Mississippi State football: Mike Leach roasts his kickers after loss to Arkansas

The Mississippi State football team, ranked no. 17, heading into a road game at Arkansas expected to overpower and overwhelm the struggling Razorbacks.

The Bulldogs usual kicker, senior Brandon Ruiz missed two field goals during the game against Arkansas.

He missed a 23-yard chip shot at the 7:09 mark in the second quarter to keep the Bulldogs scoreless.

Head Coach Mike Leach called on Ruiz again with 2:10 left in the third quarter to attempt a 46-yard field goal. Another miss to keep the game in Arkansas’ favor 16-14.

Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach issued an open tryout in the immediate aftermath of losing to the Hogs

With the game on the line and just two seconds remaining in regulation, the Bulldogs were down 31-28 with the ball. Leach called on his second-string kicker and freshman Nolan McCord to attempt the game-tying 45 yard field goal.

The snap was good, but the kick was badly missed to the left and the Razorbacks got the win.

After the game, Leach took questions from the media and made comments about the poor kicking from his student athletes.

Mississippi State left nine points on the board against the Razorbacks, which will make any fan of the team just absolutely sick.

Leach was understandably mad and declared that he would be holding open tryouts immediately upon return to campus.

There’s a high degree of probability that Mississippi State football would have won the game if their kickers had a better day.

You have to feel for those two kickers, there’s no doubt they are torn up that they let the team down today.

Perhaps Leach will have a change of mind once he sees some of the students who try out for the position and one of these current Bulldogs will be able to keep their job.