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Mississippi State kicked off its spring practice on March 9 and will hold its spring game on April 16. The Bulldogs are coming off a 9-4 (4-4 SEC) record in 2015 but ranked sixth in the SEC West.
Still, things could have been worse for Dan Mullen’s team in his seventh season. Mississippi State was expected to see a major drop off following their 2014 campaign that saw it hold the No. 1 ranking for several weeks and finish at No. 11 overall.
The Bulldogs lost more starters than any other SEC team entering 2014 yet still managed to be competitive in a tough division for most of the season. With last season expected to be a rebuilding year, a 9-4 record exceeded expectations even with a sixth place finish.
But Mississippi State still has a long way to go in order to contend in the nation’s top conference. Here’s what to watch for during the Bulldogs’ spring practice.
Replacing the greatest player in program history
There isn’t much debate, Dak Prescott was the greatest player in Mississippi State history. Prescott is in elite company with 70 passing and 41 rushing touchdowns — as well as three receiving — and holds every school passing record.
There’s no denying that having Prescott back for his senior season gave the Bulldogs several extra wins in 2015. But now, Mississippi State has the difficult task of replacing a legend.
The Bulldogs have four returning players in junior Damian Williams, sophomore Elijah Staley, sophomore Nick Fitzgerald and redshirt freshman Nick Tiano.
Many fans expect Fitzgerald to be the favorite to replace Prescott but considering Williams’ decision to redshirt last season he could be Mullen’s personal choice entering spring practice. Staley is also someone that Bulldogs fans are high on.
At this point it seems like the QB battle is completely open. Spring practice will give an early indication of who is favored leading up to fall camp.
Finding a wide receiver in Fred Ross’ absence
Mississippi State will be without its top wide receiver, Fred Ross, for the remainder of spring practice. Ross is recovering from surgery on his groin, Mullen confirmed to media members after the Bulldogs’ first practice.
Ross led Mississippi State in each receiving category and was second among SEC players with 88 receptions, fourth with 1,007 receiving yards and eleventh with five touchdowns.
Mississippi State’s only other consistent receiver was fellow junior De’Runnya Wilson, who finished second on the team with 60 receptions, 918 yards and caught a team-best 10 touchdowns. But Wilson declared for the 2016 NFL Draft leaving the Bulldogs with Ross and an otherwise unfamiliar group.
But with Ross’ injury, Mississippi State can afford to give different receivers reps with its first team offense in order to figure out how the rest of its depth chart will look.
Establishing a strong running game
Prescott’s departure not only puts a strain on quarterback play but also creates questions for the rushing attack. The former senior led the Bulldogs with 588 yards and 10 touchdowns on 160 attempts.
Brandon Holloway, who led all running backs, recorded just 413 yards on 92 carries and never found the end zone. Ashton Shumpert had 228 yards on 59 attempts and scored once.
Mississippi State will need to establish its rushing attack especially with an inexperienced quarterback being thrust into the starting lineup. Spring practice will provide an early indication of who is the best candidate to start for the Bulldogs during their season opener.
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