Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
2:05 am Friday, October 24, 2003

Bulldogs look to take bite out of big Wildcats QB

By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
Oct. 24, 2003
STARKVILLE There is no doubt that Mississippi State University has a large challenge in front of it when the team goes on the road for a second straight game this weekend.
Forget trying to cope with head coach Jackie Sherrill's announcement that he is leaving the program at the end of this season, the Bulldogs (2-5, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) have a much larger problem in front of them on Saturday.
The big dilemma comes in the 6-foot-4, 275-pound, or so, frame of Kentucky quarterback Jared Lorenzen, whose team is 3-4 overall and 0-3 in the SEC.
The Wildcats senior quarterback ranks fifth on the SEC's career total offense chart, and he is second in the SEC in pass efficiency this year.
Lorenzen has thrown for 1,147 yards this season, with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions, and he has only been sacked 13 times.
The Kentucky signal- caller hasn't had great success against MSU. His passing statistics (59-of-121, 725 yards, three touchdowns and six interceptions) in three previous games against MSU are far from overwhelming.
But the Bulldogs defense, which is allowing 485.9 yards per game, cannot take Lorenzen lightly.
Lorenzen will also have extra motivation entering the game against the Bulldogs, after he was pulled in last week's win against Ohio.
The hulky Kentucky quarterback lost two fumbles in the first quarter against Ohio and was replaced by Shane Boyd. Lorenzen has also been criticized this season for his fourth-quarter interception pass that played a major role in Kentucky's 24-21 loss to Florida last month.
MSU will be trying to make its own highlight film against a Kentucky defense that has struggled to stop opponents this season.
The Wildcats are allowing 363.4 yards per game, and opponents have scored 155 points against the Wildcats, with 63 coming in the fourth quarter.
Sherrill said his offense, which is averaging 383.4 yards per game, will need to find away to overcome an active Kentucky secondary in order to win.
MSU is set to kick off against Kentucky at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Also on Franklin County Times
Ex-day care owner faces 27-count indictment
Main, News, Russellville
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
October 15, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — The former owner of a Red Bay day care center where a 4-month-old died in March 2022 is now facing a manslaughter charge after a Frankl...
AI policies stress proper use over prohibition
Main, News
Alyssa Sutherland For the FCT 
October 15, 2025
Sheffield City Schools’ policy regarding student use of artificial intelligence (AI) at the start of the 2025-26 school year limited the use of the so...
Faith, family and resilience are keys to cancer survival
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
October 15, 2025
PHIL CAMPBELL — Ten years ago, Melissa Stancil faced a diagnosis that changed her life. Today, she’s not only a survivor of Stage 3 breast cancer but ...
Gilmer fulfills dream competing on ‘Jeopardy!’
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
October 15, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — Russellville native Slade Gilmer fulfilled a lifelong dream when he competed on “Jeopardy!” in an episode that aired Oct. 7. Gilmer liv...
Police among state’s first certified departments
News, Russellville, Z - News Main
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
October 15, 2025
RUSSELLVILLE — The city’s Police Department is one of the first 12 departments to earn professional accreditation through the Alabama Association of C...
We must break China’s grip on defense supply chains
Columnists, Opinion
October 15, 2025
China’s Xi Jinping appeared supremely confident at a recent military parade in Beijing with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Xi’...
DKG international president visits Russellville
Columnists, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
October 15, 2025
When educators gather, there’s always something to learn, and this month our local Delta Kappa Gamma chapter, Alpha Upsilon, heard directly from the t...
More than laughs: Improvising for life’s situations
News
Chelsea Retherford For the FCT 
October 15, 2025
When most people hear the word “improv,” they might think of the quickwitted antics of “Whose Line is it Anyway?” But David Grissom, a veteran comedy ...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *