Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State's Offensive Line Needs to Perform Better Against Arizona State

The offensive line was a bit inconsistent in Week One, and progress must be made this week

Jacob Bain

Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby speaks with players between plays against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field.
Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby speaks with players between plays against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels during the third quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State kicked off the Jeff Lebby era last week with a 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky. The former Oklahoma offensive coordinator promised Bulldog fans a show. 

They got it, as quarterback Blake Shapen pushed the ball down the field all night, gaining 240 passing yards on 15 completions for an average of 12.7 yards per completion. However, looking past the throws down the field or the variety of screens, the Lebby offense is a run-first scheme.

State's running game was effective on Saturday. They rushed for 203 yards on 35 carries, averaging 5.8 yards a carry. Those numbers are a bit skewed due to Creed Whittemore having one rush for 41 yards.

“You look at the stat line, and the yards per rush was really good, but it was only because of a couple of explosive runs,” Lebby said. “We were streaky, and we need to have more consistency, and that is what we are striving for this week.” 

The MSU offensive line has five new starters, four of whom are players from the transfer portal, and the group needs to gel quickly. There is a lot of upside to this group, but they need to become a more cohesive unit, and that starts at Arizona State. 

The Bulldogs will have the edge in the trenches against the Sun Devils, as typical SEC teams do against a Big 12 school. That was the case last week, but State still struggled to open up consistent running lanes. 

Much can be learned from this game for the Bulldog offensive line. They do not need to be clicking on all cylinders because they are still building chemistry, but progress has to be shown. 

Progress must be made by consistently winning upfront and making ASU respect the run to open up explosive plays in the passing game. The offensive line is a unit that could be a strength for State, but if no progress is made this week, then questions will arise. 

MSU's goal for the game is to have a rusher over 100 yards this weekend. 

Read More:

How Mississippi State vs. Arizona State Will Impact the Jeff Lebby Era

Will Mississippi State's Offense Be Slowed Down By Arizona State Students?

Mississippi State Football: Three Defensive Players to Watch at Arizona State

Mississippi State Football: Three Offensive Players to Watch at Arizona State

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Jacob Bain
JACOB BAIN

Jacob Bain first joined Cowbell Corner as an intern, and was promoted to lead day-to-day coverage in Starkville of Mississippi State sports in 2023. His primary beats include football, baseball and basketball. He's originally from Fulton, Miss.

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