Offense
Quarterback
Feleipe Franks (19-36-2, 200 yards, 1 TD) needs to spend less time directing pre-snap traffic and more time looking over the defense. Franks showed solid pocket awareness, deftly sliding away from pressure, and decent scrambling in the opener and was sacked once. KJ Jefferson (1-2-0, 3 yards) got in 9 snaps and had a 19-yard run and an 11-yard sack.
K.J. Costello took the SEC’s opening weekend by storm, hitting 36 of 60 passes for an SEC-record 623 yards, with 2 TD and 1 INT in a win at LSU. Costello, a 6-5 grad transfer who made 25 starts at Stanford, now has 9 300-yard passing games, 7 in 2018 when he led the Pac-12 in passing efficiency. His backup is listed as 6-2 freshman Will Rogers.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Running backs
Georgia had a plan for Rakeem Boyd (11-21), whose every move was tracked. He never had the ball in space, thus a longest run of 5 yards and a longest reception of 6 yards. Today’s game should offer more opportunity. Trelon Smith (6-38) averaged 6.3 ypc vs. Georgia, right in Boyd’s ballpark from 2019, and had 3 catches for 19 yards.
Kylin Hill, a first-team preseason All-SEC choice, managed 34 rushing yards (4.9 ypc) in the opener, but caught a team-high 8 passes for 158 yards and 1 TD. His combination of spin moves, tackle-breaking, vision and speed is impressive. Jo’quavious Marks, a 195-pound true freshman, got 3 carries for 15 yards at LSU.
ADVANTAGE Even
Recievers/tight ends
Treylon Burks (7 catches, 102 yards, 1 TD) had a breakout game in the opener as the wideout most able to create space. Mike Woods (3-40) made strong grabs against tight coverage. Trey Knox (1-3) has to shake man coverage better. De’Vion Warren (1-28) broke a crossing route open to set up a TD. The TEs contributed 1 catch for 9 yards (Blake Kern) in the pass game.
Field day alert: 6-5 Osirus Mitchell (7-183, 2) and 6-1 JaVonta Payton (6-122) joined the RB Hill in the 100-yard department at LSU. That trio and 6-3 Austin Williams (7-51, 1) all had 6 or more catches. Tyrell Shavers (2-68, 1), a 6-6, 200-pounder, averaged 34 ypc at LSU, and 6-4 Cameron Gardner (2-35) and 6-3 Malik Heath (1-1) also contributed.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Line
The Razorbacks pass protected rather well vs. Georgia’s beef and blitzing, but did not create lanes in the run game. LT Myron Cunningham, LG Brady Latham, C Ricky Stromberg, RG Beaux Limmer and RT Noah Gatlin started, and RT Dalton Wagner got reps. Look for Ty Clary to re-enter the mix this week to give further depth.
Massive LG Greg Eiland (6-8, 335) is the most experienced OL for the Bulldogs. LT Charles Cross, a RS frosh, is a little undersized at 6-5, 290, but the composite build among the starters is still 6-5, 320 pounds. Center Cole Smith (6-3, 305) is an emerging star. RG Dareaun Parker (6-4, 355) and RT Kwatrivous Johnson (6-7, 315) start on the right side.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
DEFENSE
Line
With Dorian Gerald (4 tackles, 1.5 sacks) doubtful with an ankle injury, it helps to have Mataio Soli back in the rotation with Julius Coates (1, 1 hurry), Zach Williams (7, 1.5 TFL, 1 sack) and Eric Gregory (3, 1 hurry). The DT rotation of Isaiah Nichols (3, 1 PBU), Jon Marshall (2, 1 hurry), Xavier Kelly and Taurean Carter (2, 1 PBU) could use depth.
The Bulldogs run a base 3-man front with seniors Kobe Jones (3, 0.5 sacks) and 300-pound Marquiss Spencer (3, 2 sacks) at the starting end positions. The lead NT is 6-5, 300-pound Jaden Crumedy (2, 1 sack), with 310-pound Nathan Pickering (3, 0.5 sacks) in reserve. Jack Harris (2) and Aaron Odom (1) also play on the heavy front, which notched 4 sacks at LSU.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Linebackers
Starters Grant Morgan (13) and Bumper Pool (11, 1 TFL, 0.5 sacks, 1 PBU) were quite active in the opener, and their play vs. Kylin Hill in the run and pass game today will be critical. Hayden Henry (1) and Andrew Parker (1) got some run too. Extra nickels and dimes look like the play vs. MSU, so the supposed added depth might not get tested vs. the Bulldogs.
Erroll Thompson (10, 1 sack), a 6-1, 250-pound senior MLB who has been through the battles, is the inspirational leader for the MSU defense. Aaron Brule (10, 1 sack), a 6-1, 230 pounder who starts at WLB is likely to draw a lot of Rakeem Boyd duty. Tyrus Wheat (4, 1 sack, 1 PBU) starts at SLB, while Nathaniel Watson (3) and Jett Johnson (1) draw reserve duty.
ADVANTAGE Even
Secondary
Arkansas should boast better numbers to face the Air Raid. CBs Montaric Brown (3, 1 INT, 1 PBU) and Jerry Jacobs (7) held up pretty well vs. UGA. Joe Foucha (3), Micahh Smith and Devin Bush add depth. NBs Greg Brooks (2, 1 hurry) and LaDarrius Bishop (1) were OK. Jalen Catalon (9, 1 FF, 1 PBU), Foucha, Simeon Blair (3, 1 PBU) and Myles Slusher (1 FR) are top safeties. Jarques McClellion opted out.
Reserve NB Shawn Preston Jr. (11) leads the club in tackles. CBs Martin Emerson (4) and Esais Furdge (6, 1 INT), both sophomores, had ups and downs vs. LSU, and backup CB Emmanual Forbes had a game-clinching INT. Marcus Murphy (5) in the “Bulldog” or NB spot, had a Pick 6 at Arkansas in ’19. Upperclassmen Fred Peters (6, 1 PBU) and Londyn Craft (4) start at the safety spots.
ADVANTAGE Arkansas
Special teams
The Razorbacks had a dismal opener outside of punting and A.J. Reed’s kicking. They had a punt blocked and if kickoff man Vito Calvaruso didn’t post a touchback, he was making the tackle after long returns. The return game was completely nullified, with one 10-yard KOR and no PRs for Treylon Burks. George Caratan (48 average) and Sam Loy (40.5) were an upgrade at punter.
Tucker Day (47.5 average) is among the SEC’s many top punters. Placekicker Brandon Ruiz, a grad transfer from Arizona State who unseated returning starter Jace Christmann, is off to a great start, going 3 for 3 on FGs from 35, 24 and 43 yards, 5 for 5 on PATs, and notching 8 touchbacks on 9 kickoffs. The Bulldogs had zero punt or kickoff returns at LSU.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State
Intangibles
Can Arkansas get more pressure, disruption and tighter coverage against the Bulldogs’ Air Raid than LSU did? If not, QB K.J. Costello could have a second major eruption. Stopping Kylin Hill is an imperative for the Hogs. The improving Razorbacks of 2014 nearly got No. 1 Mississippi State’s scalp here, so perhaps this unit can mount a similar effort.
Mississippi State is home and thus will probably have its illegal cow bells clattering around in Davis-Wade Stadium, plus piped-in crowd sounds like the Razorbacks did. So Arkansas might have to go with all silent signals. The veteran Mike Leach offense vs. veteran Barry Odom defense component to this game is fascinating.
ADVANTAGE Miss. State