Evans looking to boost morale on MSU's offense
- Story byNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
- Evans looking to boost morale on MSU's offense
STARKVILLE – Anthony Evans came into 2026 with big ambitions.
The wide receiver had every intention of breaking his former teammate Brenen Thompson's school record for the most receiving yards in a season in Mississippi State history. He has made great progress towards that. With four regular season games remaining, Evans is just 388 yards shy of the record.
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However, priorities have shifted.
The offense has scored 18 points in its last 13 quarters. That includes two field goals, a trick-play touchdown, a garbage-time touchdown and a two-point conversion that followed.
Kamario Taylor's season-ending injury, Fluff Bothwell's nagging injuries and several more on the offensive line haven't helped matters either. That leaves Evans as someone who needs to be counted on, and he's trying to keep his head up.
"There's a lot more ball left. There's a lot more time to put good stuff on tape and just try to help the team for the future," Evans said. "Just keep playing and trying to win these games to get a bowl game, at least."
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Along with Evans, those who have played the most college football are among the most vocal in the locker room, looking to keep spirits high for the entire team.
"We've got a lot of guys that have played a lot of ball. I think that's where the majority of it is coming from. The guys who have played a lot of ball who've been here as well. Like you know Isaac (Smith) and you know Kelley (Jones). So just having those guys in the building, just trying to keep everybody up with what's going on right now."
The backup QBs, obviously, did not get the same reps with the starting wide receivers as Taylor did, so communication between Evans and whoever starts under center is the main focus.
"Right now, it's just trying to communicate with the things that I see in the moment, and just tell them to just trust us, trust me to make the plays," Evans said. "I don't really get one-on-one matchups often, so when I do, I just try to communicate that to him and you know tell him, 'Hey, let's make the play.'"
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The explosiveness has also been lacking since Taylor got hurt. While his passes went for an average of 9.2 yards a completion, Billy Puckett and A.J. Swann's have gone for 5.3 and 6.5 per completion, respectively.
