STARKVILLE — The book on how to attack Mississippi State’s in the passing game is to target the linebackers.
Offensive coaches across America are trying to duplicate what Auburn University offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn did to rack up 381 total yards in a 41-34 victory on Sept. 10. Three games into his first season as linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator at MSU, Geoff Collins is being reminded what it’s like to tutor a young group on how to play against the nation’s top offenses.
“Day one we told them the eyes are going to be looking at us,” Collins said. “That’s the world we live in.”
With all three starting linebackers from the 2010 season graduating, including two — Chris White and K.J. Wright — who were selected in the NFL draft, the question remains how the Bulldogs will fill that void.
“We’ve gone into this season with the (mentality that) K.J. is not here and Chris isn’t here so who’s going to step up, but the good news is in different games it’s been different guys,” Collins said. “We just got to get hopefully three at a time or even five or six in a game to really be on point.”
MSU defensive coordinator Chris Wilson said Monday the secondary is the strength of his team’s defense, and it has to connect to the youthful front-seven “like a marriage.”
“Anytime you have youth (in the front seven) there’s a concern,” Wilson said. “Now you’ve got guys thinking they’re prepared for the speed of the game and now you’re playing an SEC West caliber team and they think, ‘Wow’.”
MSU coach Dan Mullen said a solution is a giving athletes in the back four like junior cornerback Johnthan Banks more responsibility until the pass rush begins to disrupt offenses faster.
Banks has interceptions in back-to-back games, which has helped him tie teammate Corey Broomfield with nine in his career and has placed them ninth in school history in that category.
“They’re guys we went from two years ago trying to protect to now, as we continue to move forward, count on,” Mullen said. “They have to be the playmakers. Now you look (ask) what’s the most experienced group on our team? It’s that secondary, so we have to really put more pressure on them to make bigger plays and perform at a higher level.”
The secondary may be asked to perform at that level when it faces Louisiana Tech’s explosive spread passing attack led by offensive coordinator Tony Franklin.
“If we’re locked in and focused it’s just about the down and distance situation to how we play defense,” Banks said. “If they’re going to come out slinging the ball I’ll expect a lot of opportunities for interceptions.”
The defensive coaches have pointed to junior weakside linebacker Cameron Lawrence, who leads the team with 24 tackles. There have been times this season Lawrence has looked a little unsure of himself in stopping the pass game, but he was able to make plays sideline to sideline against Auburn quarterback Barrett Trotter.
“Cameron Lawrence knew every single play they were going to run and reacted,” Collins said. “His was a position that needed to have a good game against that system.”
The Coldwater native, who converted from quarterback to safety and now is at linebacker, had a career day against Auburn. The Magnolia Heights graduate had 14 tackles, three and a half tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble, but he didn’t have much help against an explosive offense led by running backs Michael Dyer and Onterrio McCalebb.
“He studies tape and picking out things all the time,” Collins said. “You can see guys like him trying to help the young guys learn how to prepare and be big-time SEC guys.”
Collins used the analogy of going with a hot pitcher in baseball in describing his linebacker rotation and why Lawrence was in on every snap but one Thursday night in a 19-6 loss to then-No. 3 LSU.
“That’s what I told (Lawrence’s backup linebacker) Deonte (Skinner) after the Auburn game,” Collins said. “If you have a pitcher that’s on fire, you don’t pull him. Cam is out there every play making a tackle and trains so hard in the offseason to be a 70- to 80-play guy.”
Prior to the LSU game, MSU tried to find another playmaker to go with Lawrence and inserted Brandon Maye into the starting lineup. The senior transfer from Clemson University responded with six tackles. He even came back into the game after sustaining an injury in the first half.
“I’m getting more comfortable with the system and starting to understand how to communicate more with my teammates,” Maye said. “Anytime you’re going to a new defense, there’s an adjustment period. I don’t think that will end for me.”
Maye has played multiple positions in MSU’s system, but he went without a tackle against Auburn two weeks ago. Learning Wilson’s multiple system and the responsibilities of all three linebacker spots has been daunting for the senior.
“Guys are coming up playing with a big chip on their shoulder,” Maye said. “We need to play with that emotion more often.”
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