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Razorbackers go 'Behind Enemy Lines' with Mississippi State writer Andrew Miller

Will Arkansas bounce back against Mississippi State, or are the Hogs still licking their wounds after losing to LSU?

By Austin Farmer

Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Zakari Tillman (16) reacts with teammates after an interception against the Texas A&M Aggies during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
Oct 19, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs linebacker Zakari Tillman (16) reacts with teammates after an interception against the Texas A&M Aggies during the fourth quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images / Matt Bush-Imagn Images
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Q: The Bulldogs haven’t faced a dual threat quarterback like Arkansas’s Taylen Green this season. How do you think they go about stopping him and Arkansas’s offense?

A: While State hasn't seen as dynamic a runner as Taylen Green, they did see plenty of QB runs from Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, both Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway from Florida, and Texas' Arch Manning. And in all of those instances, they didn't handle it well. State has played very conservative defense on the backend, which has allowed for scrambling opportunities.

They've been poor tackling as well, only adding to the concerns. Now to your point, they haven't faced many designed QB runs, so I'm not sure how they'll try handling it. I wouldn't count on their "solution" being effective though.

Q: A lot of Arkansas fans think Mississippi State should be an easy win, but after watching its performance against Georgia and Texas A&M, I’m not of that opinion. What did the Bulldogs do to keep those games close?

A: Offensively, they've just found much more success being able to sustain drives and hit explosive plays. They're still incredibly inconsistent there, but when they do get into a rhythm, they've been tough to stop. On defense, the one thing that's stood out is simply making a few key plays a game.

They've forced multiple turnovers now in 3-straight games and have gotten a few redzone stops. With the offense scoring more, those few stops have let them be competitive against really good teams. Now the question is if they'll be enough to find a win in SEC play down the stretch.

Next: Q&As cont.

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