The Time Has Come

Football August 28, 2023 Joel Coleman, Senior Writer

(NOTE: To view head coach Zach Arnett's full Monday press conference, click the image above.)

STARKVILLE – At noon on Monday, Mississippi State head football coach Zach Arnett stepped behind the media room podium at Davis Wade Stadium for his first weekly press conference of the 2023 season. It was a long time coming.

For the last three-plus weeks, the Bulldogs have been out grinding in the August heat. They've all battled against each other day after day after day. Arnett's appearance Monday was a symbolic end to the maroon versus maroon mayhem of preseason camp. Finally, it's game week.

"It's been a long, physical training camp," Arnett said. "I could definitely tell as a football team last week we were kind of tired of practicing against each other and want to spend some time preparing for a game and playing someone else."

That someone else comes in the form of Southeastern Louisiana. The Bulldogs are set to battle the Lions at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium and seemingly everyone is chomping at the bit.

There are the State fans, who have already sold out this year's season ticket allotment:

"It's going to be a heck of an environment around here Saturday," Arnett said. "That definitely has the players excited. Anytime you're a player or competitor, you want to play in front of a packed house and electric environment. So, thank you to the fans."

And, of course, anticipation is at a maximum level for those who'll be in action.

"They're going to roll the ball out there Saturday and we'll get to play," quarterback Will Rogers said. "It's gotten to the point we're all ready to play someone else. We've been a team that's grinded it out and worked extremely hard since spring ball, throughout the summer and then fall camp. I know all that will benefit us come Saturday."

Yes, the Dawgs will get their chance to show off all they've learned and what they can do. Saturday afternoon, all the time for talk is over.

Preseason predictions, some of which haven't been so kind to the Bulldogs? Throw them out the window. These Dawgs never cared about them to begin with and they're certainly not paying them any mind now.

"All that does is distract us from the job at hand and that's preparing for Southeastern Louisiana," Arnett emphasized. "We have to control what we can control and the only thing we control is how we prepare and how we show up to work every day this week to get ready for Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday."

Rogers says, if outside opinion weighs in at all headed into the season, it's simply to add fuel to State's fire.

"We kind of just use it as motivation and are going to try and go 1-0 every single week," Rogers said.

It's almost a businesslike approach being taken by Arnett's bunch – from everyone's comments, right down to the sports coat Arnett donned on Monday. It's obvious the Bulldogs see themselves as a team with a job to do. Come Saturday, it's time to report for work.

As for what will make for a successful start, Arnett wants to see clean execution in all phases of the game. But don't think for a second he's overcomplicating things on what'll make for a positive weekend.

"I do believe in the 'Keep It Simple Stupid' method [and] winning is the first part of that," Arnett said. "Winning is hard to do…Winning is obviously the most important thing."

Facing the defending Southland Conference champions, Arnett has preached to the Bulldogs it's a victory they'll very much have to earn.

"They're extremely dynamic on offense [and] put up a lot of points on everyone," Arnett shared about the Lions. "They're fundamentally sound and schematically sound on defense. They make you earn everything you get. I shared that with the players last Saturday…We've got our hands full this week. We need to have a great week of preparation. We've got to get ourselves ready to play a full 60-minute, four-quarter football game because that's what it's going to be."

Of course, it's also going to be against a team NOT wearing Maroon and White. That's music to all the Dawgs' ears.

At long last, let the 2023 journey begin.

08.28.23

08.28.23

08.27.23

08.27.23

08.26.23