Mississippi State vs. Arkansas: Areas of Improvement for the Bulldogs Heading into Week 9

There are three areas that the Bulldogs must improve in following their first SEC win of the season.

It wasn't the prettiest win, but Mississippi State (4-3) defeated Arkansas (2-6) for its first SEC victory of the season. 

Zach Arnett and Co. produced a defensive masterclass by holding the Razorbacks to three points. It was such a strong performance that Arkansas relieved their offensive coordinator from his duties after Saturday's game.

However, the Bulldogs only scored 7 points on offense. The injuries have started to pile up against MSU as the team begins turning its attention to a difficult next few games that could make or break the season.

Here are some areas that Mississippi State needs to improve in as they travel to Auburn in Week 9:

1. Finding Consistency in the Run Game

Nobody can question Woody Marks' will to play the game and his commitment to his team. For most of the season, he has been dealing with a left ankle injury, and now he has added a hamstring injury. The team does not need to run one of the best players into the ground, and he can put less stress on his injured leg by splitting his reps with Seth Davis Jr. With an extra option in the backfield, running the ball will become more consistent for Mississippi State. It's is one of the things that State does well, and keeping multiple players in the backfield will cause more open looks.

2. Continuing to Get Stronger on Defense

Nathaniel Watson continues to be one of the best players on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs. He was a game wrecker against the Razorbacks with a season-high of 14 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 tackles-for-loss. Holding Arkansas to 3 points was a great way to shake off the defensive woes that have tormented the Bulldogs to this point in the season. They limited the Razorbacks to only 200 yards of total offense, and Shawn Preston Jr. caused chaos for the opposing wide receivers. Preston and Watson will need to continue their ways on the defensive side of the ball to keep this season alive as injuries pile up on the offensive side of the ball.

3. Finding Ways to Move the Ball Outside of the Run Game

Will Rogers' injury to his non-throwing shoulder has left the offense in the hands of Mike Wright. It tended to be stagnant without Rogers, and a hobbled Marks did not help. The “Pro-Style” offense that MSU tries to use is not always used to its full potential. As a run-heavy team, the play-action pass play should be available, but it is rarely used. Even the idea of an RPO with Mike Wright could shake up how defenses study MSU. The offense is very predictable, but implementing the actual “pro-style” could create more opportunities for the offense.