It shouldn’t be surprising that after racking up 16 penalties in a 28-7 loss to Kentucky, that the aspect of the game is at the forefront for the Mississippi State coaching staff. When I got the chance to speak with offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, the word he emphasized the most was “focus.”
You got the same vibe talking to quarterback Nick Fitzgerald, who gave some details of Sunday’s players-only meeting. Fitzgerald said the team leaders made their point clear without calling out specific players, that performances like Saturday would not be acceptable going forward.
We also spoke with senior offensive guard Deion Calhoun, who highlighted how difficult Kentucky’s crowd made it for his unit. Calhoun knows his group will be under scrutiny after such a disappointing performance against the Wildcats. Mississippi State simply cannot afford to be as stagnant on offense if the Bulldogs want to get back on the winning track.
Last week, I felt Mississippi State was very confident after meeting with the offensive players, that they felt at ease with themselves and Joe Moorhead’s system. This week, I don’t feel the same confidence, but there is definitely a more business like approach from players, and you have to guess that the coaching staff has drilled it into them that they have to be more mentally sharp if they want to leave Davis Wade Stadium this Saturday with a win.
