Mike Leach’s air raid offense didn’t disappoint in his SEC debut on Saturday as Mississippi State’s upset defending champions LSU 44 44–34 and quarterback J. Costello set a conference record for passing the yard in the same game with 6૨23.
The previous record was held by Georgia’s Eric Zier, who threw 544 yards against the Southern Miss in 1993.
“I’m speechless about everything that happened today,” Costello said. “If you tell me a year ago today that I would be sitting here, it’s crazy.”
Costello came to the state of Mississippi as a graduate transfer after starting 25 games in three seasons at Stadford. His previous high for passing the yard in the game was 381.
Costello’s 623 pass yard against the No. 6 Tigers was the 11th largest in FBS history and the highest in a player’s debut. The Bulldogs have the most of his 60 pass attempts by the quarterback.
“I thought it was a really good start,” Leach said.
Asked to rank Costello’s performance against past quarterbacks he has worked with, Leach said, “It’s really high when you think of playing in the LSU against the defending national champion.”
Leach praised Costello’s composer. He said Costello’s ability to bounce from multiple turnovers was as good as he saw it.
LSU, who lost 17 of the team’s undefeated starters last season, became the first defending national champion to lose its season opener after Michigan in 1998.
“We have no excuse,” said Tigers coach Ed Orjero.
Ojeron said losing All-American cornbrack Derek Stingley Jr. to illness “really hurt us” and was replaced by the fact that Jay Ward missed two weeks of recovering from the injury.
Another defensive back, Darren Evans, less than three weeks ago, transferred from FCS Nichols State.
Orejron’s message on the young defensive back that played: “Welcome to the SEC. You’ll be better.”
Ojeron said he was amazed at how the crime could be synchronized. Miles Brennan, who replaced Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burroughs in the quarterback, threw for 345 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
No Tiger running back ran more than 50 yards.
“I told the team we were finding out what we were making.” “Let’s go back to work.
LSU is on the road to playing Wonderbilt next week, while Mississippi State is set to play its home opener against Arkansas.
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