Mississippi State playing at higher level on offense this season

Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers' passing will test UK's defense Saturday night. (SEC Photo)

Mississippi State’s offense is putting up huge passing numbers, which is no surprise considering the success coach Mike Leach — a former Hal Mumme assistant coach — has always had running the Air Raid offense.

Kentucky shut down the State offense last year and had six interceptions in a 24-2 Kentucky win.

“The more we play it, the more the players will understand year two, at least they have some film to look at. Again, this is a team that’s quite different, especially offensively, as they grow and evolve and become more comfortable in it and get the right players in it,” Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said Monday about the Bulldogs’ offense.

“Also, you see their players making the routine (play), I’m sure it was frustrating when you’re not making routine plays look routine. Now, when they run their offense and their basics and the stuff is there and the simple catches, turns, and yards are there, they’re doing that.

“That’s a staple of Mike Leach’s offense. They’re going to be repetitive and they’re going to be very good at what they do and they’re going to know it. You see them playing at a higher level that way.”

Kentucky will find out just out high a level Mississippi State is playing on Saturday night when the teams play in Starkville, Miss.

Leach actually was offensive coordinator at Oklahoma for Bob Stoops, the UK coach’s brother. Mark Stoops says he has not studied enough to know if Leach’s current offense is different from what it was years ago.

“He was one of the main guys (for the Air Raid) and you still see some of that popping up, the majority of it. But everybody puts wrinkles on things and dresses things up, evolves a little bit, but Mike is still very effective at what he believes in,” Stoops said.

Stoops says State quarterback Will Rogers runs the offense well and can throw 60 or more times in a game.

“You can see his comfort level going higher and higher and getting rid of the football and not putting them in such negative situations as you would in the first year in a program with a young quarterback. You see him playing at a very high level and getting to where they want to be,” Stoops said about Rogers.

The Kentucky coach credited defensive coordinator Brad White for a unique game plan last year that confused the Bulldogs. However, Stoops warned State, which has a win over Texas A&M, is executing the offense much better this season than last year.

“They do what they do, the quarterback, they understand their system. You can see their receivers playing at a much higher level this year, understanding when to sit down and when to run. Just doing the basics much better,” Stoops said.

“Mike always presents problems and his offenses always do. You see them being more effective and that goes the same for us. We have to be multiple and mix things up (on defense) and have to play good football.”