Rogers could have a pretty busy day

FAYETTEVILLE — Will Rogers never met a pass he didn’t like.

Not to be confused with the 1920s and 30s American humorist-philosopher Will Rogers, who professed he “never met a man he didn’t like,” this Will Rogers likes what he passes quarterbacking Mississippi State Bulldogs Coach Mike Leach’s “Air Raid” offense.

Numbers add up for Rogers really liking passing against Arkansas in Saturday’s 11 a.m. SEC Network televised SEC West game at Starkville, Miss.

Rogers leads the SEC with 1,715 passing yards.

Only Vanderbilt in the SEC allows more than the 289 yards per game passing averaged against Arkansas. That ignominious Arkansas average would be higher but for Alabama 2021 Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Bryce Young exiting the Crimson Tide’s 49-26 victory with a second-quarter shoulder injury last Saturday in Fayetteville. Young passed 173 yards and had Alabama up 14-0 when injured.

Alabama backup quarterback Jalen Milroe switched the No. 1 Crimson Tide to rolling on the run. Milroe’s fourth- quarter 77yard run on third and 15 turned the key locking down Arkansas’ 28-23 comeback from down 28-0 to the eventual 49-26 defeat.

Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs broke 76 and 72-yard touchdown runs among his rushing 206 yards.

Leach’s 23rd-ranked Bulldogs don’t pretend to run the ball like Alabama, but many of Rogers’ short passes equate to a running game.

Rogers knows what gives and takes what’s given.

“You really have to disguise in the secondary,” Arkansas Coach Sam Pittman said. “Because if you don’t he knows exactly what you’re doing. He can exploit you.”

Arkansas’ secondary, with injured All-American safety Jalen Catalon out for the season since Game One and versatile nickel/ safety Myles Slusher repeatedly injury dogged and no lockdown corner established, has struggled.

Worse, Arkansas starting dual-threat star quarterback KJ Jefferson’s status is in limbo since exiting last Saturday’s fourth quarter with a head injury.

Meanwhile the Bulldogs last Saturday in Starkville handily beat, 42-24 the same Texas A&M Aggies escaping Arkansas, 23-21 two Saturdays ago at the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium.

The numbers don’t add up well for the now AP unranked Hogs but didn’t going into their last visit to Starkville.

Entering both teams’ Game 2 of 2020, Pittman had debuted with Arkansas overmatched, 37-10 by Georgia. It marked the Hogs’ 20th consecutive SEC loss dating back to Bret Bielema’s final three SEC games in 2017 through Arkansas’ 0-16 in the SEC comprising the 2018-2019 Chad Morris era.

Leach had Mississippi State debuted the previous week stunning reigning national champion LSU, 44-34 in Baton Rouge, La.

Bulldogs quarterback K. J. Costello set an SEC passing record 623 yards.

In Starkville, Arkansas confounded Costello and bewildered the Bulldogs, 21-14.

Costello never seemed the same. Rogers started six games for the 2020 Dogs. He’s started ever since.

Last year in Fayetteville Rogers posted big numbers, 36 of 48 passing for 417 yards and four touchdowns.

Yet Arkansas prevailed, 31-28.