STARKVILLE — The future of defensive end at Mississippi State is doing much more than helping end opposing possessions — he’s helped the No. 18 Bulldogs start their own in good position.
Chauncey Rivers made a name for himself at Georgia and East Mississippi Community College as a defensive end, a reputation that has translated to MSU quite nicely: six-and-a-half tackles for a loss, two sacks and four quarterback hurries all in rotational reps. Where he’s also proven valuable is in the kick return unit, as the last blocker in front of the eventual return man.
His pivotal block in the scheme is why MSU is just outside of the top 50 nationally in average kickoff return going into the 11 a.m. Dec. 1 (ESPN2) Outback Bowl against Iowa (8-4).
“(Special teams coordinator Joey) Jones trusts me back there, knows I can play my role, block whoever I need to block,” Rivers said. “It’s fun because sometimes we go offense first and we’re the first people on the field, kick return. Atmosphere’s going crazy, we go out there and try to knock somebody out.
“I’ll do anything for the team.”
That attitude has benefitted Rivers in getting on the field as often as he has.
Rivers has always been an impressive defensive end prospect, ranking as a top 10 defensive end in the nation coming out of Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Georgia, and later as the best defensive end prospect in junior college out of EMCC.
But this year, he is behind likely first-round draft pick Montez Sweat and proven senior Gerri Green, one of very few places in which a talent like Rivers would not be the first defensive end on the field. The role on the kick return unit has put him on the field more, made him more valuable and impressed his coaches all in one.
“We want a big, ‘fullback,’ kind of guy to kick out their best player. Being 260 pounds and athletic, he does a great job of the kick blocks on our return unit,” Jones said. “We try to design schemes where we’re putting our best players on their best cover guys. Him and Gerri Green are the two best blockers we have, so we try to do that every week.”
That position makes Rivers the player closest to the back two in position to receive a kick, with a significant gap between him and the second line of blockers ahead of him. He’s so far back in the formation that, in theory, if a kickoff is short, the ball could come right to him.
He would welcome that opportunity.
“I can catch it if you want me to. I’m waiting for that one,” Rivers joked. “I’m going to catch one and do something with it. I’m trying to get back there, all the way to the back.”
That opportunity has yet to come, but that’s fine. For now, Rivers is helping MSU where it needs help and helping his own future in the process.
“They asked me, they wanted to play special teams,” Jones said of Rivers and Green. “Second, they want to play at the next level and they know that playing special teams is very beneficial. They know to get to that next level they need to be good on special teams.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
Abram, Sweat add more All-America honors
Montez Sweat and Johnathan Abram added more All-America honors to their postseason awards lists Tuesday when Sporting News and CBS Sports released their All-America teams.
Sporting News named Sweat to its first team, while CBS Sports selected Sweat and Abram to its second team.
Sweat became MSU’s first first-team All-America selection by Sporting News since cornerback Fred Smoot in 2000.
This is Sweat’s fifth All-America honor and the fourth for Abram. Sweat’s other All-America honors have come from the Football Writers Association of America (first team), Sports Illustrated (second team), and The Associated Press (second team). Abram’s other All-America selections include The Athletic (second team), Sports Illustrated (second team) and The AP (third team).
Sweat has 11 sacks on the season, which is tied for sixth in the nation and second in the Southeastern Conference. He also has 51 tackles, including 13 1/2 for loss.
Sweat is the No. 24 player on ESPN’s Todd McShay’s top 32 players for the 2019 NFL draft.
Abram has 93 tackles, seven-and-a-half for loss, two-and-a-half sacks, five pass breakups, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He is listed at No. 30 on McShay’s top 32 players for the 2019 NFL draft.
Sweat and Abram were first-team All-SEC choices by The AP and helped the Bulldogs’ defensive unit finish the regular season ranked No. 1 in the Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense (12), fewest touchdowns allowed (12), yards per play allowed (4.14), pass efficiency defense (97.26), red-zone touchdown percentage (25) and fewest 50+ yard plays allowed (zero).
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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