Mississippi State's Offensive Line Shines in Win Over Arkansas
Entering the 2022 campaign, one of the biggest questions surrounding MSU football was the level of success that the offensive line could have.
Charles Cross was arguably the best left tackle in college football last season and was a difference-maker for Mike Leach and the Air Raid offense during his time in Starkville. Once Cross departed for the NFL, many experts around the country questioned how the offensive line would perform, specifically against opposing SEC defenses. After Saturday's win against the Arkansas Razorbacks, that doubt has faded away fast.
Coming into the game against the Bulldogs, the Razorbacks' defensive line was one of the best in the conference. MSU's offensive line shut the Arkansas pass rush down -- allowing no sacks and only one quarterback hurry en route to a 40-17 victory against the Hogs.
The film doesn't lie, the big guys for the Bulldogs protected junior quarterback Will Rogers and gave him plenty of time to throw the ball against one of the top defensive fronts in the SEC. The MSU offensive line is ranked 15th in the country with a sack rate of 1.9% so far this season.
Not only did the offensive line play a huge role in the success of the passing game for Rogers and the Bulldogs, but MSU's offense also found success on the ground. Junior running back Dillon Johnson became the first Mississippi State running back under Mike Leach to rush for 100 yards in a game. Johnson ran for two touchdowns while also averaging 5.9 yards per carry -- something that would be impossible without the help of the big guys up front.
After Saturday's impressive win against the Razorbacks, coach Leach discussed the performance of the offensive line.
"I thought we blocked pretty well, and we were pretty good up front," Leach said. "We got a lot of yards on the ground, and that's kind of what they gave us to a certain extent. We did throw it and run it well. That's a credit to our offensive line."
MSU now faces the Kentucky Wildcats this Saturday in what will be a tough road test for the Bulldogs. Kentucky is not short of talent, although the Wildcats did fall to the South Carolina Gamecocks 24-14 Saturday.
Compared to the Week 3 loss down in Baton Rouge against the LSU Tigers, Mississippi State has played more consistent ball. The Bulldogs have improved both offensively and defensively. However, nothing in the SEC comes easily. If MSU plans on controlling its destiny, the Bulldogs will have to continue to play consistently.
In the postgame presser Saturday, Rogers said the Bulldogs have grown as the season has gone on.
"We're more mature," Rogers said after Saturday's win against the Hogs. "I think we're a more mature team now.
"I think the two years before we were considered a young team, and a young team might come in here and drop a game at home, maybe still thinking about what happened at LSU. I told the offensive line 'That's over, this is going to light a fire under us,' and I think it did."
The unit will look for a repeat performance as it travels to Lexington to face the Kentucky Wildcats on Saturday.
