STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football coach Dan Mullen isn’t excited about facing a University of Arkansas passing offense that is the Southeastern Conference’s best and one of the best in the nation.
At 2:30 p.m. today (WCBI), MSU (5-5, 1-5 SEC) will try to slow down No. 6 Arkansas (9-1, 5-1), veteran quarterback Tyler Wilson, and his numerous targets, including senior Jarius Wright, who leads the SEC with 906 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns, Joe Adams and Chris Gragg.
“Facing three big-time receivers with a quarterback that knows the system and a lot of experience getting it down to you is not the most exciting thing in the world,” Mullen said. “Exciting is when you can face an inexperienced guy and you can kind of confuse him all over the field. That’s exciting and fun.”
MSU defensive coordinator Chris Wilson sees the task as more of a puzzle. To solve it, he will rely on his experienced back four players to play a lot of snaps.
“This team is going to challenge you because they are a throw-first team with so many receivers,” Wilson said. “You don’t ever stop them, but the key is being able to slow them down and then getting off the field occasionally on third down.”
Mullen said earlier in the week the Bulldogs will have to defend the big play, which has been a problem in two losses he has suffered to the Razorbacks since taking the job at MSU.
“You review last year’s game; we did a great job of that and then we gave up two 70-plus yard touchdowns,” Mullen said. “Even if you have a great game plan, you start giving up 70-yard chunk touchdowns it just makes it too easy on the other team. In this league easy scores are hard to come by. When you start giving them up you put yourself in a corner.”
Tyler Wilson has thrown for 2,850 yards, 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has completed 61.7 percent of his passes. The junior has impressed Mullen with his patience in the pocket and with the patience he showed in waiting his turn behind NFL draft pick Ryan Mallett and learning the Razorbacks’ complex pro-style passing scheme.
“You read too many times about a guy who, if he doesn’t play right away, he transfers,” Mullen said. “He’s a guy that’s come into their program, learned their system, worked hard in their system, has been developed, and it’s now it’s his time to shine and he has shined. That shows a lot about him, and it shows why he’s such a good player. He knows how to create good things, and he’s treated his career the right way. That’s why you see the success he’s had.”
Wilson’s success has the quarterback on the other sideline convinced today’s game may be a high-scoring affair.
“They’re going to put up points, and they’re too good to completely shut down. That’s just the way it is,” MSU sophomore quarterback Tyler Russell said. “We’re going to have to answer them on offense this week.”
The responsibility of containment has been put squarely on Jim Thorpe Award candidate Johnthan Banks and Corey Broomfield. The Bulldogs are giving up 185.6 yards passing per game, which is fifth in the SEC. Their 12 interceptions, including five by cornerback Johnthan Banks, are also tied for fifth.
MSU will be without sophomore safety Nickoe Whitley, who will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a ruptured Achilles’ tendon in his left foot.
“I’m looking forward to it a lot because the past two years have been good battles,” Broomfield said. “Every year we’re making plays while still letting some of those explosive plays happen.”
The matchup is the first for MSU on CBS since a 17-0 loss in 2005 to Alabama. Mullen and his coaches hope they will get to play games on CBS more often.
“Fantastic,” Mullen said. “We’ve been asking CBS to put us on. I thank the guys at CBS for finally doing it.”
Last year, MSU lost to Arkansas 38-31 in overtime at Davis Wade Stadium.
“You love these types of games, and I’ve been telling the coaches that I’ve been on campus four years and finally get to be on CBS,” Broomfield said.
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