Cats prep for 'unique' Mississippi State defense
When your head coach is Mike Leach and his "Air Raid" offense and unique personality dominate the weekly conversation, it's easy to feel a bit overshadowed on the defensive side of the ball.
Mississippi State enters Saturday's matchup with Kentucky as one of only four teams nationally to rank in the Top 20 for both total offense and total defense.
The Wildcats, who boast the No. 5 rushing attack in FBS at 276.5 yards per game, will be facing a Bulldog defense that has allowed only 143 net yards on the ground and a 1.9 yards-per-carry average through the first two weeks of the season.
Kentucky offensive coordinator Eddie Gran says his unit faces a strong challenge from a unit that is "unique in every way."
"They're different in everything that they do schematically than anyone we see on our schedule," added Gran in reference to the Bulldogs' 3-3-5 look that features heavy use of movement to disguise both fronts and coverages. "There's a ton of movement all the time. There's not a play where they don't have movement."
"The most difficult part about it is you just don't see it that much," said UK senior offensive tackle Landon Young. "... It's hard to prepare every single scenario for, which is what you need to do, especially for a tackle on the edge."
The scheme has resulted in Mississippi State (1-1) recording 14 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, and four forced turnovers in its first two games, a 44-34 upset of defending national champion LSU and a 21-14 loss to Arkansas.
By contrast, the Kentucky defense has only 10 tackles for loss, three sacks, and has yet to force a turnover this season as part of an 0-2 start.
The Cats have been run-heavy through their first two games of the season, especially last week against a suspect Ole Miss defense. UK quarterback Terry Wilson was efficient against the Rebels, completing 14 of 18 passes for 151 yards, but he may be asked to do more this week.
Gran says UK will have to mix things up a bit more against the Bulldogs who allowed only 80 yards on 38 carries to LSU and 63 yards on 37 carries to Arkansas. "We're going to have to throw the football effectively against these guys."
That puts a premium on pass protection when they do, he added. "You cannot get behind the chains. That's where they thrive."
Linebacker Erroll Thompson is a preseason All-SEC pick and a member of the Butkus Award watch list. He recorded 13 tackles last week against the Razorbacks. Another disruptive MSU defender to watch is defensive end Marquiss Spencer, who has three tackles for loss, two sacks, and a forced fumble on the season.