Malik Heath was nowhere to be found.
After just one catch for 4 yards Oct. 30 against Kentucky, the Mississippi State senior wide receiver was shut out entirely Nov. 6 at Arkansas.
What was once Heath’s starting job at X wide receiver was officially handed to a freshman. Rara Thomas had two touchdown catches against the Razorbacks, and MSU coach Mike Leach praised him after the game.
“Although it seems they’ve played keep-away with that position a little bit this year, he’s currently our starting X,” Leach said.
Ever since, Heath has done his best to re-emerge as one of the Bulldogs’ top receivers.
Heath had a 56-yard touchdown catch Saturday against Tennessee State, finishing with two catches for 87 yards and a score. He caught five passes for 74 yards and a touchdown last week at Auburn.
“He’s put together two really good weeks in a row,” Leach said after Saturday’s 55-10 win.
For Heath, it’s started in practice. Leach said the senior from Jackson has been working hard in practice for the past two weeks with less of the up-and-down tendencies visible in his play. Quarterback Will Rogers said Heath has been excited and joking with his teammates, a good sign for how he will play in games.
“He just comes ready to go every day, every week in practice,” Rogers said. “You’re not having to get Malik out there for practice. Anytime you have that Malik around, it really rolls over to the game that Saturday.”
Heath made his first appearance Saturday against Tennessee State in a big spot on the Bulldogs’ first drive, picking up a third-and-6 with a 31-yard catch from Rogers.
Midway through the second quarter, Heath caught a pass behind the line of scrimmage at the 43. He shot between three Tigers defenders and shot down the left sideline, ducking at the goal line to mimic a sprinter cutting through the tape at the finish line.
Heath was one of 13 Mississippi State receivers to record a catch in Saturday’s game. The Bulldogs finished 36 of 46 passing for 393 yards between Rogers and Chance Lovertich.
“When (Heath) has a good game, that helps everybody else out,” Makai Polk said.
The same was true against Auburn, when Heath capped his day with a 6-yard touchdown catch from Rogers to put Mississippi State ahead 43-28. The Bulldogs won 43-34, erasing a 25-point deficit for the biggest comeback win in school history.
Heath has now put together back-to-back strong games after some inconsistencies earlier this season. After being held out of the Sept. 4 season opener likely due to his role in the brawl with Tulsa after last year’s Armed Forces Bowl, Heath had touchdowns against North Carolina State on Sept. 11 and Memphis on Sept. 18, posting a season-high 88 yards against the Tigers.
But he had just 25 yards against Texas A&M and 26 against Vanderbilt with three catches for 56 yards against Alabama in between. Then Heath went for just 4 yards against Kentucky and was held without a catch against Arkansas.
Now, he appears to be back. And the Bulldogs could really use him.
“For him to have a couple good games in a row is really key,” Rogers said. “I think it’s really important for our team that he’s playing his best ball at the end of the year.”
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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