STARKVILLE — Bob Shoop’s individual drills with Mississippi State’s safeties can’t start before a best-of-three series of rock paper scissors between two of his starters.
Mark McLaurin and Johnathan Abram go out of their way to compete with each other as often as possible, and of course MSU’s top two safeties are going to do the same to decide who goes first in drills.
“There’s not a game goes by, a practice goes by, any moment, where we’re not fussing about this and that, being competitive,” McLaurin said. “That’s how we are and it motivates us to keep working every day.”
McLaurin and Abram have been two of the most productive figures on MSU’s defense since the beginning of last season, now doing so for a defense that is top 10 nationally in nearly every statistical category of importance. Their high-energy dynamic has made them two of MSU’s most dangerous defenders, to be unleashed on No. 16 Texas A&M (5-2, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) 6 p.m. Saturday (ESPN).
“It’s almost like a weird brotherhood,” said defensive coordinator Shoop, who is also the safeties coach and witnesses the dynamic in the meeting room, too. “They compare statistics like brothers would. I know they know at the end of the day who has more tackles.”
That comparison happens as soon as games end. The first thing they do after games is find the stat sheet and compare their performances against one another, and do it on all levels: tackles, tackles for loss, interceptions, pass break-ups and all.
They did this for an entire offseason after the two were the team’s top tacklers last season. McLaurin won that battle, 79 tackles to 71, but Abram was more productive behind the line with five tackles for a loss and two sacks compared to 3.5 and 1.5, respectively, for McLaurin. Abram also forced two fumbles to McLaurin’s one, but Abram had nothing for McLaurin in interceptions: McLaurin had six and Abram didn’t have one.
They hold the same status this year: Abram leads the team with 53 tackles but McLaurin isn’t far behind with 48. McLaurin is the better of the two with 3.5 tackles for a loss compared to Abram’s 1.5, but Abram has an interception and McLaurin does not.
“It’s always something we come up with,” McLaurin said.
Abram added, “That’s what keeps us going. That’s how I challenge him. We both, we’re always trying to see who’s the better player. There’s only one way to compare.”
In the confines of the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex or Davis Wade Stadium, this friendly needling has become the norm. Elsewhere, the dynamic is different: whenever Abram’s wife and daughter come to visit, McLaurin is almost always there.
Abram would have it no other way.
“It’s always going to be something funny. Mark and my little girl, they’re all characters,” Abram said. “Somebody’s going to say something to get everybody rolling.”
Away from football, especially when Abram’s family is around, the two become best of friends — despite drastic personality differences. Shoop described McLaurin as, “a genuine Southern country boy,” while Abram is more rough around the edges.
It creates a spectacle for those around them — “They get on each other’s nerves and want to strangle each other at times,” Shoop said — but they have been enjoying each other’s company for years. This relationship goes back to their high school summers when they would come together on Mississippi Grind Team.
In that time, they have come to know each other’s game better than anyone. When they aren’t playing football with each other, they’re often watching football together. They’ve come to know exactly how the other thinks, and both believe it helps them on the field.
“Both of those guys are everything a coach would want to work,” Shoop said. “I’m very grateful and appreciative of the opportunity Joe provided me and I’m grateful and appreciative to have players in the meeting room and on the practice field like those guys.”
Even when those practice field moments include battles of rock paper scissors. More of them recently than normal — McLaurin said he was winning so many of them early in the season, they transitioned to a best-of-three.
While preparing to compete against an opponent, McLaurin and Abram will compete against one another.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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