LSU Football: 3 bold predictions vs. Mississippi State in season opener

1. Mississippi State fans will question the hire of Mike Leach

As I mentioned before, I attended the Music City Bowl this last season, when Mississippi State played Louisville, on Dec. 30, watching from the press box. Joe Moorhead was the head coach. It was single-handedly one of the worst coaching performances that I have ever seen. He botched the bowl game horribly.

In the press conference afterwords, there was a definite air of caution and almost depression from the Mississippi State side. It felt as though the inevitable was coming to fruition.

The feeling was the realization that Moorhead didn’t fit the Bulldog program. He was a “yankee” at a southern school deep rooted in tradition and pride. Moorhead was a different breed, and the sinking suspicion was that the program was headed for the dumps. Mississippi State acted upon that feeling and fired Moorhead.

Here’s the next issue: Mike Leach isn’t a southerner. He is a westerner, someone who revolutionized offense in college football with an air-raid spread style that revolves around throwing the football efficiently. That’s unproven in SEC football, a conference that prides itself in physicality and running the football.

On top of that, he’s had the hardest offseason in college football history to prepare for the season with COVID-19 ruining offseason programs.

When the game goes poorly for Mississippi State, it’s going to be easy to put the blame on Leach. Fans and reporters alike will blame Leach’s scheme, claim that he doesn’t fit, and immediately start calling for change. Tune it out. Leach needs time to set up his system and get his players into the team.