MSU’s defense struggling to find balance

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STARKVILLE – Mississippi State’s defensive approach against LSU appeared centered around one big message: do not allow big plays.

It was a big reason why State lost to Alabama on Oct. 3. The Crimson Tide had four rushing plays that went 10 or more yards and eight passes that went for 15 or more.

The good news is that the Bulldogs cut down on that. They allowed just two rushes of 10 or more yards and just three passes of 15 or more in Death Valley, although two of them went for touchdowns in the first 22 minutes of the game.

The bad news is that, as Jeff Lebby pointed out in MSU’s weekly press conference on Monday, the players did not tackle well when they did keep defenders in front of ball carriers. It showed in the fact that the Tigers had 204 yards after the catch.

Not only is it the most yards after the catch that Mississippi State has allowed in a game all season, but it accounted for roughly 71% of LSU’s passing yards in its 31-0 win.

One of the things the defense is working on this week is finding a balance between preventing those big plays and limiting yards after both catch and contact.

“We’ve just got to play tighter coverage. We’ve got to get better in our zones, and with getting guys on the ground. We didn't do the best tackling as we've been doing,” cornerback Jett Jefferson said on Monday. “We’ve just got to tackle better and get them on the ground.”

Finding that balance not only includes tackling better but also executing better.

“These are the types of games where you’ve got to be able to execute at a high level,” Jefferson said of SEC games. “And I feel like we didn't do that to the best of our ability last week.”

Sherrill receives honor

Former MSU coach Jackie Sherrill is receiving the Bear Bryant Lifetime Achievement award, the football program announced on Tuesday.

The award honors one former college football coach per year to recognize his accomplishments both on and off the field. It is presented by the American Heart Association in partnership with the Bryant Awards to raise awareness for cardiovascular health.

Sherrill was the head coach at four FBS schools, including Mississippi State from 1991-2003. In those 13 seasons, Sherill went 75-75-2, reached six bowl games and won two while leading the Bulldogs to the 1998 SEC West Division title and their first and only appearance in the SEC Championship to date.

The award will be presented on Wednesday, Jan. 27, in Houston, Texas.

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