STARKVILLE — After last season ended, Mississippi State wide receiver Fred Ross knew his role in the offense was going to expand in 2015.
Ross wanted to be prepared for the chance to fill the void left by Jameon Lewis and Robert Johnson, so he and starting quarterback Dak Prescott worked together anytime they could in the spring and summer to build chemistry.
“We worked timing all the way from before spring, through spring, and all the way to the summer,” Prescott said. “That’s just something we continue to work on. He’s our starting H back, so we’ve got to get that timing right with a lot of timing concepts between us. It’s turning out good so far.”
Ross, who chose MSU over Oklahoma State during the recruiting process, was second on the team with 489 receiving yards and five touchdowns last season. He was third with 30 catches.
The Bulldogs were allotted 15 team practices in the spring, but Ross and Prescott put in extra work in between practices to perfect the timing. Their work carried into the summer as they pushed one another to get better.
“We ran routes every day,” Ross said. “Even on off days we came up here and ran routes. Days where I really didn’t feel like running routes, we came up here and ran them. If he really didn’t feel like throwing, I made him come up here and throw.”
Ross, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound junior from Tyler, Texas, had five catches for 98 yards against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl and six catches for 102 yards against Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl. He finished the first half of the Orange Bowl by catching a 42-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass from Prescott.
Even though Ross had a strong finish, the Bulldogs didn’t, losing three of their final four games. That finish motivated Ross to put in the extra work.
“Losing that Orange Bowl last year just left a bitter taste in our mouth,” Ross said. “We’re trying to win it all this year. We’re trying to win an SEC Championship.”
Ross played in 11 games as a freshman and had nine catches for 115 yards. He began to find confidence last season after developing a better understanding of the playbook. That knowledge should help him this season as he tries to play a role in picking up the slack after the loss of Lewis and Johnson. Lewis was bothered by injuries and played in only 10 games, but he had 32 catches for 380 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson had 14 catches for 227 yards and one touchdown.
Ross learned and soaked up knowledge from Johnson and Lewis the past two seasons. This season, Ross will be the one helping some of the younger wide receivers.
“A lot of young guys are looking up to me and asking me questions. I’m just trying to be a leader,” Ross said.
Joe Morrow is MSU’s only senior wideout, but the Bulldogs return six lettermen at wide receiver. Prescott will have plenty of options, as junior college transfer Donald Gray and freshman Malik Dear went through spring camp after enrolling in January.
Junior De’Runnya Wilson was MSU’s most consistent pass catcher last season. He led the team with 47 catches, 680 yards and nine touchdowns. Wilson, a preseason All-Southeastern Conference second-team honoree by the league’s media, will receive a lot of the attention from defenses this season, which could open the door for Ross.
“Teams can’t double team him, and if they double team me, they’re leaving somebody out there one-on-one with De’Runnya, so it’s pick your poison,” Ross said.
Prescott believes Ross deserves to be in the conversation when people talk about the SEC’s great wide receiver.
“He’s a very dynamic player. He’s one of the best ones on the team,” Prescott said. “I believe he’s probably one of the best in the SEC and around the country. He’s very talented, his routes are always great, he’s always improving each day to get better at every aspect of the position, and he’s pushing all the other guys as well.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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