The 1,024-yard rushing season LaDarius Perkins had for Mississippi State last season must seem far more than a year ago for the senior. A month into the season, on a team that figured to count on him heavily, Perkins has just 109 rushing yards on the year and has yet to reach the end zone for the Bulldogs. He's missed one game this season with an injury, but of more concern has been the absence of big runs when he's played.
"We really want to get him the ball, get him rolling through. You look at the different scenarios though in games," Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said last week, according to the Clarion-Ledger. "In the two big wins, there hasn't been a whole lot of need. Against Auburn, they really kind of made a conscious effort to get the ball out (of his hands)."
Perkins is itching to make his first big impact of the season as Mississippi State prepares to face visiting LSU:
"It's been on my mind a lot," Perkins told the Clarion-Ledger. "I can't wait. I'm ready to get back in game mode. ... It does get frustrating. You just be patient, you keep doing your job. You do what you can without the ball in your hand."
Perkins' hopes of being drafted will already be diminished by his size (5-10, 195), so his production can't afford to lag for the balance of his final collegiate season. LSU's defense has been more porous than usual this season, perhaps giving Perkins the ideal opportunity to deliver his first big performance of the season.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
