Mississippi State faces Arkansas at 11:00am in Fayettville October 21.
This week they get a break. Next weekend, it’s back to the SEC grind for Mississippi State. Back to the road, too, as the Bulldogs visit Arkansas for a 11:00 am kickoff in Fayetteville. The West Division matchup will air on ESPN.
The SEC Office released all game times for October 14, which is the thinnest broadcast slate of this season with just five games. One of those has Army at LSU, so there are just four league games. Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt from the East Division; and Texas A&M in the West are open.
This coming Saturday has six games, all of them conference contests with both Mississippi State and Ole Miss getting the mid-season break. Arkansas is busy for their part, playing at Alabama with a 11:00ct kickoff for ESPN. The Razorbacks’ open date is October 28.
Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3 SEC) needs this break more than most years. The Bulldogs enter the weekend with a better attitude after beating Western Michigan 41-28 to end the first half. It ended a three-conference losing streak, but didn’t answer all the questions asked midway through the campaign.
Coach Zach Arnett will not hold his usual game week press conference on Monday. He is expected to speak to the media one day this week before he pardons the team and goes on a recruiting trip. The first and most important question is undoubtedly an update on the status of quarterback Will Rogers. The senior went to the sideline in the fourth quarter without a helmet and with his left (non-throwing) arm dangling, but not in a sling or any protective gear. Rogers did not appear for postgame interviews, as is customary for the Mississippi State quarterback, win or lose. Neither did replacement Mike Wright, who saw his most playing time of the season before Rogers was sidelined.
Rogers played a game last season after suffering a minor ACL sprain. He has now started 38 straight games since midway through the 2020 season.
Running back Jo’quavious Marks also had to take over again, in this case for the entire second half. Marks has been playing with a sore ankle for weeks and continues to give everything the senior has. Which is a lot, because also the main striker of the team and the highlight of his career.
Freshman linebacker Kyle Ferrie was injured on a field goal, although the penalty was called and resulted in a touchdown that State needed more. He later wore boots on the side, but that didn’t last.
Receiver Justin Robinson and defensive end De’Monte Russell were able to practice last week after missing the Alabama game, but did not play. Defensive tackle Kalvin Dinkins is another tight end who was missed and should return in the second half of the schedule.
Arnett will have the team practicing a few days this short week before turning them loose Thursday for the fall semester break. The head coach and staff won’t have as much down-time though, with recruiting getting attention these valuable October days.
Arnett has been making targeted trips already this season, aided by five home games in the six weekends. State has used the NCAA-allowed visits carefully so far. Now that head coach, coordinators, and position coaches have a more detailed picture of what the likely spring semester roster could be. This is based on work both in practices since August as well as real games.
So recruiting goals can be a little more specific as far as revised position outlooks. Of course so much can change off-the-field, too. Free first-time transfer access makes for such a guessing game for college coaches everywhere about what players will leave, are thinking of it, or reasonably assured of staying for at least spring football.
Arnett and peers have to keep these kind-of conflicting dates in mind, too, when out evaluating prospects for recruiting and signing as well as numbers both overall and by positions. The early signing period, a misleading name now since most prospects ink here, is December 20-22.
Before that, this year’s winter period opens December 4 and runs through January 3, after the governing body voted recently to trim 15 days off the first window. The spring window is open April 16-30.
And now, the NCAA has made the temporary rule of no limits on signing class size within the still-standing 85 scholarship limit permanent. So add another level of uncertainty to the entire process of putting a full roster together for 2024
