Mike Leach has said it’s “no guts, no glory” when it comes to going for it on fourth down.
For the Bulldogs on Saturday at Alabama, there was little glory to be found.
Mississippi State went just 3 for 6 on fourth down against the Crimson Tide, missing chances for some big conversions in a 30-6 loss.
Here’s how each of MSU’s six fourth-down tries in Tuscaloosa played out.
No. 1: Fourth and 3 at the Alabama 15
Result: Turnover on downs
Midway through the first quarter, Mississippi State got inside the red zone for the first time on a 7-yard run on third-and-10. One of the nation’s best red zone offenses, having scored 15 straight touchdowns inside the 20, was tripped up this time. The Bulldogs went with their typical formation: two wide receivers on each side with a running back — Jo’quavious Marks — lined up to quarterback Will Rogers’ left in the shotgun. Rogers tosses a quick slant to Jaden Walley, lined up inside on the right side of the formation, but Alabama safety DeMarcco Hellams reads the play well. Hellams makes a beeline for Walley, hitting the receiver around the middle and jarring the football free. The incompletion gives the ball back to Alabama, ending a 13-play, 57-yard drive. The Crimson Tide would go down and score in six plays.
No. 2: Fourth and 2 at the Alabama 39
Result: Conversion
Rogers said after Mississippi State’s game at Arizona he runs like he has “concrete in my feet.” But Rogers’ legs helped the Bulldogs pick up a first down late in the first quarter. Facing fourth-and-2 from the Alabama 39-yard line, MSU was well out of field goal range and well inside the comfortable range to go for it on fourth down. Rogers takes the snap and runs to the left, wisely deciding not to hand the ball off to tightly covered running back Simeon Price. The quarterback is tackled one yard past the first-down marker, moving the chains at the 36. Rogers has been credited with 21 rushing attempts this year, but 14 of those are sacks.
No. 3: Fourth and 1 at the Alabama 27
Result: Conversion
Rogers’ read-option run isn’t the only fourth-down conversion of the drive, which lasts until early in the second quarter. Faced with short yardage again on fourth down, Leach decides to leave the offense on the field again. This time, he lines up three wide receivers to Rogers’ right with Marks in the backfield. Despite a stacked run “box,” Marks runs behind nice blocks from right guard Cole Smith and right tackle Kameron Jones. He dives forward for a 2-yard gain, picking up the first down and reaching the 25-yard line. Marks, the lead back with Dillon Johnson out Saturday, ran 13 times for 53 yards against the Tide. But his conversion — as well as Rogers’ — proved to be for naught. Massimo Biscardi missed a 43-yard field goal, and the Bulldogs came away with nothing on a 15-play, 39-yard drive.
No. 4: Fourth and 1 at the Mississippi State 29
Result: Turnover on downs
With two plays to get less than a yard, the Bulldogs fail again, this time well inside their own territory. A third-down slant to Caleb Ducking falls incomplete, setting up a fourth-and-1 that seems like fourth-and-inches at the MSU 29-yard line. Mississippi State lines up with trips to the right again on fourth downs. Rogers looks for Walley right after the snap on a quick spot route, but the pass is tipped by safety Brian Branch, rushing off the edge. The pass still gets to Walley, but the wide receiver can’t catch the fluttering football before safety Jordan Battle knocks him to the turf. Handed the ball with less than 30 yards to go, Alabama scores in just four plays as Bryce Young finds Traeshon Holden for a 6-yard score. The Tide extends its lead to 21-0.
No. 5: Fourth and 12 at the Alabama 31
Result: Turnover on downs
On its first drive of the second half, Mississippi State ran its only fourth-down play with more than 3 yards to go. A lot more: Seeing little reason to run out either of his struggling kickers for a field goal of nearly 50 yards, Leach opts to go for it on fourth-and-12 at the 31-yard line. It’s the 14th play of the drive; preceding it were 12 passes and one sack as MSU, down 24-0, tries to make something happen. The Bulldogs send three receivers to the left this time. Under pressure, Rogers throws off his back foot toward the end zone. The pass is well over the head of Justin Robinson and closer to the two Alabama defenders — Battle and cornerback Eli Ricks — in front of him.
No. 6: Fourth and 5 at the MSU 29.
Result: Conversion
On Mississippi State’s final drive, the Bulldogs — with nothing to lose — go for it again on fourth down. (They did twice, in fact, with a pass interference penalty negating the play but resulting in first down later in the drive.) With a fourth-and-5 at its own 29 coming up, MSU employs its typical formation — two receivers on each side. Just before a pass-rusher hits him, Rogers fires to the right and finds Rufus Harvey, who has a considerable cushion from his defender. Harvey makes the grab at the 39, keeping the drive alive. Mississippi State would score on the game’s final play, its first touchdown in Tuscaloosa since 2014.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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