Behind Enemy Lines: The Mississippi State side of the matchup

After hiring John Cohen, this Saturday's matchup gets more interesting.

Author:
Zac Blackerby
Publish date:
Nov 3, 2022 5:00 PM EDT

In this story:

This Saturday's battle with Mississippi State will mark a lot of firsts.

It will be the first time Auburn takes the field after Bryan Harsin was relieved of his duties, it will be the first game for Carnell Williams as a head coach, and it will be the first game of the John Cohen era since Auburn hired him away from Mississippi State earlier this week.

While Auburn should look similar this week on offense, there's added energy around the program with all of the news from the past few days.

To preview the SEC West battle, Auburn Daily spoke with Elizabeth Keen of Cowbell Corner.

Auburn Daily: What was your reaction when Auburn hired John Cohen to be the next AD for the Tigers?

Mississippi State Athletic Director John Cohen, left, introduces new MSU basketball coach Chris Jans, right, during a news conference at MSU in Starkville Wednesday. March 23, 2022. Tcl Msu Chris Jans 03 — © Barbara Gauntt/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK

Keen: I was surprised when Auburn hired John Cohen because of how fast everything seemed to unfold. The AD position at Auburn seems similar to the one at Mississippi State, and he had such strong ties to MSU. This career move doesn't seem like a significant improvement or downgrade, but it's odd that he would make the decision to transition so quickly. The timing of the transition is unfortunate for Mississippi State, because the entire department is now going through changes during a crucial part of the athletics year.

Auburn Daily: The timing is funny right? Is that the biggest storyline for Saturday’s game?

Mississippi State's Athletic Director John Cohen speaks about MSU's 2021 Baseball National Championship Friday, July 2, 2021. Msu Parade And Ceremony18 — © Eric Shelton/Clarion Ledger via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Keen: Yes, the change is definitely the biggest storyline for the weekend. Cohen is going to be making a return to Starkville with his new university less than a week after leaving MSU. Everyone at the game is going to be looking to catch a glimpse of him on the sideline or around the stadium. It's going to up the animosity in Starkville for sure.

Auburn Daily: What have teams that have slowed down the Mike Leach air raid this season done in defense?

Sep 18, 2021; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers (2) and head coach Mike Leach (right) look on during the first half against the Memphis Tigers at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports — Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Keen: First and foremost, teams that have slowed down Mike Leach's air raid have put pressure on the Bulldogs' offensive line and quarterback Will Rogers early and often. Rogers is not a very mobile quarterback and tends to make hastier decisions when the pocket collapses around him. He has gotten much better compared to last season, but that's an easy way to throw off the offense. Heavy coverage in the secondary can be hit or miss when defending the Air Raid -- MSU's receivers have struggled to haul in catches when being heavily defended at times this season. However, there have been others times in which they have made impossible catches, it truly just depends on the day.

Auburn Daily: Who do you like in the matchup between Auburn’s running game vs the Mississippi State front seven?

Tank Bigsby during warmups vs Arkansas. — Trey Lee/Auburn Daily

Keen: Mississippi State's front seven held their own against Alabama's rushing offense on Oct. 22. The Bulldogs held the Crimson Tide to just 29 rushing yards, even with star running back Jahmyr Gibbs seeing plenty of playing time. Tank Bigsby will be the star of Auburn's offense, so it will be vital for MSU to do just as good of a job at defending him. Mississippi State will be fresh coming off of an open date, so I'd say that the front seven manages to really limit Bigsby.