Why Mississippi State Football should fear Arkansas wideout La’Michael Pettway

While blazing speed is a must in today’s game as it pertains to the skillset of a prototypical wideout, Pettway’s strong suit is after the catch. As he is already a speedster, his vision and agility make Pettway a lethal weapon in the open field. The matchup between Pettway and the Bulldogs’ secondary shall be interesting, as Mississippi State cannot afford to let him get loose.

Pettway leads the Arkansas in receiving yards with 387 on the year. In addition he has 23 receptions and four touchdowns. The junior Razorback from Nashville AR stands at 6’2”, 219 pounds. It will be difficult to get Pettway on the ground, as his rare combination of speed and size are sure to cause problems within the Bulldogs’ defensive backfield.

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Though it will be the secondary that has to worry about Pettway, look for Mississippi State’s linebacking corps to matchup with him as well. The Bulldogs boast speed at linebacker, as they are as good as anybody when it comes to matching up with receivers. Mississippi State boasts one of the game’s best defenses and it will be up to them to set the tone come Saturday.

A big target with speed in the open field is a headache, plain and simple. But if there is any team that can take on that challenge, it’s Mississippi State. The Bulldogs will throw the kitchen sink at Pettway. While he should jump out of the gate early, expect Mississippi State to ultimately slow Pettway down and limit him throughout.