'We went out and attacked like we're supposed to'

Sure, it was a great big opening act for the offensive side of the roster. Still it oughtn't be overlooked that the first test for the Mississippi State defense was a winner as well. Most encouragingly so, on the front line. Here a position group which has struggled for a few seasons with lack of numbers, of health, of versatility of most everything showed up and even showed out a little in putting the clamps on Louisiana-Monroe. "I feel like we operated well," tackle Trevion Williams said. "Obviously we've got some things to clean up, you know. I just feel like we went out and attacked like we're supposed to, fly around." Williams' assessment squares with the results, certainly so when the first rotations of the front-four were on the job. At intermission the Dog defense as a whole had allowed just 107 yards, four first downs…and best of all only three points. This beat-down began at the point of contact where Williams and company indeed attacked. "There were a couple of mistakes but that comes with football," he said. "I feel like overall we did pretty good." 'Pretty good' was plenty good enough in this matchup. Tougher tests are right ahead of course. But the Bulldog d-linemen needed a game like that, first to settle into real competition and second to start getting a feel for rotations and combinations. For Williams himself it was a short-ish evening, though long enough to get in on three tackles including the only solo sack of the game. He also broke up a thrown ball, nearly as good as a sack. For that matter Williams doubled his career sacks total with this opening-night bagging. More broadly the performance affirmed why a Dog who has worked several roles on the front has been locked into tackle duty for his fifth and final State season. He brings 295 pounds on a 6-4 frame into action, but hasn't forgotten the footwork that allowed him to play end in previous seasons. Besides, those end-of-line jobs are filled now by a different duo, with interior-sized Will Whitson now the end and linebacker Amaree Williams jacking things up from the other end. Now Williams can focus on his specific duties, shared with DJ Reed and Kalvin Dinkins at tackles next to nose man Jaray Bledsoe. These guys have been around Bulldog ball a while, so it fell to them in spring and preseason to get the bunch of signees and transfers up to speed. There, Williams reports, it was a smooth process all along. "It helped because the guys that came in with right mindset, they came in with the same mindset as the guys here previously. "I feel like they picked it up really well. I mean, at the end of the day it's just football and Arnett's style of football is aggressive. So I feel like they carried it on pretty good." Now everyone carries first-win confidence into a much more serious challenge. The Bulldogs head to Minnesota for a mid-afternoon contest of SEC vs. Big Ten. The host Golden Gophers put a 59-7 stomping on MAC foe Eastern Illinois to open their schedule, and did it last Thursday evening at that. So they are not only at home, but better-rested as well. Minnesota also scored five rushing touchdowns, though the air game did account for most of the yardage. In the crunch, they will pound the ball State expects. "I wouldn't say it's making us realize what we have to do," said Williams. "Like I said, at the end of the day it's still football. They've got a run game, OK. We've got a d-line. I mean it is what it is." It is still a road trip and long one at that. Williams has been on these charter flights before and knows staying focused and not wasting energy are key. But he will keep it low-key for all the new Dogs who haven't been this far from home before. "I don't see it being a big problem. It's just an away game. We don't try to make it bigger than it is. It's just another day."