Leach wants Bulldogs to finish drives

After two-straight losses for Mississippi State, Mike Leach isn’t making any excuses for his team.

The Bulldogs won four games last season and getting to a bowl game to extend a streak to 12-straight season is becoming harder and harder from being a possibility. It’s why the second-year head coach is focusing on things that State can control – something that has haunted them in each of the last two games.

In two losses to Memphis and LSU, the Bulldogs dropped the games by a combined five points and there were several plays throughout the game in which they could point to that kept them from securing victory. In some ways, Leach can look at his team and see some massive improvements. Now, it’s about cleaning up all of the small mistakes that is keeping it from being 4-0 right now.

On the offensive side of the ball, MSU has improved from the 21.4 points and 340 yards of total offense from a year ago to 28.2 points thus far and 427 yards through four games. Many of the numbers are meaningless to the coach, though. He wants results on the scoreboard and in the win column and it hasn’t come the last two weeks despite some big numbers in the passing game.

“We’re making quite a few plays,” Leach said. “We might lead the nation in time of possession, which I take no gratification in that, but we’ve got to do it in the context of drives. We’ve got to finish drives, whether it’s offense or defense.”

The offensive line performed up to Leach’s standards against LSU when the Bulldogs held won of the nation’s best pass rushing units to just one sack and two tackles for loss.

State’s offensive front not only protected well, it also made holes for the rushing attack to put up over 100 yards for just the third time in Leach’s tenure at MSU.

“I thought we improved on the O line,” Leach said. “I thought we did some good things, we played physical. I think they were leading the nation in sacks, or something like that. I thought we were very physical up front. We played together for most of the day. It’s all relative, but I thought we had a good day on the O line.”

The challenges will continue against another stout defensive line at Texas A&M this weekend when the Aggies and Bulldogs meet in College Station for a 6 p.m. kick.

The defensive unit has been one that has gotten much of the praise for the Aggies this season as they return many key pieces from a year ago and they’ve had a solid start to the year. Despite losing last week against Arkansas, Leach has seen a talented team in the trenches on both sides of the line of scrimmages.

MSU’S main focus right now is improving on things that it’s doing that’s keeping it from either winning a game or taking full control. That includes senseless penalties, special teams mistakes, missed opportunities on offense and busted plays on defense.

The defense has been the strongest part of the team this season, but it’s also had some major coverage breakdowns lead to big plays. This happened three times for Zach Arnett’s unit last week against LSU and helped cost State the game. Leach has seen both good and bad from the defense.

“Some good things, but big plays haunt us,” Leach said. “I think we have to get better at safety. Our safeties can’t miss some of the things they’re missing. I’d also like to see our front get home a little more, but I do think we do some good things on defense, it’s got to be an every play deal. We’re really quite similar offensively and defensively. We put together some plays and we make every game exciting, but we don’t finish drives. We’ve got to be able to capitalize on that.”