Mississippi State special teams talk: Bulldogs assistant Matt Brock says the past is in the past

"I don't think that any play that happened last year, good or bad, has any indication of what will happen this year."

Those were the words of Mississippi State special teams (and outside linebackers) coach Matt Brock on Wednesday night and upon him uttering that, Bulldog fans everywhere are likely to rejoice.

It's no secret that MSU special teams struggled at times last year. That might be putting it mildly. In virtually every game there was a false start here or a muff there or a kickoff that didn't seem to produce the desired result. You name it and it probably happened. That was then though. This is now.

Brock isn't focused on what happened in 2019. It's 2020 and the Bulldogs are starting fresh. What's the path to getting MSU special teams back to where it needs to be – where fans aren't biting off every fingernail every time a kick or punt team runs onto the field? Brock says it all comes down to commitment and believing that phase of the game is important.

"The first thing we look for is total buy in from our entire roster," Brock said. "If you don’t get those guys bought in and it’s not important for them – whether it’s the top guy on your roster all the way down to the so-called bottom guy on your roster – I don’t care what you’re doing from a schematic standpoint. It all starts with the mentality of the group. That’s first and foremost."

And Brock says it doesn't hurt that one of the most bought in folks there is, is the man captaining the ship – MSU head coach Mike Leach.

"I’m fortunate to work for a guy who believes in the third phase being very important," Brock said.

So sure, having the right mentality is one piece of the puzzle. But the rest revolves around finding the right players who are ultimately the most capable of making plays for the special teams unit. With a little over three weeks until the season's first game, that's still very much a work in progress at pretty much every spot it seems.

On the Mississippi State returners: "I don’t have that narrowed down yet completely," Brock said. "We have a good pool. We've got all the running backs back there working, a couple different receivers and even a (defensive back) or two that are working through it. For me to give you a name right now, I think that would be false. It’s really a pretty good competition."

On placekicker, a spot senior Jace Christmann has held down for the last three years, but is now being pushed by graduate transfer Brandon Ruiz and others: "They need to go out there every single day and chart and prove who’s consistent," Brock said of his kickers. "Now the other aspect of that is, you get them in a scrimmage – we do team reps every day – but there's something about the scrimmage setting. I value those reps pretty highly as well. It’s kind of a balancing act there. In the end, it’s the guy who can be the most consistent player every day. It doesn’t matter if a guy can hit one from a long ways if he’s not a consistent guy. We’re looking for consistency."

And as for every other role on special teams? "I would say we have battles at every position – legitimate ones. Not ones that I’m just trying to fabricate on my own," Brock said.

So in essence, it seems Mississippi State's special teams slate has been wiped clean. Apparently everyone from the top down in the unit is having to prove they can get the job done. And the staff philosophy is pretty much willing to put any capable body out there to do it, regardless of age or experience level.

Some coaching staffs are more willing than others to give youngsters their first taste of big-time college football on special teams. While some of that might indeed happen this year, ultimately it appears the gameplan is to give the most opportunity to the guys that provide the Bulldogs the best chance of success.

"It’s going to be the guy who can execute that assignment to the best of his ability within the group," Brock said. "There has to be a give and take there. You can’t have a starter playing every play on defense or offense, and every play on special teams, but you also can’t go lose a game in the third phase."

Those who watched the Bulldogs a year ago can certainly attest to how a lapse in special teams play can cost valuable momentum and sometimes, even a game. Mississippi State will have to prove it on the field, but in the preseason, the commitment is there to try and ensure one of last year's biggest wrinkles gets ironed out.

"That buy-in factor, I can’t emphasize that enough," Brock said. "That is the main thing we have pushed, and will continue to push as we progress through camp and the entire season."

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