STARKVILLE — Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett gave a simple answer Wednesday when asked what led to Louisiana Tech’s 72-yard touchdown pass as the first quarter expired during Saturday’s game.
“I’d say I probably made a dumb call and put them in a bad position,” Arnett said.
He had similar — if unprintable — contempt for the defensive look he dialed up when Louisiana Tech faced fourth-and-11 in the final minute Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium. LA Tech quarterback Austin Kendall found Isaiah Graham along the left sideline for 13 yards, keeping the visitors’ drive alive.
Ultimately, Jaden Crumedy blocked a last-second Tech field goal for the win, keeping Arnett’s admitted mistakes from costing Mississippi State (1-0) a victory. But the bad calls are just two examples of what Arnett knows his Bulldogs can’t afford to do when North Carolina State (1-0) comes to town for a 6 p.m. Saturday kickoff.
“They’re a very complete football team, and I think that’s as well coached of a football team as there is in the country,” Arnett said Wednesday.
The Wolfpack bring one of the nation’s most dangerous rushing offenses to Davis Wade Stadium. NC State ran for 293 yards on 40 carries in last Thursday’s win over South Florida, with Zonovan “Bam” Knight going for 163 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries and Ricky Person notching 105 yards and two scores on 16 totes.
With the impressive duo and a staunch offensive line, it’s no wonder the Wolfpack “do what they do as good as anyone in the country,” Arnett said.
“You don’t run the ball well unless you have big guys up front who can win the line of scrimmage and move people, and they do a tremendous job,” he said. “That’s to take nothing away from their quarterback and receivers because they can hurt you equally in the passing attack.”
Emeka Emezie was signal-caller Devin Leary’s favorite target as NC State whipped USF 45-0 in Raleigh, finishing with five catches for 71 yards. Leary finished 17 of 26 for 232 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
Mississippi State had a pick Saturday as linebacker Tyrus Wheat leapt to snatch a poor throw by Kendall early on, and Arnett is well aware forcing turnovers — something he said every team would like to do — will be paramount against the Wolfpack’s excellent ground game.
“We need to find a way to cause more,” he said.
Walley keeps working
Wide receiver Jaden Walley did not start Saturday’s game but effectively ended it with the eventual winning touchdown catch, a 15-yard grab from Will Rogers.
But head coach Mike Leach said during Wednesday’s SEC teleconference the sophomore from D’Iberville still has a ways to go before he overtakes redshirt senior Austin Williams at the Y receiver position. The two were listed as co-starters on the Bulldogs’ Aug. 30 depth chart.
“He’s still battling consistency, which is something I didn’t think we’d still be doing at this point,” Leach said of Walley.
Inside receivers coach Dave Nichol pointed out later Wednesday that Walley is set to play in just his 13th college game Saturday and has a lot to learn.
Perfecting blocking and learning how to become a great practice player were two of the items on Nichol’s agenda for Walley, whom Nichol admitted he pushes hard in workouts because of the sophomore’s sky-high potential.
After all, Walley led the Bulldogs in receiving yards in 2020, setting the school’s freshman record.
“With the ball in his hands, he’s been really good,” Nichol said. “What if we do all the other things as good as that?”
Marks impresses in 2021 debut
Running backs coach Eric Mele still insists he has two starting-caliber backs in Woody Marks and Dillon Johnson. But based solely on the performance of each Saturday, Marks was the superior back in nearly every way.
The sophomore from Atlanta ran 12 times for 71 yards, caught nine passes for 27 yards and scored three total touchdowns against Louisiana Tech.
“He put the work in,” Mele said Wednesday. “I’m just happy he gets the chance to showcase that out on the field on Saturdays. It’s a nice thing for him to be able to run past some people and also lower the boom on some people.”
Marks packed on weight over the offseason after joining the Bulldogs in the winter of 2020, forgoing his final high school semester.
“He came in as a true freshman midyear — should be going to the prom and doing all that stuff,” Mele said. “Now he’s 15 pounds heavier and knows what he’s doing, and now he can work on breaking down defenders and doing those next-level things. It’s great to coach a guy like him.”
Johnson had two carries for 12 yards, leaving with a minor injury early on but returning soon after. He lost a fumble in the second quarter, but Mele said that doesn’t change his expectations for the sophomore out of Greenville St. Joseph Catholic.
“I expect him to have monster games this year,” Mele said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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