Nick Saban discusses Mississippi State improvements under Mike Leach

In his second year as Mississippi State’s head football coach, Mike Leach boasts just a 7-9 overall record, and the Bulldogs certainly look the part of a pass-heavy, Leach-coached team.

This week, Mississippi State Bulldogs host the No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide, and as Nick Saban’s team comes off a heartbreaking loss to Texas A&M on a game-winning field goal, Alabama doesn’t plan on taking Mississippi State lightly.

Saban on Wednesday’s SEC Coaches’ Teleconference praised Mississippi State, explaining how they’ve improved under Leach’s leadership.

“I think because they’ve had more time in [Mike Leach’s Air Raid] system, all of their players seem to be more comfortable and confident in playing the system,” Saban said. “I think the quarterback is playing really, really well for them, and obviously the experience of these games, to play in some last year, being the starter this year, has really helped him improve. I think they have an offensive line that’s improved, they’ve got a couple new skill players that play that they didn’t have much of last year. So, and then the other players that they do have back [from last season], are very effective players in what they do. So, I think there’s a lot of things that contribute to the way they’re playing on offense right now, which is really, really good.”

True to Leach’s Air Raid offense, Mississippi State relies almost entirely on the passing attack, and the Bulldogs rank fifth in the nation in passing offense. Leach’s team has thrown for 1,862 passing yards and 14 touchdowns through just five games, averaging 372.5 yards per contest. Conversely, once again in line with his past Air Raid offenses, Leach’s Bulldogs have rushed just 93 times in those five games, good for only 281 total rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns and 56.2 yards per contest — a rushing offense that ranks No. 130, dead last in the country.

Mississippi State quarterback Will Rogers has accounted for 1,862 passing yards, a near-76 percent completion rate and 14 touchdowns through five games, throwing just two interceptions in those games. Alabama on Saturday will have to find a way to slow down Rogers and Leach’s Air Raid offense, especially after last week’s performance against Texas A&M.

Despite a late-game injury, Texas A&M quarterback Zach Calzada pulled off some heroics against Alabama, and he finished with 21 completions in 31 attempts, 285 passing yards and three touchdowns. Surely, Leach and Mississippi State will look to further exploit Alabama through the air, and only time will tell if Saban’s secondary looks any better than last week.