Mississippi State Names New Starting QB Ahead of Longhorns Matchup

The Texas Longhorns will face an inexperienced quarterback on Saturday in their SEC opener vs. Mississippi State.

Sep 21, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (0) runs the ball against the Florida Gators during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

The No. 1 Texas Longhorns are gearing up for their first SEC game as a fully-fledged member of the conference this Saturday, when the Mississippi State Bulldogs head to Austin.

The Longhorns were already going to be massive favorites heading into the matchup, with Mississippi State limping their way to a 1-3 record, with their lone win coming over Eastern Kentucky.

However, things got even worse for the Bulldogs this past weekend, after starting quarterback Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending injury in their loss to Florida.

So where do the Bulldogs turn from here?

On Monday, Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby named his replacement for Shapen, tabbing freshman Michael Van Buren as the team's new QB1. However, it appears that fellow freshman Chris Parson could also get some opportunities.

“Both of those guys are gonna be a big part of the competition, but Mike will run out first," Lebby told the media. "I was proud of how he was able to put a drive together in the fourth quarter. He has great confidence in himself and the guys around him. ”

Last week vs. Florida, Van Buren showed promise when given his chances, completing 7 of 13 passes for 100 yards, with a passer rating of 118.5, leading the Bulldogs down the field for a score on his first and only drive of the game in the process.

Of course, Lebby also knows he can only expect so much out of a true freshman quarterback in an environment like the one at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

That said, Lebby is confident in his skill set.

“Mike can do a lot of very similar things as Blake," Lebby said. "He can keep some things alive with his feet. He can make the throws we need him to make.  But the experience matters as we go on the road, playing the team we’re playing.  Focus small, taking great care of the football, creating predictable outcomes, and putting us in good situations from a D and D standpoint.”

But will that skill set be enough against a team that ranks No. 1 in the nation in scoring defense, and No. 5 in total defense?

We will find out one way or the other when Longhorns and Bulldogs kick off at 3:15 pm on SEC Network.