Mississippi State turned to an unlikely name at quarterback for its matchup with LSU on Oct. 17: sophomore Billy Puckett, a former walk-on making his first career start.
Puckett turned up as the starter after Kamario Taylor was ruled out before kickoff. Taylor had left the Alabama game with an injury and was shown watching the fourth quarter with a boot on his right foot. Mississippi State has not disclosed the exact injury.
The No. 19 Bulldogs entered Baton Rouge with a 4-1 record, including a 2-1 mark in SEC play, while the No.
21 Tigers came in at 4-2 and 1-2 in the league. The game was set for 11 a.m. on ESPN.
Puckett’s rise through the depth chart has been quick. Last season, as a freshman, he worked as the scout team quarterback after arriving as an unranked recruit from Jackson Prep. He was listed on the weekly depth chart as Taylor’s co-backup alongside Appalachian State transfer AJ Swann, a fifth-year player.
So far this season, Puckett has been the only other Mississippi State quarterback to see the field besides Taylor. He has completed 8 of 14 passes for 89 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions, while also running for 24 yards.
Puckett’s recruiting profile was quiet from the start - the 247Sports Composite listed him as unranked. His real name is Parker Puckett, though he goes by Billy. He is from Madison and played at Jackson Prep.
At 6-foot-0 and 180 pounds, Puckett now gets the biggest opportunity of his college career.
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