Mississippi State Bulldogs: Fall Camp Questions

At last the long dark of the off-season is nearing its end. Football is less than one month away, and that means that Fall Camp is getting underway throughout the SEC. The month of August will be absolutely critical in determining how each team fares in September, October, November, and beyond. With that in mind, each team has pressing questions they have to answer before the end of the month. We will continue our series by taking a look at the questions facing Dan Mullen and the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Who Will Replace Dak Prescott?

Dak Prescott is perhaps the best player in Mississippi State football history. He is certainly the best I can remember. He was a do-it-all player for the Bulldogs, picking up yards and touchdowns with both his arm and his legs. But at last he has finally moved on to the NFL. So the biggest question for Dan Mullen has to be who will try, and likely fail, to fill the huge void Prescott left behind.

As of now the competition appears to be wide open, with four players competing for the job. Those four contenders are: sophomore Nick Fitzgerald, redshirt junior Damian Williams, redshirt freshman Nick Tiano, and redshirt sophomore Elijah Staley. Quarterback coach Brian Johnson would prefer to whittle the contest down. He said:

"“Ideally, you wouldn’t like that. You’d like to get it whittled down. But it’s hard to say exactly how it’s going to shake out. If we had a crystal ball to see how it would shake out, then we probably wouldn’t be here right now.”"

Williams is the most experienced of the four. He saw action in six games as a true freshman. He completed 23 of 47 passes for 279 yards. He even started in the 2013 Egg Bowl, though he was pulled for performing poorly. Williams lacks the raw athleticism and arm talent of his peers, but his experience may make him the safest option.

Tiano is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He is a tough, physical runner and has a good arm. However, he may still be a little too raw to win the starting job. Life as a freshman starter in the SEC can be extremely difficult for even the most talented players.

Elijah Staley is perhaps even more athletic and, certainly has a stronger arm, than Tiano. Fellow Bulldog quarterback Nick Fitzgerald said of Staley, ““He’s a giant guy. He falls forward for 4 yards when he runs. He’s definitely a hoss to bring down. He has a cannon for an arm. I think he has the best arm on the team.” The question about Staley is can he make the right decisions? Does he trust his big arm too much? Does he have happy feet in the pocket? If he can answer those questions the right way then he could be the guy for the Bulldogs this year.

Nick Fitzgerald was the primary backup to Dak Prescott last season. He saw action in 8 games, all in garbage time. Nevertheless, that experience can only help him. Unfortunately, Fitzgerald had an awful spring. He completed just 50 percent of his passes during the three scrimmages. Nevertheless, he is still in the hunt.

Verdict: I like Elijah Staley. He has all the tools to be a Dak Prescott type player. He is athletic and has a cannon for an arm. He just have to prove to the coaches that he will make the right decisions in tough situations.

Who Will Step up on the Left Side of the Offensive line?

Whoever the quarterback is, he will need a quality offensive line protecting him if he wants to be successful. The Bulldogs return three starters on the line, but have to replace their left tackle and left guard. Left tackle appears to be a three-man battle between Justin Senior, Elgton Jenkins, and Martinas Rankin.

Last season, Justin Senior was the starting right tackle. In the spring, he was moved to left tackle. Whether or not he will remain there or go back to right tackle remains to be seen. Rankin, meanwhile, did the opposite. Last year he was a backup left tackle, but Mullen moved him to right tackle this spring. Jenkins was a backup last season who is pushing for both spots.

Left guard, by contrast, looks to be already won. Redshirt sophomore Deion Calhoun took all the 1st-team reps there during the spring. Michael Story is expected to be his backup.

Verdict: I would guess that Senior and Calhoun start at tackle and guard respectively. With that said, I’m not sure how much State’s offensive line will improve. Last year they were dominated severely by Alabama. If they don’t want to repeat that performance they will have to improve both individually and as a cohesive unit.

Can the Running Backs be More Productive?

Last season Mississippi State’s leading rusher was Dak Prescott. As you may recall, Prescott was a quarterback, and he is no longer on the team. Thus, it is extremely important for the running backs to produce more this season. This is particularly true if Williams or Fitzgerald win the starting job. Neither of them are the runner that Prescott was.

The good news is that State’s starting running back, Brandon Holloway. does return. The bad news is he had only 413 yards and no touchdowns last season. Also, Holloway is tiny. He’s listed at 5’7″ 165. It seems unlikely he will be able to run between the tackles with any type of success. He is better suited to making outside runs and catching the ball out of the backfield. He is more of an athlete than a true running back.

Aeris Williams could be an every-down back for the Bulldogs this season. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

The man who will most likely serve as the power to complement Holloway’s speed is Aeris Williams. Williams has a good combination of size and speed. Last season he averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Expect to see him play a larger role this season, especially in short yardage scenarios.

Verdict: Yes they can. And they will have to. Without Prescott around someone has to step up in the run game. If Williams gets enough touches I think he has the potential to be a very good back.

The Bulldogs have questions, as do all teams at this stage. How Coach Dan Mullen answers them will determine how well the Bulldogs do this season. Let us know how you think he will handle them in the comments. And come back tomorrow to see which questions the Missouri Tigers are currently facing.