Running toward the sideline on a screen pass in practice Thursday, senior tackle Tyre Phillips met his matchup.
Upon arrival Phillips crushed a defensive back using every bit of his 6-foot-5, 345-pound frame.
The monstrous tackle let out an audible “Wooo!”
Practicing at Davis Wade Stadium for the first time this spring, the Mississippi State football team got its final preparation for Saturday’s scrimmage (which will be closed to the public).
Here are three takeaways on the day:
Thompson’s job to lose: It’s rather early to prognosticate starting lineups come August, but Keytaon Thompson appears to have the inside track at quarterback.
Running through quick-hit offensive work against the No. 1 defense, Thompson showed poise in the pocket.
On his first play from scrimmage, he aired one out to senior receiver Deddrick Thomas on a vertical out of the slot.
Though he airmailed the throw by about five yards, Thompson flashed arm strength that could help the Bulldogs’ downfield passing game in 2019.
Tiny but mighty: While Thompson delivered the throws, it was Thomas who looked dangerous on the receiving end.
Lining up in the slot, the aforementioned vertical route demonstrated the speed Thomas can use to exploit mismatched linebackers.
Further, on the ensuing play, the 5-foot-9 speedster caught a screen pass on the outside. Streaking down the sideline he turned the swing pass into a gain of nearly 15 yards.
Though junior wide receiver Osiris Mitchell is the most prolific returning receiver, Thompson could make an intriguing option in space and out of the slot.
Defensive line a work in progress: And so life without Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat begins.
In Thursday’s practice, the defensive line struggled to get any sort of push up front.
While the quarterbacks threw from a clean pocket, junior running back Kylin Hill stumbled forward for five yards in his lone carry of the open team portion.
Freshman quarterbacks Garrett Shrader and Jalen Mayden also scrambled for solid gains against the backup defense.
Once healthy, junior defensive end Marquiss Spencer will help revamp the line alongside senior defensive end Chauncey Rivers.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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