Mississippi State’s offense took an early hit Friday night when quarterback Kamario Taylor left the Oct. 24 game against Oklahoma with an injury and never came back.
Taylor went to the medical tent after he was tackled out of bounds on fourth down late in the first quarter, then headed to the locker room after being checked out. He walked there on his own, and the Bulldogs were still trailing the Sooners 3-0 at Davis Wade Stadium when he exited.
Billy Puckett stepped in on the next drive. The TV broadcast said at halftime that Taylor was out, but coach Jeff Lebby did not confirm that in his halftime interview.
Taylor had already been dealing with an injury that kept him out of the previous game against LSU, which is why he was questionable going into the Oklahoma matchup. He wore a boot on his right foot while watching the LSU game from the sideline. Mississippi State has not said exactly what the injury is.
The setback added another layer to a stretch in which Taylor has been limited. He was hurt against Missouri on Sept. 26 but finished that game.
Then against Alabama, he was clearly bothered and sat out the entire fourth quarter in Mississippi State’s 56-23 loss. Lebby said Oct. 19 that Taylor was day-to-day.
Puckett, the backup quarterback, entered as the next option on the depth chart alongside Appalachian State transfer AJ Swann. Swann has yet to take a snap this season. Puckett, a former walk-on from Jackson Prep, made his first career start at LSU on Oct. 17, and Mississippi State lost that game 31-0.
Before leaving against Oklahoma, Taylor had gone 2-for-5 for 10 yards and ran three times for minus-12 yards. Entering the game, he was completing 66.3% of his passes with 1,450 passing yards, 17 touchdown passes and four interceptions. He also had 159 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown.
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Jeff Lebby Pinpointed What Mississippi State Must Fix Fast
Mississippi State walked away from a 23-15 loss to Oklahoma at Davis Wade Stadium with the kind of issues that tend to linger long after the final whistle. The Bulldogs had trouble sustaining drives, converting just one of 11 third-down chances, and the offense never found much rhythm as the Sooners hit enough big plays to keep the home crowd from ever fully settling in.
Jeff Lebbys attention afterward landed on the same place most coaches would point after a game like this: the moments when momentum flipped. Oklahoma receivers Isaiah Sategna and Rocky Beers made the Bulldogs pay for a handful of explosive plays, and Mississippi State also had to navigate quarterback Kamario Taylor leaving early with an injury and not returning. The result left the Bulldogs with a short week and a clear message about what has to tighten up fast. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Suddenly Has A Texas Week QB Decision To Make
A sudden quarterback decision has landed on Mississippi States doorstep ahead of a Texas matchup that already figures to demand a clean offensive plan. Kamario Taylor left the Oklahoma game with a right-foot injury, and his status going into the next week is uncertain enough that Jeff Lebby is already having to think through contingency plans.
If Taylor cant go, Billy Puckett and AJ will be the ones competing for the job in practice, with Puckett bringing the advantage of previous starts. Lebby has seen enough from him to know there is ability there, but also some mistakes, and the focus now is on who can best protect the football and give the Bulldogs their best chance to win. [Read more 🡒]
Mississippi State Just Took A Loss That Feels Even Worse
Mississippi States night against Oklahoma turned into a test of depth almost immediately, and not the kind the Bulldogs wanted. Kamario Taylor went down with an injury early, forcing Parker Puckett into the game at quarterback and changing the feel of the offense before the contest ever really settled in. Even so, Mississippi State stayed in range long enough to keep pressure on the Sooners, while Oklahoma leaned on a clean performance from John Mateer, who completed 22 of 29 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover.
The final margin never quite captured how tense the finish felt for the Bulldogs, who kept chipping away and made it a one-score game late. Mississippi State cut the deficit to 23-15 with 2:10 left before Oklahoma ran out the clock, leaving the Bulldogs to wonder what might have happened with a healthier lineup and a little more time to finish the push. [Read more 🡒]