Mississippi State Bulldogs QB Concerns Present Challenge For Texas A&M Aggies

Three different quarterbacks could start of Mississippi State on Saturday at Kyle Field.

Saturday's game in College Station features a pair of opponents with questions at the quarterback position. 

For Texas A&M, Max Johnson continues to practice and is on pace to start following a 38-35 road loss against Ole Miss. 

For Mississippi State, Zach Arnett has three potential options at his fingertips, thus presenting an extra set of challenges in preparation for the Aggies film study. 

"You have to prepare, you say you to prepare for two of them. How do you do that?" said A&M coach Jimbo Fisher Monday during his weekly presser. "That's hard. You do it, but you don't get as many reps or looks or feel for what you have. 

"It's kind of going in blind." 

Arnett, who replaced longtime offensive mastermind Mike Leach following his passing last December, is somewhat going in blind, too. Senior quarterback Will Rogers is progressing, but he's still building up momentum to get back at full speed.

“We’ll see what Will’s availability is this week,” Arnett told reporters in Starkville. “He’s practicing and he’s able to do more and more and more. If it’s determined that he’s able to go, he’s our starting quarterback no doubt about it. We obviously have a few days for that to get sorted out.” 

Rogers, best known for his high-volume passing underneath Leach's Air-Raid offense, defeated the Aggies in back-to-back seasons as the Bulldogs' starter. Last season, he threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns in a 42-24 win at Wade Davis Stadium. 

Rogers hasn't played since the fourth quarter of the Bulldogs' win over Western Michigan on Oct. 7. The Bulldogs (4-5, 1-5 SEC) are 1-2 without him and need two more wins to secure bowl eligibility in 2023. 

Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Will Rogers (2) is sacked by Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Dallas Turner (15) during the second half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field / Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Arnett said if Rodgers can't go, the Bulldogs would rotate between former Vanderbilt starter Mike Wright and freshman Chris Parson. Wright started all three games in place of Rogers but was benched in the third quarter last weekend against Kentucky in favor of Parsons.

Parson, a former four-star recruit from Brentwood, Tenn., completed six of 14 passes for 67 yards. He also was sacked three times for a loss of 20 yards. 

“The reps will reflect that accordingly in practice all week,” Arnett said. “Final game plan and situation obviously kind of determines who’s in there on that particular play. I think it’s too early to name your starter.”

Wright has two years of starting experience thanks to his stint in Nashville. Both he and Johnson entered new programs as backups, but their starting reps at other schools made them viable options to start in a pinch. 

Parson, one of Leach's final recruits as a member of the 2023 class, has potential and is the favorite to be the long-term replacement for Rogers once he leaves Starkville. Arnett said that while the Bulldogs trailed by three touchdowns in his debut, Parson gained "valuable experience" in the huddle. 

“He did some good things. Simply put, I just liked the confidence he plays with," said Arnett. "He plays with a confidence and other people kind of gravitate toward that and gets other people going.”

Arnett praised Johnson, who found a rhythm in the second half against the Rebels. Johnson completed a season-high 73.2 percent of his passes for 305 yards and a touchdown. 

“(Johnson) has had a heck of a year,” Arnett said. “I have every reason to believe if he can go, he’s going to be going.”

Kickoff from Kyle Field on Saturday is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.