By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby had no update on the status of quarterback Kamario Taylor at his weekly press conference on Monday ahead of the No. 16 Bulldogs (4-1, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) playing at No. 22 LSU on Saturday (11 a.m., ESPN).
When asked about whether he had any long- or short-term injury news to announce, Lebby said, “Wednesday’s going to do all the talking,” referring to the initial SEC availability report that will be released on Wednesday evening.
Lebby initially said Taylor would be “day-to-day” after Mississippi State’s 56-23 loss to Alabama on Oct. 3 in which Taylor apparently injured his foot. He went to the locker room early in the fourth quarter and returned with a walking boot on his right foot. The team did not announce the specific injury.
Taylor, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound sophomore, played through what was called a lower right leg injury suffered on Sept. 26 in a 31-24 home win over Missouri, completing 27 of 38 passes for 360 yards and three TDs with an interception. He completed 19 of 34 passes against the Tide for 254 yards and three touchdowns the next week, but also threw two interceptions and had an unforced fumble.
“For him, it’s just about making great decisions with the football as he continues to get ready to play,” Lebby said. “I think his experience gives him a chance to be able to deal with some things as he does play – to be able to play through it and be able to pitch and catch and make the plays when he has to make them with his feet. And that’ll be week-to-week, day-to-day as we move forward.”
Before the Alabama loss, Taylor led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 record, completing 83 of 120 passes (69.2 percent) for 1,090 yards, 14 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed 37 times for 185 yards and a score.
Taylor averaged 46.25 rushing yards per game before hosting Alabama. His mobility both as a rushing threat and in extending plays as a passer has been integral to his early-season success. Alabama provided the toughest defense Mississippi State has faced this season, but Taylor’s limited movement in the backfield created obvious issues for the Bulldogs’ offense.
Mississippi State had last Saturday open, and Lebby said it was a good opportunity to get his players rest, identify how the team needs to improve and get a head start implementing the game plan for LSU. He said Taylor has responded well to his first struggles of the season and worked to correct any mental errors that were not related to his physical limitations in the loss.
“Right now, the focus is on getting him ready to play,” Lebby said.
Taylor’s backups are redshirt freshman Billy Puckett and fifth-year senior AJ Swann, a transfer from Appalachian State who was at LSU in 2024 and Vanderbilt in 2022 and ’23.
“Billy and AJ obviously are the two guys that have been competing since day one in camp and really last spring,” Lebby said. “So, those guys have the ability to get work if Kamario wasn’t ready to roll.”
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