Uncertainty clouds Dawgs Mixon’s mind
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State wide receiver Keith Mixon brimmed with eagerness at this time last year. Then a sophomore, Mixon was ready to be State’s full-time starter in the slot with fellow receiver Malik Dear doubtful to play a snap while recovering from knee surgery.
A lot can change in a year. Mixon missed almost as many games as he started in 2017 — six to five. He battled an ankle injury for the latter half of the season and decided to undergo surgery at the end of the year. Now, the 5-foot-8 speedster out of Birmingham is far less enthusiastic.
“To be honest, I really don’t know where I stand right now,” Mixon said in an interview Tuesday.
Mixon observed spring practices from the sidelines in a red non-contact jersey while head coach Joe Moorhead ushered in a receiverfriendly offensive scheme. Redshirt freshman Austin Williams impressed the new coaching staff with highlight reel-type plays, making catch after catch. Mixon could only bite his tongue and watch.
Mixon redshirted in 2015 and played sparingly in 2016. Despite making just one start that season, Mixon caught 19 balls for 228 yards and two touchdowns. When Dear went down with his ACL tear ahead of the following season, Mixon earned the right to fill the void and start in the slot — which he did, until he injured his ankle.
Meanwhile, Williams’ prowess carried over into training camp, and all indications are that he’s Moorhead’s No. 1 option to start in the slot. Though he supports his teammate, Mixon feels like Williams’ rise is one that he already accomplished — and now he has to do it again.
“It’s going to be hard,” Mixon said. “Sometimes it’s hard at practices even now just because I’m so used to being that guy to start.”
Senior Jesse Jackson is another receiver in a similar predicament. Jackson redshirted in 2014 and played in every game in 2015 but failed to register any statistics. He finally caught a seven-yard pass in 2016. It was his only catch of the year.
Like Mixon, Jackson had a "coming out party" of sorts last season. He led the Bulldogs in receiving with 276 yards — one yard more than Mixon. Jackson started in eight games and should match or exceed that total, especially with Moorhead's tendency to throw the ball downfield.
Another reason Jackson doesn't foresee a dip in production is State’s receiving depth on the outside is not quite as crowded as in the slot; nevertheless, the outside is still populated with quite a bit of talent.
Jackson has been overlooked to an extent during the offseason. The arrivals of junior college transfer Stephen Guidry and freshman Devonta Jason have a lot to do with that.
“The competition is really high,” Jackson said. “It’s about as high as it’s ever been… The game-play is definitely elevated.”
Wearing black Wayfarer-style RayBan sunglasses inside the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex as the sun set Tuesday evening, Jackson said he isn’t worried about his numbers or winning any position battles. As a senior, he just wants to win.
Mixon, though, had a different look on his face and a different tone in his voice. He seemed concerned that the progress he made to see the field during game weeks has been washed out by injury. A crowed, competitive field and new coaching staff have seem to have complicated his path back to the lineup.
But Mixon said his ankle is 95 percent healthy and his mental fortitude is 10-times stronger now than it was in the spring. He looks at the game differently — taking nothing for granted.
And despite not knowing where he stands, Mixon said relations with his coaches might be on the uptick — great news for his aspirations to score “every time (he) touches the ball.”
“I feel like they’re starting to trust me and they’re starting to see that I can play again,” Mixon said.