When the Class 4A State Championship kicks off in Starkville Friday afternoon, the undefeated Wildcats will have their hands full trying to secure the gold ball against Kosciusko. But Columbia has faced many giants this season and has found a way to win time and time again.
The Whippets (13-1) are coming off a 17-7 win over Louisville, who beat Columbia for the state title two years ago. The Wildcats (14-0), who have managed to beat several opponents this postseason without playing their A-game, will not have that luxury at Mississippi State.
Columbia’s biggest weakness this season has been its pass defense, and it’s going to get tested thoroughly by the Whippets. They employ a spread attack that stretches the defense sideline to sideline and love in-breaking routes — slants, drags and even Texas routes by the running back — but they will also mix in receiver screens, quick outs and connected for a 68-yard touchdown on a four verticals concept out of trips against Louisville.
“They’re a quarterback-driven offense, so we've got to find a way to slow him down. As he goes, the team goes, and he runs it well and throws it well,” Wildcats head coach Chip Bilderback said. “They've got two really great receivers (LaDarrion McBride and Jontavious Roundtree). (Roundtree) is explosive and can blow the top off and take it vertically. They’ve got a lot of weapons.
They will mix it up as well. To pick up a key fourth down against Louisville, they quick-motioned into the I-formation to run fullback dive and they scored on a quarterback sneak out of the same formation.
The Whippets also use a lot of variety within their rushing attack as well, and their personnel is a big indicator of what they plan to do presnap. While it’s not 100%, they more often than not throw out of four-receiver sets and bring in one or two tight ends for runs. They utilize GH counter, inside and outside zone, midline read option and sweeps.
“They’re really tough, too, and have big guys that move well, so it’s going to be a challenge for our defense to be able to slow them down. They’re scoring a ton of points,” Bilderback said. “But I feel like the last three weeks we’ve probably played our best ball defensively. Our defense has been playing lights out. (We held) Poplarville to its lowest point total of the year Friday night.”
Something that could play a huge role in deciding the game is the kicking game. The Wildcats have had their struggles all year with extra points and kickoffs, which nearly cost them against Poplarville, while Kosciusko has a consistent kicker in Braden Ray, who has made 90% of his PATs and has the leg to make field goals from 35-40 yards out.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Whippets are allowing less than 10 points per game and are led by middle linebacker Rokari Covington, who has 113 tackles and 12 tackles for loss this season.
They're really tough. They've got a great Mike linebacker, then they've got a really good safety (Keith Lay) who I think is committed to Jackson State. Their defense is hard to out-leverage,” Bilderback said. "It's going to be hard for us to out-leverage them and create some mismatches through formations. We're just going to put a body on a body, a hat on a hat, and really just whip them up front, whip them man on man, and someone's got to beat someone, but you're never going to be able to get numbers by formations because they're so balanced on defense. I think that's probably the strength of their team actually.”
In Columbia’s previous two state championships under Bilderback, the Wildcats played at Southern Miss and Ole Miss, so they’re looking forward to the opportunity to play at Mississippi State this time around.
“I think all of our kids are excited. Heck, I've never even been to the Mississippi State football stadium,” Bilderback said. "Just to experience this is really cool. I think we've been the best team in 4A all year, and to be playing for a state championship, I'm so proud of our guys. It's hard. I don't know if people understand how hard it is to do what we've done so far, with the schedule we've had, staying locked in and trying to find a way to continue to get better. Our guys have remained unselfish.
“Then to play it at a place like Mississippi State, I think they're going to remember it no matter what. It's going to be a fun environment for our kids to play at a place like that. That's what it should be. You're playing the biggest game of the year, you should play it at the best venue. I think Walter Payton Field is the best venue, but I guess Davis Wade is probably runner up.”
Kickoff Friday in Starkville is at 4 p.m.
