STARKVILLE — Football is back.
After former Mississippi State coaches Dan Mullen and Manny Diaz kicked off the season guiding Florida and Miami, respectively, in Saturday’s season opener, the Bulldogs will begin their 2020 campaign this coming weekend against Louisiana in New Orleans.
And while five days remain until game time, there are plenty of storylines to monitor heading into the week.
Here are a few to keep an eye on:
Suspensions, injuries and more
Suspensions are on the horizon for 10 unnamed MSU players. Following the NCAA’s findings of academic misconduct by Bulldog football players, those athletes are expected to be docked eight games this season.
MSU coach Joe Moorhead has remained steadfast that suspensions related to the scandal will be released shortly ahead of the matchup with Louisiana.
Per a source, it is possible any one-game suspensions involving transgressions outside the NCAA investigation could be announced as early as Monday during Moorhead’s weekly press conference.
On the injury front, junior linebacker Willie Gay Jr. continues work his way back from a lower leg injury. Moorhead has said the staff is hopeful he could be available for the opener but no new information has been made available regarding his status.
Freshman tight end Brad Cumbest has also been battling an injury of late — though his availability remains unclear.
Stevens is the starter, but who’s behind him?
Thursday, fans finally heard the announcement most had expected — Penn State transfer Tommy Stevens will be MSU’s starting quarterback in 2019.
And while the No. 1 signal caller is decided, the backup quarterback picture has become slightly muddied in the days since.
Roughly 24 hours after losing out in the preseason competition, junior Keytaon Thompson entered the transfer portal. Thompson was expected to be used in varying roles this season, despite being the No. 2 guy.
Though he could choose to return to Starkville, he was not at MSU Fan Day Saturday afternoon with the rest of the team.
As Thompson heads for the exit, the backup role now likely falls to freshman Garrett Shrader. An early enrollee, Shrader has been on Moorhead’s radar since his time at Penn State and has earned rave reviews throughout camp.
Redshirt freshman Jalen Mayden could also factor in, though there’s been little-to-no talk of his play this fall.
A revolving door in the trenches
It’s no secret MSU is replacing plenty on the defensive line. While Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons are preparing for their first NFL seasons, the Bulldogs must consolidate their losses.
Most notably, replacing Simmons at defensive tackle may prove the most difficult.
Senior Lee Autry figures to start alongside classmate Kendell Jones, but beyond the starters the rotation is decidedly unsettled.
Redshirt freshmen Fabien Lovett and Jaden Crumedy are among the most “experienced” players behind Autry and Jones — though they played just two games a piece last season.
Consensus four-star recruit Nathan Pickering should also factor in despite it being his first fall in Starkville.
As of Thursday, MSU still hadn’t received a ruling on Louisville transfer Allen Love’s eligibility. If he can play this season, Love would add a much-needed piece to the retooled defensive line.
With a wholly unproven bunch on the interior, Monday’s week one depth chart reveal should offer major insight to where some of MSU’s young defensive tackles stand.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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