Prescott’s ability hides some holes on MSU’s offense

STARKVILLE – No Southeastern Conference team gained more yards per game than Mississippi State last year. Only seven teams in the entire country gained more yards per game. The Bulldogs averaged a school record 513.8 yards per game. The previous school record was 434.4 in 2013.

The majority of the faces behind those records are gone.

Josh Robinson’s 1,583 total yards is now with the Indianapolis Colts. Malcolm Johnson took his 28 receptions and 380 yards to the Cleveland Browns. Jameon Lewis and Robert Johnson, who combined for 607 yards last year, are also gone, along with three starters along the offensive line.

In all seven starters from last year’s offense are gone entering 2015.

Two names return though, and they’re most important: Dan Mullen and Dak Prescott.

“With that experience with a guy like Dak is certainly going to help us,” MSU coach Dan Mullen said. “It's certainly going to help us continue to move the chains.”

There are questions surrounding Mississippi State in 2015. Prescott can answer them all.

The quarterback finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting a year ago after setting 12 school records. He returns as the SEC’s leader in total yards from 2014.

There’s room to grow too.

As far as replacing Robinson, MSU has three viable options in Ashton Shumpert, Aeris Williams and Dontavian Lee. But Prescott could pick up the slack as well.

As a junior, he finished with more than 75 yards rushing once in MSU’s final six games. He opened last year’s first six games with at least 75 rushing yards in five games, including four with at least 110.

“He’s the heart and soul,” defensive end Ryan Brown said. “He’s the bread and butter. He’s who we go to when we have problems. He’s who we got to when we’re having a great time.”

In front of the talented group of running backs, Prescott’s escapabality should also hide the inexperience of MSU’s offensive line.

Mississippi State lost 108 career starts when Dillon Day, Blaine Clausell and Ben Beckwith graduated. The trio will be replaced by Jamal Clayborn, Devon Desper and Rufus Warren who have combined to start two games in their careers.

“I think they’re more talented though,” Prescott said. “They’ve got the right attitude. They know what needs to be done for us to get back to where we were.”

Mississippi State might be more talented at wide receiver too. MSU lost starters Lewis and Johnson, but their replacements – Fred Ross and Fred Brown – combined to have more catches and yards than the departing seniors.

The onus then falls on Prescott’s right arm.

Prescott improved his accuracy from 58.4 percent as a sophomore to 61.6 as a junior.

“The first thing that you see that Dak's really improved on this offseason is getting rid of the football in his hand,” Mullen said. “Understanding where he wants to go with the ball in any situation.”

Improved decision-making and accuracy should improve the quarterback’s draft stock. He returned for his senior season after filing paperwork with the NFL last December.

“He's got an opportunity to get over 1,000 game reps at Mississippi State next season,” Mullen said. “If he had gone and maybe mid-round draft pick that's going to sit the bench in the NFL, he'd have a chance to get zero game reps.”

Last year, Prescott guided MSU’s offense to heights not seen before in program history. If Prescott’s career trajectory continues to climb upward, there’s little reason to doubt he can carry MSU with him.

“I know he loves our university and really wants to leave his mark at Mississippi State University,” Mullen said. “…I know he wants to come back and try to finish his career off with a championship.”

Contact Michael Bonner at mbonner@gannett.com. Follow @MikeBBonner on Twitter.