Mississippi State opens the 2024 season against Eastern Kentucky at 5 p.m. Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium. Here’s who has the edge at each position between the Bulldogs and the Colonels.
Quarterback
Blake Shapen will make his first start for MSU after three years at Baylor, and his skills make him a good fit in head coach Jeff Lebby’s up-tempo, spread offense. His results with the Bears were mixed, but he’s a solid veteran signal-caller when healthy. EKU added Matt Morrisey from Western Illinois, another veteran coming off a strong 2023 season. Morrisey is a good pocket passer but does not offer much in the way of mobility.
Edge: Mississippi State
Running back
Even with Seth Davis out for the season and Jeffery Pittman not with the program for now, the Bulldogs have a deep running back room, adding Davon Booth from Utah State and Johnnie Daniels from the junior college ranks to complement Keyvone Lee, who arrived last year from Penn State. For the Colonels, Joshua Carter returns after rushing for 714 yards and four touchdowns on 120 attempts last fall. He’ll likely get the lion’s share of the carries Saturday.
Edge: Mississippi State
Wide receiver/tight end
MSU completely retooled at both of these position groups over the offseason, and has plenty of weapons even with Kelly Akharaiyi out and JJ Harrell questionable. Louisville transfer Kevin Coleman joins returners like Creed Whittemore and Jordan Mosley as well as freshmen Mario Craver and Braylon Burnside, plus newcomers Seydou Traore and Justin Ball at tight end. EKU’s top returning pass-catcher, tight end Hunter Brown, had only 387 receiving yards in 2023.
Edge: Mississippi State
Offensive line
The Bulldogs have experience up front, but no returning starters, having remade their offensive line in the transfer portal with guys like Makylan Pounders, Ethan Miner, Marlon Martinez and Jacoby Jackson. All four may start Saturday along with Albert Reese IV, a backup last year. The Colonels, coached by offensive line guru Walt Wells, are also strong in the trenches, with Payton Collins making the all-UAC preseason first team and John Stone a reliable center.
Edge: Eastern Kentucky
Defensive line
Both teams will use a three-man front, with only De’Monte Russell locked into a starting spot for MSU. Transfers Kedrick Bingley-Jones and Sulaiman Kpaka are battling oft-injured returners Trevion Williams and Kalvin Dinkins for playing time. EKU’s defense as a whole was fairly dreadful the last two years, though the Colonels do have a veteran in Ryan Jackson who had 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks a year ago.
Edge: Mississippi State
Linebackers
The Bulldogs are adjusting to life without Jett Johnson and Nathaniel “Bookie” Watson, but they added middle linebacker Stone Blanton from South Carolina and have a lot of players with unrealized potential, including Branden Jennings, Ty Cooper and Nic Mitchell. Veteran John Lewis is ready to play a bigger role as well. Kyle Kelly is EKU’s top linebacker, with 47 tackles last year after transferring from Ohio.
Edge: Mississippi State
Secondary
Again, this room looks a lot different for MSU than it did last season, and the lone returning starter, safety Corey Ellington, is out this week with an injury. The Bulldogs will have to rely on sophomore Brice Pollock as their top corner, with Isaac Smith, Hunter Washington and Brylan Lanier at safety. The Colonels’ best defensive player is Mike Smith Jr., who had 13 pass breakups and two interceptions last season to go along with 56 tackles.
Edge: Eastern Kentucky
Special teams
Sophomore Kyle Ferrie is back as MSU’s starting kicker, with former UCLA kicker Nick Barr-Mira shifting over to punter. Coleman, Daniels and Booth will all handle return duties. EKU kicker Patrick Nations is on the UAC preseason all-conference first team, and he was 19-for-25 on field goals in 2023 with a long of 49. Ferrie’s long was also 49 yards, and he finished his freshman year 16-for-22 on field goals.
Edge: Mississippi State
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