STARKVILLE — Stephen Guidry spent a winter, spring, summer and even a portion of August being the unknown commodity. He was the highly touted transfer from Hinds Community College seen as a potential savior for Mississippi State’s wide receiving corps but sidelined with a shoulder injury, leaving his talent out of the public eye.
Just four weeks into September, the only thing No. 23 MSU (3-1) knows about its X wide receiver position is Guidry. He is almost all it has, not that it bothers the Bulldogs.
Guidry started the season as one of a crowd competing for playing time but he is far from that as MSU hosts Florida (3-1) 5 p.m. Saturday (ESPN). He enters the game second in receptions (eight) and receiving yards (174) with a touchdown.
“I think Stephen’s in a good place,” offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Luke Getsy said. “He still has to progress, he still has a long way to go. Getting here he lacked a lot of fundamentals and I think he’s improved them every single day.
“His work ethic is really impressive and his commitment to it. He’s in a really good place.”
That improved work ethic may have been a necessity, given the time missed with the shoulder injury he had when he enrolled in January. Aside from that, Getsy was impressed with Guidry’s rapid development.
Guidry’s command of the position has gone unquestioned, to the point that the backup, Jamal Couch, transferred, elevating previous third-string freshman Devonta “Whop” Jason to backup. Jason has not caught a pass since being elevated to that role; Guidry has been on the field too often to grant him the opportunity.
Guidry’s command of his position showed in his three catches for 57 yards and a touchdown against Louisiana-Lafayette, all of them single-game highs for his young Bulldog career.
“I think the most exciting thing about Stephen’s performance (against ULL) was that is was a validation of his practice habits during the week,” head coach Joe Moorhead said. “He’s learning to go hard every rep whether the ball is coming to you or not coming to you. That’s tough to do sometimes because you’re not sure based on the coverage where the ball’s going to go.
“Two things: his understand of the scheme — and not just what to do, but how and why and recognizing coverages — and his practice habits. Those are the two big areas we see improvement in Stephen.”
With that on his side, one set of numbers suggest Guidry has became a favorite targets. Through four games, he has been targeted with 23 passes — more than Osirus Mitchell, the team’s leading receiver, and more than any other Bulldog. Austin Williams is third on the team in targets with 12 and running back Kylin Hill is fourth with 11; Guidry has as many as they do combined.
Moorhead sees this as a product of a player who is, “training himself on a daily basis to be a top-level player in this league,” training to realize the potential the new staff saw in him.
As Moorhead said, “You rise to the level of the situation and you fall to the level of your preparation.” Guidry’s preparation is rising his status with each week.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
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