Mississippi State football could be facing another quarterback decision after Kamario Taylor exited Saturday's 23-15 loss to Oklahoma with a lingering right-foot injury. With Taylor's availability for the upcoming matchup against Texas uncertain, head coach Jeff Lebby made it clear that Billy Puckett and AJ will have an opportunity to compete for the starting job.
The Bulldogs need to find answers quickly after losing 31-0 to LSU before falling to Oklahoma. Freshman quarterback Puckett has stepped into the starting role before, but his recent performances have shown both potential and areas that need improvement.
Lebby emphasized that the decision will come down to which quarterback gives Mississippi State the best chance to win.
Jeff Lebby Opens the Door for a Mississippi State QB Battle
When asked about his plan if Taylor misses an extended period, Lebby pointed to competition between Puckett and AJ.
"Billy and AJ, both those guys will go compete if Kamario is not available," Lebby said after the Oklahoma game. "And whoever really at the end of the day, I feel like puts us in the best position to go win, take great care of the football, make the plays that we need to make offensively to win the game, we'll be the guy that goes and starts."
Lebby's comments suggest that neither backup has been guaranteed the starting position. The coaching staff plans to prepare both quarterbacks before determining who will lead the offense against Texas.
For Puckett, that creates an important opportunity to build on his experience while addressing the mistakes that have hurt Mississippi State in recent games.
Billy Puckett Must Improve Ball Security
Puckett replaced Taylor against Oklahoma and finished with 158 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception. He completed 17 of 24 passes, completing 70.8% of his attempts, while adding 37 rushing yards on seven carries.
Despite the promising completion percentage, two costly turnovers stood out to Lebby.
The first came in a first-and-goal situation near the two-yard line. Lebby explained that Puckett had the option to hand the ball off but elected to keep it. The freshman then lost possession, taking a potential scoring opportunity away from the Bulldogs.
Puckett also threw an interception in the fourth quarter as Mississippi State attempted to get back into the game.
"Yeah, I mean, we've got to take great care of the ball. That's the first thing," Lebby said when asked what Puckett needs to improve.
The coach also stressed the importance of surrounding the quarterback with support and establishing balance in the running game to reduce the pressure on whoever starts.
Those mistakes were especially costly in a game Mississippi State eventually lost by eight points.
Mississippi State Needs Answers Before Texas
Puckett also started against LSU after Taylor was unavailable, completing 16 of 26 passes for 121 yards and an interception in the Bulldogs' 31-0 defeat.
With Taylor's injury creating uncertainty, Puckett's familiarity with the offense could be valuable. However, the coaching staff will need to weigh his experience against the importance of protecting the football and avoiding drive-ending mistakes.
Lebby made clear that winning takes priority over individual development.
"For us, it is about putting our team in a position to go win," he said.
Mississippi State travels to Austin to face Texas on Saturday, Oct. 31, with kickoff scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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