Kamario Taylor returning gives Mississippi State rare offseason calm

Mississippi State kept its quarterback, a few contributors, and some dignity as Kamario Taylor chose stability over escape.

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Kamario Taylor (1) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Ole Miss Rebels in the first half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Mississippi State didn’t win the offseason.

But it didn’t lose it either, which in modern college football is something worth acknowledging.

In a sport where rosters vanish faster than sweet tea at a July cookout, the Bulldogs managed to keep their quarterback and a handful of contributors. That may not sound like much, but in December, retention is a strategy.

State finished 5–7, which is usually the record that triggers mass exits and carefully worded goodbye posts. Instead, several Dawgs made the rare decision to stay where they already live.

That starts with quarterback Kamario Taylor.

Taylor announced he’ll return for the 2026 season, giving Mississippi State something it hasn’t enjoyed much lately: certainty at the most important position.

No guessing. No portal scavenger hunt. No surprise quarterback with a highlight reel and a learning curve.

Taylor started the Egg Bowl, will start the bowl game against Wake Forest, and now enters next season as the clear option under center. That alone simplifies the offseason.

Taylor’s numbers don’t require breathless analysis. He finished with 388 passing yards, four passing touchdowns, 395 rushing yards, and seven rushing scores. That’s not a billboard, but it’s functional.

For the Bulldogs, functional sounds just fine.

AGTG❗️, Christmas came early 🐶💐 pic.twitter.com/PIZxj2JmrZ

— k¹ (@KamarioTaylor) December 22, 2025

Quarterback clarity feels new around here

Quarterback stability isn’t exciting. It doesn’t trend. It doesn’t win February press conferences.

But Mississippi State hasn’t had much of it, and boredom starts to feel comforting once chaos wears you down.

Taylor showed toughness, mobility, and a willingness to take contact. He didn’t shrink. He didn’t disappear. He played.

That matters for a program still trying to settle into a system and stop resetting every year.

Keeping Taylor means State can build instead of rebooting. That’s progress, even if it doesn’t come with fireworks.

The Dawgs also convinced help in the backfield to stay.

Running back Fluff Bothwell is returning after a freshman season that quietly worked. He rushed for 639 yards and six touchdowns and finished strong with back-to-back 100-yard games against Northern Illinois and Tennessee.

Late-season production usually means something real. It suggests growth instead of noise.

Bothwell didn’t just flash. He held up.

Xavier Gayten is also coming back, bringing speed and versatility to a backfield that will lose veteran Davon Booth. Gayten’s return gives Mississippi State options instead of scrambling.

That’s becoming a theme.

Twin 🤞 pic.twitter.com/9lROQ8z8ZO

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) December 18, 2025

Keeping the backfield intact helps more than headlines

Mississippi State appears interested in knowing who will carry the ball next season.

This is not always a given.

Bothwell’s return provides a foundation. Gayten’s return adds flexibility. Together, they give the Bulldogs something resembling a plan.

And plans beat improvisation every time.

Defense didn’t completely empty out either.

Defensive lineman Will Whitson announced he’s returning after a season cut short by injury. In just six quarters of action, Whitson recorded eight tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks.

That’s a small sample. It’s also loud.

If Whitson stays healthy, State might finally generate pressure without sending the entire defense on a field trip.

Linebacker Tyler Lockhart will also be back after appearing in 11 games as a freshman. He totaled 33 tackles and gained experience early because Mississippi State needed him to.

That kind of experience sticks.

In the secondary, Kelley Jones returns after leading the team in pass breakups. That’s not glamorous, but it’s necessary in the SEC, where quarterbacks test corners until they break.

Jones gives the Dawgs a known commodity instead of another experiment.

Defense returns experience instead of excuses

Mississippi State didn’t fix everything on defense.

But it avoided starting from scratch, which is often the real battle.

Returning Whitson, Lockhart, and Jones means fewer growing pains and fewer reasons to point fingers.

It also means the Bulldogs can focus on development instead of damage control.

And eventually, everything circles back to Taylor.

Mississippi State now has a quarterback who knows the system, knows the roster, and knows what a season in the SEC feels like.

That doesn’t guarantee wins. It does remove excuses.

For a program still stabilizing under Jeff Lebby, this group of returners provides a baseline. Not a breakthrough. Not a transformation.

Just a place to stand.

The Bulldogs didn’t chase splashy headlines. They didn’t dominate the portal cycle. They simply kept their core intact.

In this version of college football, that’s not nothing.

Mississippi State enters the offseason with answers instead of guesses.

And sometimes, that’s the smartest move you can make.

3 Key Takeaways

• Kamario Taylor’s return gives Mississippi State clarity at quarterback.
• Several Bulldogs chose continuity over the transfer portal.
• State avoided a full roster reset, which quietly matters.