MSU's banged up offensive line now healthy for Alabama

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's trainers wanted to escort Rufus Warren to the locker room at Missouri last week. A leg injury sidelined the left tackle. He wouldn’t return to MSU’s 31-13 win, but he demanded to remain on the sideline.

“I wanted to go back out there to be a voice,” Warren said. “It killed me to not be out there physically, but I was always in their ear on the sideline."

Warren expects to return to the field this weekend when No. 17 Mississippi State hosts No. 2 Alabama on Saturday. Against Missouri, Warren’s injury forced guard Justin Malone to move to left tackle and protect Dak Prescott's blindside. Elgton Jenkins, Warren’s backup, didn’t dress for the game with a knee injury. He traveled with the team as a game-time decision.

Jenkins is also expected back for Alabama.

“He had a slight injury with his knee," MSU offensive line coach John Hevesy said. "It was something where he could have played to a point where if he had to go, he could go, but it was to a point to get him healthier for this week.”

Alabama limited LSU's Leonard Fournette, the nation’s leading rusher, to 31 yards on 19 carries last week. The Crimson Tide own the second best rush defense in the country allowing 75.8 yards per game. Overall, the defense ranks third in the country, limiting teams to 265 total yards per game.

It all starts up front with arguably the best front seven Mississippi State will face all year.

“They’re big strong guys in there," Hevesy said. “I told my kids, it’s going to come down to fundamentals and technique.”

Prescott represents Mississippi State’s best chance to knock off Alabama for the first time since 2007. The Crimson Tide are 2-3 in the last three seasons when a quarterback throws for at least three touchdowns. Prescott has done that in his last three games.

The offensive line has to give the fifth-year senior time, though. Alabama leads the SEC with 29 sacks, which also ranks ninth in the country.

“We know that they’re big and stout,” Warren said. “So this week is going to be all about coming off the ball and controlling the line of scrimmage.”

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