SEC Football 2008: Mississippi State

Photo by Joe Howell

Tennessee defensive end Antonio Reynolds sacks Mississippi State quarterback Wesley Carroll Saturday in Starkville, Miss. Tennessee defeated Mississippi State 33-21, improving to 4-2 for the season.

Mississippi State, a program desperately seeking momentum, hopes its spring game wasn’t a harbinger of things to come.

A touchdown in the second overtime finally ended a scoreless stalemate. This came 24 hours after the Bulldogs’ best offensive lineman, Michael Brown, was dismissed from the team.

For a team that ranked 11th in scoring offense in the SEC in 2007, it couldn’t be viewed as much of a stepping stone to 2008.

Six times in 13 games last year the Bulldogs failed to score 20 points. The good news was they won four of them: 19-14 over Auburn; 17-12 over Alabama; 17-13 over archrival Ole Miss; a 10-3 Liberty Bowl triumph over Central Florida.

“Our offense is definitely going to open up,’’ coach Sylvester Croom said, ‘‘and it starts with the quarterback.’’

That would be sophomore Wesley Carroll, who was thrown in the fire as a true freshman last year.

Carroll was starting by his fifth game and finished with six wins as a starter. He didn’t throw an interception in his first 137 attempts, one short of the NCAA freshman record.

He looks back to State’s 33-21 loss to Tennessee on Oct. 13 as the day it all started to click. It was his second start.

“That’s when I was able to understand and dissect defenses,’’ he said.

That ability should come more naturally in 2008. With his first spring practice and summer on campus under his belt, Carroll is much more at ease in State’s West Coast Offense.

‘‘I feel comfortable with the guys around me,’’ he said. “I know ’em all now.’’

At 6-foot-1, Carroll isn’t an imposing specimen. Nor is his arm strength anything special.

“His arm is strong enough for him to do what we want him to do,’’ Croom said. “And I have been amazed at his decision-making.

“We’re going to give him more options this year and allow him to make more decisions on the field. We have more speed at wide receiver and that’s going to allow us to attack more vertically than we have done.’’

Tennessee’s defense will find out Oct. 18 at Neyland Stadium whether State has become more explosive.

The Vols can already vouch for the Bulldogs’ physicality. That’s been a trademark of Croom’s teams.

If Carroll is on the smallish side at quarterback, tailback Anthony Dixon is on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Dixon is a fullback-like 240 pounds. He gained 108 yards on 26 carries against UT last year.

“He’s 235 or 240, coming downhill,’’ Carroll said. “Not a lot people are going to want to step in front of him.’’

“Our offense,’’ said Croom, “starts with Wes and AD. Those two guys have to play well.’’

The defense returns seven starters, but must replace coordinator Ellis Johnson, who left for South Carolina. Croom promoted from within to maintain cohesiveness.

The Bulldogs are a bit of a no-name bunch on defense. The only first-team preseason All-SEC pick is safety Derek Pegues. Middle linebacker Jamar Chaney is a hard hitter.

“We always try to be strong down the middle,’’ Croom said. “With him at middle linebacker, Jesse Bowman and Kyle Love as the two interior defensive linemen and with Derek at safety, we’re pretty solid down the middle.’’

Pretty solid describes the shape of the program after Croom’s fourth season. It was a breakthrough 8-5 season after State notched only three wins in each of his first three years.

“We’re definitely not going to creep up on anybody this year,’’ Carroll said, sporting a massive Liberty Bowl ring on his hand.

“It’s going to be about outplaying them. We’re not going to create upsets any more.’’