When might Mike Leach officially name a quarterback and other weekend Mississippi State football notes
The time is drawing closer when Mississippi State head coach Mike Leach will officially name his starting quarterback.
Leach met with the media on Saturday after the Bulldogs scrimmaged for the first time this preseason and when asked directly when he expected to name his starting signal caller, he provided the timeline he currently sees playing out.
"I think it'll be before (the week of the first game)," Leach said. "I don't expect it to be tomorrow, but I think it'll be before game week. And I don't know that it'll be next week either."
Given MSU is now less than three weeks out from the September 26 season opener at LSU, if Leach sticks to his current thought process of tabbing a starter prior to game week, that individual should be announced at some point within the next 13 or 14 days. Truth be told, it's likely to be a bit anticlimactic when it happens.
That's because graduate transfer K.J. Costello has long been expected to win the job. And Leach has said in multiple interviews over the last week or so that Costello is indeed in front.
True freshman Will Rogers is also in the mix, along with sophomore Garrett Shrader. But it appears the window is nearly closed for either of those guys to make a push towards the top of the depth chart.
"It's still kind of open but less open than it was," Leach said of the quarterback competition.
The true battle might be for the backup role between Rogers and Shrader. Though Shrader started four games for the Bulldogs a year ago and at the time looked to be the future of the program, based on comments from Leach and others, it seems Rogers might have the inside track to be MSU's QB-2 in 2020. According to Leach, it was Costello and Rogers that shined the brightest behind center in Saturday's scrimmage, possibly further solidifying Rogers' claim to be State's backup.
"I thought K.J. had a really good day," Leach said. "I thought Will did an admirable job. A lot of times a freshman goes out there, first scrimmage, and they'll flinch a little, but he came out of it fast and I thought he did some good things. The others I thought were competitive. They can line up and play to a point. But I thought (Costello and Rogers) had the best scrimmage."
Leach says MSU has been fortunate against COVID-19
On the same day that the Tennessee football team cancelled a scheduled scrimmage due to 44 players being out – the bulk of them because of either contact tracing or positive COVID-19 tests – Leach indicated Mississippi State has been fortunate when it comes to battling the coronavirus in recent days and weeks.
"Knock on wood, we have (been able to practice close to normal)," Leach said. "We’ve had a pretty complete group. I don’t know if it’s luck and circumstance, but I do know (athletic trainer) Thomas Callans and our trainers have been very vigilant in everything they do as far as the testing, the masks and routines for separation and those types of things."
Mississippi State, like many schools, hasn't released any specific data regarding positive COVID-19 tests within its football program.
Possibility of more players opting out?
Several key players for Mississippi State's opening week opponent, LSU, have in recent days opted out of playing in the 2020 season. As for the Bulldogs, two players have previously announced they're opting out – cornerback Tyler Williams and wide receiver Taury Dixon.
Leach was asked on Saturday if he feels any other MSU players might ultimately decide to not play this year.
"It’s difficult to say," Leach said. "You never know what some guy is thinking or what’s going on. The biggest thing is just coach the ones that are here the best you can."
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Mike Leach breaks down Mississippi State's first scrimmage
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