Three unanswered Mississippi State football questions we have as game week arrives

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football doesn’t have all the answers yet. Despite returning the most starters in the SEC, going through the spring with new transfers on campus and wrapping up preseason practice, MSU is still a difficult team to predict.

Mike Leach’s third season comes with lofty expectations. The Bulldogs are favored to win seven or more games, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. But to do so, Mississippi State will have to address these questions.

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What’s Jaden Crumedy’s status?

Defensive lineman Jaden Crumedy missed most of preseason practice with an arm/hand injury. Mississippi State hasn’t released an official announcement or timeline on his status.

If he misses significant time, it diminishes some depth in what’s likely MSU’s deepest defensive unit. With Jordan Davis back from a torn ACL, he’s at defensive end along with De’Monte Russell while Randy Charlton moves back to strong side defensive tackle.

Charlton was expected to split reps with Crumedy. Instead, he might be splitting snaps with Nathan Pickering. Cameron Young remains the anchor at nose guard, where Pickering could also step in or redshirt sophomore Jevon Banks could see an increased role.

Who’s playing at X-wide receiver?

What Leach described as a “three-horse race” at X-wide receiver carries into the season. At the outside receiver spot opposite of Caleb Ducking, Mississippi State has Rara Thomas, Lideatrick Griffin and Justin Robinson competing for playing time.

Only two receivers play in a game at each of the four slots. Narrowing down two starters at X-WR doesn’t mean the third won’t see any playing time. It’s a competition that could be rehashed every week.

Robinson is the likely player to sit early as he joined MSU from Georgia this offseason while Thomas and Griffin are more familiar with Leach’s offense. But at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Robinson will be hard to keep off the field if those ahead of him struggle.

Is there confidence at kicker?

If Mississippi State has kicking woes like it did last season, winning toss-up SEC games will become even more difficult. Brandon Ruiz and Nolan McCord missed 44 percent of kicks, so State added Massimo Biscardi and Ben Raybon from the transfer portal.

Special teams coach Eric Mele said Biscardi has the edge for field goals while Raybon will likely handle kickoffs.

“They’ll keep competing over the next week or so, but they’re kind of settling into earning those first-team reps at those two first-team units,” Mele said Wednesday.

Biscardi went 2-for-5 in the team’s first August scrimmage but made all three kicks in the second.

Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skrajisnik3.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Three questions still unanswered for 2022 Mississippi State football