STARKVILLE — There was audible excitement in Mississippi State senior tight end Farrod Green’s voice.
Speaking with reporters in a suite above the ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham-Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover, Alabama last week, Green spoke on his expected role entering 2019.
“Coach (Joe) Moorhead’s offense requires the tight ends to do a lot of things,” Green said. “So we put it on ourselves to work hard and demand more of ourselves. And I’m kind of holding everyone in the room accountable to be ready to make that play, whatever it is — blocking, catching the ball — just being that guy, that great teammate.”
While Green was used sparingly in the passing game in 2019, notching just 81 yards on 11 catches, utilizing the tight ends is a logical starting point in sorting out MSU’s much-maligned passing game from a year ago.
In Moorhead’s two seasons at Penn State prior to taking the job at MSU, tight ends heavily factored into his offensive system.
Second round NFL Draft pick Mike Gesicki totaled 1,242 yards and 14 touchdowns in his two seasons under Moorhead in State College.
More dated, tight end Phazahn Odom led Fordham in receiving with 492 yards during Moorhead’s final year in the Bronx in 2015.
MSU currently boasts four capable tight ends in its arsenal. Green will be the presumed starter entering fall camp, while sophomore Powers Warren and freshmen Geor’quarius Spivey and Brad Cumbest could all factor in.
“It’ll open up the run game for what it is,” Green said of the added emphasis on tight ends this season. “I think we’re going to be more consistent — that’s the biggest thing for the offense.”
That said, there is plenty of improvement to be made in the passing game — one that was markedly better at Penn State under Moorhead’s tutelage than in year one at MSU.
In 2018, the Bulldogs averaged 6.17 yards per play and 397.4 yards per game. By contrast, in 2016 — Moorhead’s first season at Penn State — the Nittany Lions averaged 6.5 yards per play and 423 yards per game.
Beyond the total offensive numbers, a closer look at the team’s respective receiving corps offers a better understanding of MSU’s struggles.
In 2018, senior Stephen Guidry and junior Osirus Mitchell were the lone Bulldogs to eclipse 400 yards on the season, while Penn State’s Moorhead-led offense had five such players — including receiver Chris Godwin, who totaled 982 yards on the year.
Further, departed quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was far from prolific as he averaged just 147.3 yards passing per game, whereas 2016 Penn State starter Trace McSorley totaled 258.1 yards per contest.
The Bulldogs also ranked 105th in the country with 6.4 yards per attempt compared to the 2016 Nittany Lions’ No. 9 national ranking at 9.3 yards per attempt.
This isn’t to say Moorhead and his staff are unaware of the inconsistencies. Speaking with local reporters last week, he addressed the issue head — explaining how a deeper understanding of the playbook should lead to greater on-field results.
“I think there’s going to be a natural growth,” Moorhead said. “I think it’s not just about the ‘What,’ but the ‘How’ and the ‘Why’ now. As we went through the season cut ups and the spring cut ups, offensively we’re just trying to make sure that what we’re doing matches who we have. So, I think there will be an increased level of execution because of that.”
So while an added emphasis on the tight ends may add a new dimension to the offense, the sentiment remains — MSU was flat out poor passing the ball in 2019 and there is no simple solution.
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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