STARKVILLE — There wasn’t much to brag about concerning Mississippi State’s defensive performance Saturday in a 47-34 victory against Alabama-Birmingham.
The Bulldogs gave up more than 500 yards and never put the Blazers away in a performance where positives were hard to find.
Middle linebacker Benardrick McKinney was the exception.
A preseason Butkus Award candidate, given annually to the nation’s best linebacker, McKinney delivered one of the best individual performances of his career, making 12 tackles, his highest total since a 14-tackle performance against Texas A&M in 2012. The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder also added a career-high three and a half tackles for loss, his first quarterback sack of the season, and a hit of quarterback Cody Clements that caused defensive end Preston Smith’s interception return for a touchdown midway through the first quarter.
“I’ve got to give credit to (McKinney) for getting to the quarterback there,” Smith said.
McKinney’s tackles for loss were the most for a Bulldog since defensive tackle Fletcher Cox in 2011.
On again, off again
For the second-straight week, MSU quarterback Dak Prescott and the offense looked unstoppable to open the game, driving 87 yards in three plays to take a 7-0 lead 57 seconds into the game.
But for the second-straight game, that momentum didn’t last. MSU coach Dan Mullen inserted backup quarterback Damian Williams into the game for the Bulldogs’ next possession and alternated his quarterbacks the rest of the first half.
The result was a spotty, often sloppy offense that sputtered whenever Williams took snaps and failed to regain momentum when Prescott returned. Williams, who played for four first-half possessions, generated one first down and finished 2 of 6 for 13 yards. He also fumbled for the second-straight week, though the Bulldogs recovered.
“That was the plan. We want to roll as many guys through as possible,” Mullen said of the quarterback rotation. “I think QB is the position where that sticks out, where the questions come in, but we played a lot of guys at nearly every position. That’s something we’re going to continue to do.”
‘That’s the Boot’
Since joining forces in MSU’s backfield three seasons ago, Louisiana products Dak Prescott (Haughton) and Josh Robinson (Franklinton) delivered their best performance as a duo.
Prescott matched his career-high with four passing touchdowns and added 111 rushing yards and another score, while Robinson set a career high with 124 yards on 20 carries. The two were major aspects of a ground game that rushed 57 times for 292 yards and two touchdowns.
“That’s the Boot,” Robinson said of his home state. “We are trying to shine for Louisiana, trying to make big plays to help our team.”
Through two games, Prescott and Robinson have combined for 901 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Gus Bus
Redshirt freshman tight end Gus Walley waited a long time for his moment.
Walley, who sat out last year due to injury and missed the season opener due to an injury, made his debut Saturday. Midway through the second quarter, he made his first career catch, a 20-yard touchdown pass from Prescott.
“It’s like a dream come true,” Walley said. “I knew the route, and when I saw the defense bite down on Brandon Hill with the shallow cross, I knew I’d be open. I was just hoping nobody would show up to knock it away. It felt incredible.”
Kicking problems
Entering the season, special teams, particularly the kicking game, was a concern. Two games in, MSU’s kickers have done nothing to ease those concerns. After kicker Westin Graves missed a 38-yard field goal in the season opener, problems in the kicking game became even more troubling against UAB. Graves and kicker Evan Sobiesk each missed extra points in the first half. Graves, a freshman, sailed his wide right after Preston Smith returned an interception for a touchdown midway through the first quarter, while Sobiesk clanked his off the upright after Josh Robinson’s 17-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.
When asked about the consistency of his kickers, Mullen didn’t mince words.
“It’s disappointing,” Mullen said. “What’s so disappointing about those two guys is that’s not what we see in practice. It doesn’t look like that it practice, shouldn’t look like that in the game.”
Special delivery
While MSU’s struggles in the kicking game persist, the Bulldogs turned in huge plays on special teams for the second-straight week. In the opener, the Bulldogs blocked a field goal and returned it for a touchdown. Against UAB, a blocked punt just after halftime helped turned the tide.
Sophomore safety Kivon Coman raced in untouched to block a punt by Hunter Mullins, and MSU recovered the ball at the UAB 20-yard line, setting up a short drive that resulted in a touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 33-20 lead.
“That play was huge,” said MSU junior defensive back Taveze Calhoun of Coman’s effort. “Big-time players make big-time plays, and that was a big-time play.”
Preston to action
For the second-straight week, Smith turned in a defensive highlight. Midway through the first quarter, after quarterback Cody Clements was hit while throwing the ball, Smith made an acrobatic, one-handed snag to secure his second interception of the year. But he wasn’t done. The 6-foot-6, 267-pound defensive end picked up a block and found the end zone to score the first touchdown of his career.
“It felt like a flashback to my park league days, when I was in my prime,” said Smith, referring to playing tight end in youth football. “I saw (Benardrick McKinney) get through and hit the quarterback, but the quarterback still got the ball off. I was nervous he was going to launch it over my head, but the ball came my direction. I reached out and grabbed it, and I knew I had to make the end zone this time.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brandon Walker on Twitter @BWonStateBeat
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