&M, and the same injury he played the Louisiana Tech and Alabama games with.
“We want to make sure the next time he comes back, he’s 100 percent ready to go. We took the conservative route to make sure when he’s back, he’s back,” Moorhead said.
Landrews has now been absent for two weeks, leaving a void at the nickel defensive back position MSU calls Star; the answer has been to move Johnathan Abram to Star and fill his strong safety spot with C.J. Morgan. Morgan had an interception and Abram turned in a career game: 12 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sack counter
Five sacks Saturday gave MSU 32 for the season; with the Egg Bowl and a bowl game left to play, it already has more sacks than the 2016 (25) and 2015 (30) teams.
In each of the last three seasons, 32 sacks for the season would have been good enough to finish among the top 40 nationally. MSU is there with two games left.
“We got monsters up front, monsters up front with never-ending pressure,” Morgan said. “We’ve got savages on the defensive line and the linebacker corps. Willie (Gay Jr.)’s an awesome blitzer, (Jeffery) Simmons and (Montez) Sweat, we all know what they can do.
“Even the guys that aren’t the big-time like Jeffery and Sweat, we all play like big-time players when our number is called.”
McLaurin’s gesture
McLaurin has been one of the nation’s best defenses top tacklers while wearing No. 41, but for one day, he kept that status in No. 99.
McLaurin wore No. 99 on his Senior Day in memory of Keith Joseph Jr., the former MSU defensive lineman who was killed in a car accident in November of 2015. If Joseph were still with the program, this would have been his Senior Day.
McLaurin had eight tackles, 0.5 for a loss, and a pass breakup.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 36 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.