HEAD COACH: Mike Leach (11-13, third year; 150-103 overall)

2021 RECORD: 7-6 overall, 4-4 in SEC West

RETURNING STARTERS: Offense – 5; Defense – 7; Special Teams – 1

PLAYERS TO WATCH: QB Will Rogers, WR Rara Thomas, WR Austin Williams, LT Percy Lewis, DE Jordan Davis, LB Tyrue Wheat, CB Emmanual Forbes, K Massimo Biscardi.

VERSUS GEORGIA: Nov. 12 (Starkville)

Is Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense ready to take another step?

One look at quarterback Will Rogers’ stats from last year and it would appear the Bulldogs were already close to being there.

Rogers flourished in Leach’s pass-happy system, completing 505 of 683 passes for 4,739 yards with 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Five different receivers caught more than 50 passes, and although just one of those (Austin Williams) returns, the Bulldogs have plenty of depth.

But despite all the yardage, consistency as far as putting the football in the end zone was a problem.

MSU basically eschews any sort of a rushing offense. Last year, the Bulldogs finished dead last in the SEC, averaging just 63 yards on the ground per game. Considering MSU’s 270 rushing attempts were 147 fewer than the next lowest amount (418 by Texas A&M), it’s easy to understand why the Bulldogs' 29.1 points-per-game average was just good enough for eighth in the SEC.

The Bulldogs also have to replace both tackles, including left tackle Charles Cross, who was the ninth overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Can the defense become more consistent?

MSU’s secondary struggled last year.

Although the blame cannot be placed solely on the players in the back end, considering the team averaged just above two sacks per game, meaning that opposing quarterbacks last year had an easy time.

Opponents averaged 231 yards throwing against the Bulldogs, who are much more equipped to stop the run.

Last year MSU finished third in the SEC behind Georgia and Alabama in rush defense, allowing just 113 yards per game. It returns most of its front seven.

The Bulldogs also welcome back defensive end Jordan Davis from a torn ACL, while their linebacking corps is as deep as any in the conference.

However, until improvements can be made in regard to the team’s pass defense, those struggles will keep the unit from reaching its full potential.

Will the team’s kicking woes be solved?

Mississippi State’s issues in the kicking game can be summed up with the fact that Leach called for open tryouts after missing three kicks in a loss to Arkansas.

The Bulldogs added Massimo Biscardi from Coastal Carolina and Ben Raydon from Northern Colorado, so hopefully the answer will lie in one of the two.

If not, look for Leach to again scour the campus at Starkville to find someone capable of doing the job.