STARKVILLE — Mississippi State fans got their first live look of next year's Bulldog football team in Saturday's Maroon and White Spring Game.
The event, which featured an offense against defense format, was won, 67-53, by the offensive players.
Here are five takeaways from Saturday's game.
Offensive transfers making plays
Those who came to Davis Wade Stadium on Saturday looking for reasons to be excited, found it in Mississippi State's transfer pas-catchers, most notably Kelly Akharaiyi and Kevin Coleman Jr, who appear to already have an established connection with new starting quarterback Blake Shapen.
Shapen looked sharp in his debut in front of the Starkville faithful. Outside of Mississippi State's first offensive drive, which resulted in a three-and-out, he moved the ball down the field with relative ease (against Mississippi State's second-team defense). There were some throws he made down the field that the Bulldogs did not have confidence completing last fall.
Shapen finished 18-for-22 for 312 yards and three touchdowns, only playing the first half, according to Mississippi State's X (Twitter) account.
Coleman and Akharaiyi were on the right side of numerous big plays, including a touchdown from each. Coleman would have had a second, if he didn't fumble inside the one yard line.
Akharaiyi has the look of being a fan-favorite this season. If the deep receptions weren't enough, bringing in a pass he tipped to himself emphasized his playmaking ability.
Justin Ball, a Vanderbilt transfer tight end, also caught a pair of touchdown passes, one from Shapen and the other from Chris Parson.
Running back room has some pieces, not the big name
Mississippi State's running back room is lacking the "big name". That's coming in the fall in Miami (OH) transfer Rashad Amos, who committed last weekend, and maybe Damien Martinez, a former Oregon State running back who was on campus for an official visit.
What this room isn't lacking is serviceable bodies that can be productive.
Jeffery Pittman, Keyvone Lee and Johnnie Daniels, a junior college running back, all flashed in Saturday's game. Lee and Pittman each found the end zone on short runs.
Daniels had some shiftiness to him, especially in between the tackles. If he can stay healthy, I think he can be a guy that helps this offense.
Mississippi State could use multiple productive backs in this room to emerge come fall, and take pressure off the needed playmaking from Shapen and the receivers.
Branden Jennings could be a player to note in revamped linebacker room
It looks like it could be a group effort by Coleman Hutzler and Mississippi State's linebacker core to replace the production that walked out the door with Jett Johnson and Nathaniel "Bookie" Watson.
John Lewis, Nic Mitchell and Donterry Russell started with the first-team defense, while Branden Jennings and Stone Blanton also rotated in. The group was also missing JP Purvis, who suffered an injury late in spring practice and missed the game (more on other injuries later).
Jennings, a junior college transfer, looked rather impressive for the defense, causing havoc in the backfield as a rusher, being able to contain on the edge in run defense and even dropping back and creating a pass breakup in coverage.
He had the look of a potential starter.
Russell also flashed, coming off a strong redshirt freshman season, combining on a sack with brother, De'monte Russell.
Seydoe Troare's frame is going to make him an easy target for Blake Shapen
If he had been available last season, Seydoe Traore would have been an asset to Mississippi State's offense.
Any sort of tight end production this fall will be an improvement from last season, which had converted offenses lineman Malik Ellis playing the position, as well Georgia transfer Ryland Goede, who didn't record a catch until the final game of the year against Ole Miss.
At 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Traore has the frame to get himself open, and had the look of Parson's security blanket.
Official stats weren't given to media on Saturday, but there was a span where Traore had four, five catches over a span of two drives.
Mississippi State needs that reliable target, to be able to sit in the middle of a defense and create a passing window to complement its outside targets.
Traore could end up being that guy.
Injuries
There were a few notable injuries coming out of Saturday's spring game
Sophomore wideout Creed Whittemore and defensive lineman Kalvin Dinkins did not dress and were using scooters for injured legs.
With Dinkins out, Trevion Williams and Kedrick Bingsley-Jones, a North Carolina transfer, started at defensive line.
Sophomore linebacker Zakari Tillman pulled up with a leg injury while chasing Mario Craver on a reverse play. He did not return to the game.
Transfer tight end Cam Ball, also came out favoring his leg, was attended to trainers on the sideline and did not return.