Familiar faces
Although Texas A&M is in only its third year in the Southeastern Conference, Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen and Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin aren’t strangers. In Mullen’s first five years as MSU’s coach, he has clashed with Sumlin four times, twice when the veteran coach was at Houston and twice at Texas A&M. Sumlin, who has won both games against the Bulldogs as the Aggies’ coach, has a 3-1 advantage against Mullen.
The steady competition has spawned respect that goes both ways.
“I think he’s done an amazing job with the program,” Mullen said of Sumlin. “I’ve talked to Kevin. We get to spend time together at the adidas retreat every year. Football wise, it’s kind of tough because we played him at Houston then he moves on to A&M, so we’ve always kind of played each other. You’re a little bit reserved with what you’re sharing with each other, not that there’s all kind of secrets within the game of football that way, but I study what they do an awful lot.”
Said Sumlin, “Dan has done a fabulous job. Coming from where they are, you look at their win percentage over time, he’s one of the winningest coaches in Mississippi State history. That doesn’t come from chance. That comes from hard work and comes from a plan. All you have to do is turn on the tape and you can see this team is as good as any we will play this year.”
Early risers
Two weeks after earning a rare night win at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, MSU has to prove it can be as effective early in the day, as the Bulldogs and Aggies will face off at 11 a.m. start to accommodate the ESPN national broadcast. Mullen downplays the start time.
“Maybe we will conduct bed check a little earlier, maybe 15 minutes earlier, which will be good for me, I can get to bed a little earlier,” Mullen said. “But that’s the good thing about having a veteran team. Our guys have been through this situation before. They know how to prepare. They know what to do.”
Big Hill to climb
For Mullen and the Bulldogs, the key to stopping Texas A&M’s high-scoring offense, which puts up a conference-best 51.2 points per game, lies in the ability to slow down sophomore quarterback Kenny Hill. Taking over for former quarterback Johnny Manziel, who is in the NFL, Hill has thrown for 1,745 yards and 17 touchdowns in five games. He has thrown two interceptions.
MSU defensive coordinator Geoff Collins said Hill presents a unique challenge.
“A different type of quarterback (from Manziel), but a very good one,” Collins said. “(Hill) is a very accurate passer, tremendous decision-maker. He identifies where to beat you and he puts the ball on a dime. We have to be extremely disciplined, have to be good up front.”
Just Joshin’
If there’s a weakness in Texas A&M’s defense that MSU will try to exploit, it’s likely up front. The Aggies rank ninth in the SEC in rushing defense and are allowing 3.87 yards per carry, good for 10th in the league.
That’s good news for MSU, which rolled up 302 rushing yards at LSU and is third in the league in rushing.
The key to MSU’s rushing attack will be tailback Josh Robinson, the SEC’s third-leading rusher. Robinson, a junior, averages 7.98 yards per carry.
“He’s a difference-maker,” Prescott said of Robinson. “When you have a guy like him in the backfield it helps the entire offense. Watching him run the football, it amazes me some of the ways he avoids a tackle. Jump, dive, crawl backwards … he does whatever he has to do to stay on his feet.”
Line of the times
To establish a running threat, the Bulldogs will have to lean on an offensive line that will be missing its most experienced player. Starting center Dillon Day, who leads the team with 38 career starts, will miss the game due to a one-game suspension handed down by the SEC due to Day’s actions at LSU. For players like Ben Beckwith, MSU’s starting guard who is listed as the starter at center, the timing was perfect.
“The bye week really came at a perfect time,” said Beckwith, who is Day’s roommate. “Last week we were really in shock because he got suspended. But as soon as we got here Monday, it was business as usual and we started working on Texas A&M. Having the extra week to get prepared was big.”
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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 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
