STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s Air Raid offense doesn’t use a tight end.
That’s by design.
But defensive coordinator Zach Arnett argued other teams’ choices not to incorporate a tight end into their offenses is far from intentional.
“I think so many teams are getting away from it because there’s a handful of teams who are stockpiling all the tight ends in the country,” Arnett said. “There’s not enough tight ends to go around.”
No. 1 Georgia (9-0, 6-0 Southeastern Conference) — Mississippi State’s opponent on Saturday — is part of the reason for a national dearth of tight ends.
UGA’s roster features 11 men at that position, enough to field an entire team of tight ends if Kirby Smart so chooses.
He won’t, but Georgia’s tight ends are a cut above in both blocking and receiving, and Arnett knows it.
“When you combine their size, strength, athleticism and speed, the issue is they can create in the run game, create all these extra gaps,” Arnett said. “Obviously, they’re good run blockers at the point of attack. Then they can, the very next play, stay in the same personnel, jump out in empty and run four verticals. That’s a big stressor on a defense because it’s very hard to match personnel.”
Sophomore Brock Bowers in particular is hard to stop. Bowers leads Georgia with 574 receiving yards on just 34 catches this season.
Listed at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, he’s an imposing figure on the football field — and he runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash.
“I have a feeling he’s going to look like Ivan Drago from Rocky IV when he steps out there,” Arnett said. “He’s a great player. He’s going to be a first-rounder.”
Darnell Washington, second on the depth chart at tight end, stands 6-foot-7, weighs 270 pounds and has caught 19 passes for 332 yards this season.
Arnett knows Bowers and Washington will create matchup nightmares for MSU — or any team that faces them.
“It’s very hard to get bigger people in the game, and then, oh, wait, those bigger people also have to go cover them man to man and run down the field?” he said. “There’s a reason they do what they do and they do it so well. They’ve got great personnel.”
Leach still waiting on WR breakout
In 2021, Makai Polk was Mississippi State’s leading receiver, and it wasn’t close.
Polk’s 105 catches and 1,046 receiving yards were easily tops among Bulldogs pass-catchers.
Head coach Mike Leach hoped to see someone from his 2022 receiving corps break out like the one-time Cal transfer did, but Leach is still waiting.
“I’d love to see some guy who was determined to be the best receiver of that group take the whole thing and take control of it,” Leach said. “We need to do a better job of separating ourselves. Right now, we’re kind of clustered together.”
Of the Bulldogs’ receivers, sophomore Rara Thomas is doing his best to emerge. Thomas has accrued 540 yards through MSU’s nine games, scoring two touchdowns in a strong performance Saturday against Auburn.
Caleb Ducking is the Bulldogs’ next-leading receiver at 396 yards, but Ducking ceded his starting spot to Georgia transfer Justin Robinson last week.
Not that Robinson has been the breakout player Leach has been hoping for. The Mississippi State coach said Monday he’d go back to Ducking if he had to choose one receiver at the moment.
“They’re playing leapfrog over each other right now,” Leach said. “It’d be nice if they separated.”
Lideatrick Griffin has totaled 331 yards this year, behind only Ducking and Thomas among outside receivers.
On the inside, Rufus Harvey leads with 356 yards — third on the team — with Austin Williams at 224 and Jaden Walley at 210.
Mississippi State has undeniable talent at receiver, but Leach’s expectations remain high.
“I think we’ve got to keep getting better,” he said. “We’d like to see that group be a little tougher group. We’ve got some skill, but just tough, gritty guys instead of part of a fun little club.”
Marks gets his moment vs. Auburn
When Jo’quavious Marks scored from 5 yards out to walk things off for the Bulldogs against Auburn, senior safety Collin Duncan didn’t storm the field with his teammates.
Instead, Duncan sought out Marks to congratulate the junior running back straight off the bat.
“I know how hard Woody works,” Duncan said. “I know the dedication he has for this team, for this university and for his craft.”
On Saturday, that dedication paid off. After Auburn missed an overtime field goal, a pass interference call set up Mississippi State with first-and-goal at the 5-yard line.
Not seeing many players in the “box” for the Tigers, quarterback Will Rogers made what Marks called Tuesday a “good check,” changing a pass play to a run at the line of scrimmage.
That meant it was Marks’ time to shine.
“I wanted the ball in my hands because a top player should want the ball in his hands,” Marks said. “I felt like I should get the ball in my hands.”
Marks took the handoff, cut back to the left, raced through a hole in the offensive line and shot into the end zone.
The touchdown run secured a 39-33 win and made Mississippi State bowl eligible for the 13th straight season.
“Just going home with the W, not going home sad with the L, that was just really big for me,” Marks said.
It was for his teammates, too.
Duncan said he was happy to commend Marks on his winning score.
“Just to see somebody who works so hard every single day get the opportunity and be able to make a big play in a big situation like that in an SEC West game, it’s hard not to be happy for a guy like that,” Duncan said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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