Mike Leach updates Mississippi State football's defensive progress and QB battle on first Dawg Talk show

Mississippi State head football coach Mike Leach joined the Voice of the Bulldogs Neil Price on Thursday night for the first 2020 episode of Dawg Talk. The weekly radio show will be hosted in downtown Starkville this season at the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. Here are a few updates on the Bulldogs from Leach's appearance:

Leach on the current state of the MSU defense: "We're a work in progress, there's no question about that. We're definitely a work in progress. I think we're getting better. I thought they had a good day (at practice Thursday). Very competitive from top to bottom. They got a couple of turnovers, which that's kind of the point of the pressure to begin with – besides just a stop and storm the gaps and beat up on the offense, (it's) also to take (the ball) away. I thought we had a really competitive team period, but they did a combination of all three (Thursday) I thought."

Leach on the quarterback battle: "You know I'm kind of waiting for those guys to separate themselves. I guess that's been a little frustrating. I guess that's good because they're competitive. Sometimes they're competitively good and sometimes they're competitively inconsistent. So trying to get one to rise to the top. I think K.J. (Costello) is ahead of the other three. Garrett (Shrader) does some good things and so does Will (Rogers). I think they're hugged together pretty tight. But I do feel like it's still an open job. Somebody has got to take it and run with it and really provide that consistency.

Leach on freshman QB Will Rogers: "I think a lot of times those freshmen come out and they won't do what they can do just because they're – intimidated may be a little strong – but they're just a little unsure. They're apprehensive. They don't pull the trigger. Will doesn't have that problem. Will came out and has operated like he belongs there from the day he got here and I think that has served him well and allowed him to improve and elevate. And he's a smart guy and a knowledgeable guy and I think that continues to help him, too."

Mississippi State’s @Coach_Leach is stylin’ and profilin’ on his first-ever episode of Dawg Talk. pic.twitter.com/kLfgRVaxoJ
— Joel Coleman (@JoelTColeman) September 4, 2020

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