Mike Leach updates starting cornerback position battle

With a litany of tremendous quarterbacks in the SEC, Mike Leach knows Mississippi State will have to be solid in the secondary to be successful.

Luckily, the Bulldogs leader believes his team is deep at cornerback. However, the battle for top dog between Jalen Green and Corey Ellington has been one of the more interesting of the summer, and Leach spoke about it following his team’s second scrimmage.

“They’re fighting it out. I think Jalen Green had a little better day today, but I think it’s competitive,” revealed Leach. “That’s the key. We have enough guys in the secondary that it’s competitive. It needs to be.”

Moreover, Green was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2018, according to the On3 Consensus. Originally, the defensive back committed to Texas, where he played up until last season — which was his first with the Bulldogs. Now, the experienced Green will be looking to build on his abilities.

On the other hand, Ellington was a three-star recruit from the Class of 2021, joining the Bulldogs last season. He has more time ahead of him, but it’s evident he’s making his name known to Leach and company already.

Time will tell who Mike Leach rolls with, but Mississippi State is in good hands with both Jalen Green and Corey Ellington in their secondary.

Mike Leach heaps praise on Rufus Harvey’s development

One player that’s been catching the attention of Mike Leach has been Mississippi State wide receiver Rufus Harvey.

Speaking with the media following the Bulldogs’ second scrimmage, Leach heaped a nice amount of praise on Harvey, explaining what he does well.

“Rufus played well. Rufus plays the ball in the air probably better than any receiver we have. That’s what I would say,” stated Leach. “One of the strongest things he does, he comes out of his cuts quickly, and he plays the ball in the air well. That’s a pretty good example for everybody.”

Additionally, Leach revealed that Harvey can expect to see a bigger target share in 2022, earning it throughout the offseason.

“We’ve wanted to play him for awhile, and he does good things on the practice field,” Leach added. “If we were to play today, he would play a lot.”

Moreover, Harvey was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2020, according to the On3 Consensus. The Starkville, Mississippi native also was the No. 225 wide receiver in the nation when he joined the Bulldogs, while being ranked No. 34 overall out of his home state and No. 1333 nationwide.

While playing time has been tough to come by for Rufus Harvey — he only has five catches over his time with the Bulldogs — it’s evident the Mississippi State wide receiver is ready for a bigger role in 2022.