No. 14 Mississippi State braces for Kentucky’s Snell
Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr. believes the Wildcats are ready for 14th-ranked Mississippi State and its lauded defensive line this weekend in Lexington.
After the Wildcats rolled up 528 yards on offense in a 48-10 win over Murray State on Saturday, Snell said his team is sticking to what has worked during their 3-0 start.
“I’m going to run on any team,” Snell said. “You could be an NFL team, it don’t matter. This offense don’t fear nobody. I know they’re good, but this offense is good, too.”
Snell has rushed for 2,799 career yards and ranks third in the league averaging 125 yards per game on the ground. The junior has carried 62 times for 375 yards and three touchdowns this season.
“His talent and production kind of speaks for itself,” said MSU coach Joe Moorhead. “He’s an All-SEC player that’s 5-11, 225-pounds and is in a lot of ways similar to our guys. He can run between the tackles, can break it out in the open and is a good receiver out of the backfield.”
The Bulldogs limited Snell to only 18 yards on seven attempts in their 45-7 win in Starkville last year. It was Snell’s lowest output during the regular season.
Moorhead reviewed that game film not long after taking the job and has faith his new defensive staff will draw up an effective game plan to slow down Snell.
“Coach (Bob) Shoop and his staff do a real good job exhausting all of the possible scenarios and ways to bottle up a guy like that,” Moorhead said. “He’s a guy that you’re not necessarily going to stop, you’re just looking for ways to contain him because he is talented.”
State’s defense is only allowing 85 yards per game on the ground this season and must remain disciplined to have any shot at a repeat performance against Snell.
“With any great back, you have to make sure you have great gap integrity,” Moorhead said.
“You’ve got to make sure you do a great job of gang tackling and getting a bunch of hats to the ball. With this guy and how physical he is, he can bounce off tackles and you can’t arm-tackle him because he’s going to run through it.”
