Watch Missouri State football coach Ryan Beard during media day
Ryan Beard addresses the media during Missouri State football’s annual media day at Plaster Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024.
Whenever there was a doubt, whoever Missouri State had behind center last year always knew they could count on Raylen Sharpe to be open.
The All-American receiver had one of the best receiving seasons in Missouri State’s history. Playing out of the slot, he and Jacob Clark or Jordan Pachot were always on the same page. He ended the season ranked third in the FCS in yards per game and broke the school record in receptions with 73.
Sharpe entered the transfer portal at the end of the season. Then he returned. Then he went back into the portal and now he’s at Fresno State.
Missouri State is left trying to fill a void that a batch of returners and a handful of newcomers will try to fill after the Bears’ successful passing season in program history.
More: All of our 2024 Missouri State, high school football preseason coverage in one place
“Everybody’s holding each other accountable,” fifth-year senior DVontae Key said. “We need to be on the same page because the receiver group is going to be a big part of the offense. We’re going to throw the ball a lot and we need to make sure we’re in the right place at the right time.”
After observing the Bears’ first padded scrimmage of the fall, the wide receiver group looks like a work in progress. Against MSU’s starting secondary, the receivers struggled to get separation with Clark not having anywhere to throw the ball. Those getting the reps with the starters included Georgia Tech transfer James BlackStrain, sophomore Jmariyae Robinson and Hunter Wood working out of the slot.
Louisiana Monroe transfer Dash Luke showed some flashes while running with the twos with Key being the best receiver of the practice, catching passes from backup quarterback Brock Bagozzi. Coaches have also talked up Marshall transfers Antonio Robinson and Sean Reese while sophomore Liam O’Reilly also had a few nice catches in the practice.
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On paper, there’s a lot of untapped potential to be excited about. BlackStrain was a four-star prospect and No. 32 receiver nationally out of high school but didn’t catch a pass in seven games across three years. Luke has received much preseason praise from the Bears’ staff with 39 catches for 477 yards and two touchdowns over the last two years.
“We want to play as many guys that can help us,” head coach Ryan Beard said. “If you can help us win, you’re going to touch the field. There are going to be times when a starter might not take 60 reps a game and might take 10. But if you take 10, they need to be 10 high-quality reps because they’re so deep right now.”
Beard wasn’t too concerned about the lack of separation created by the receivers during the recent practice. He said the practice could have been scripted to give the receivers different looks than they’re used to and they’d be able to go back and watch the film to see how it can be better.
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Key, one of the few remaining Bears who originally signed to play for the Dave Steckel regime before he departed a month after the 2019 early signing day, knows the receivers are capable of more and it will show once the Bears open up at Montana.
“The quick game is how we’re going to open it up,” Key said. “We’ll do some things that give us a cushion and that’s when we’ll hit them with some runs and we’ll be able to protect both. Once we get it going, it should be a game right there.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-14 21:02:00
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