Wright’s turn
Rogers questionable, but ’Dogs have quality backup
FAYETTEVILLE — For the second time this season, the University of Arkansas could face an SEC opponent which starts a backup quarterback.
If it happens, it also will be the second time the backup has significant SEC starting experience.
Mike Wright, a senior transfer from Vanderbilt, is in line to be the starting quarterback for Mississippi State (3-3, 0-3) on Saturday at Reynolds Razorback Stadium if Will Rogers is out.
Rogers, a senior who has passed for 11,964 yards and 92 touchdowns while making 38 consecutive starts, left Mississippi State’s most-recent game, a 41-28 victory over Western Michigan on Oct. 7, with an apparent shoulder injury.
Bulldogs Coach Zach Arnett answered “no update” at his Monday news conference when asked about Rogers and senior running back Ja’Quavious Marks, who also was injured against Western Michigan.
“Hopefully he’s fine,” Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said of Rogers. “But we don’t know where that is.”
Texas A&M beat Arkansas 34-22 on Sept. 30 with redshirt sophomore quarterback Max Johnson starting in place of Conner Weigman, who suffered a leg injury the previous week against Auburn.
Johnson, a transfer from LSU, made his 18th career start and passed for 210 yards and 2 touchdowns and rushed for 57 yards against the Razorbacks.
Wright, who is from Fayetteville, Ga., and was recruited by Arkansas under thencoach Chad Morris, played in 26 games at Vanderbilt with 11 starts. He passed for 2,067 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 905 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Wright has played in every Mississippi State game this season and has completed 8 of 11 passes for 61 yards and 1 touchdown and rushed 20 times for 138 yards and 3 touchdowns.
“He throws better than I want him to,” Pittman said. “He can throw the football. He’s fast.”
Wright completed 7 of 10 passes for 57 yards and rushed for 24 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown, in 32 snaps against Western Michigan.
“Every time his number has been called, he’s answered the call,” Arnett said. “He’s provided a spark for our offense.”
Arnett also praised Wright’s unselfish attitude.
“He’s a great team guy,” Arnett said. “He’s tough, physical and ready to do whatever he needs to do to help the team, no matter the role. Mike is one, and so is Will.
“Two guys who can push each other and bring different flavor to the offense. That’s really good because it makes the defense prepare for more.”
Marks is the Bulldogs’ leading rusher with 80 carries for 458 yards, but he was limited to 8 for 38 against Western Michigan.
Mississippi State’s top rusher behind Marks and Wright is freshman Seth Davis, who has 22 carries for 128 yards.
Senior Lideatrick Griffin leads the Bulldogs with 29 receptions for 474 yards and 3 touchdowns. He had 7 catches for a school-record 265 yards and 1 touchdown in the Bulldogs’ 37-30 loss at South Carolina.
Griffin also has a 32.5-yard average on 46 career kickoff returns with 2 touchdowns.
Mississippi State’s offensive linemen have a combined 139 starts led by tackle Kameron Jones (37) and center Cole Smith (33), both fifth-year seniors.
Senior linebacker Jett Jones leads the Bulldogs with 66 tackles and has 272 for his career. He has 4 sacks, 2 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles this season.
Nathaniel Watson, a senior linebacker, has 57 tackles and a team-high 5 1/2 sacks.
“Defensively, they’re all over the place,” Pittman said. “A lot of movement. A lot of blitzing.”
Bulldogs placekicker Kyle Ferrie, a freshman walk-on from Searcy who played at Harding Academy, has hit 8 of 10 field goals — with a long of 49 yards — and all 20 of his extra points.
Arnett, 37, was the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator for three seasons before being elevated to head coach after Mike Leach unexpectedly died from a heart condition last Dec. 12.
Mississippi State beat Illinois 19-10 in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Arnett’s head-coaching debut.
“They had to hire somebody, unfortunately,” Pittman said, referring to the void left by Leach’s death. “I thought at the time he was a great hire for Mississippi State, and I still do, to keep it within.
“There were a lot of reasons. One, I thought he deserved it. Two, the portal is rampant during that time. You could lose half your team. I think they felt like they had a good team coming back, like they do.”
Pittman, in his fourth season at Arkansas, said he’s sure Arnett becoming an SEC head coach “was bittersweet for him” given the circumstances.
“I’m sure he’s learning, like I did and like I am,” Pittman said. “But I do think he’s kept the team together well and I’m sure it was good for them to get a win versus Western Michigan.”
The Bulldogs’ most notable victory has been 31-24 in overtime against Arizona.
In addition to South Carolina beating the Bulldogs, they’ve lost at home to No. 19 LSU 41-14 and to No. 11 Alabama 40-17.
The Razorbacks (2-5, 0-4) have lost five consecutive games, including 34-31 at LSU and 24-21 at Alabama.
“They are hungry to get out there to compete and win,” Arnett said. “We have to make sure we’re just as hungry to compete and win.”