Mississippi State football's Zach Arnett announces 2023 team captains, voting system
STARKVILLE — Senior quarterback Will Rogers and sixth-year linebacker Nathaniel Watson will serve as Mississippi State football's captains this season, coach Zach Arnett announced during Wednesday's SEC coaches teleconference. The Bulldogs will have two additional honorary captains each week.
“We’ve got a pretty veteran group with a lot of guys who are well-respected amongst their teammates," Arnett said. "Will and (Watson) were the two highest vote getters, but then we had a big chunk of guys get similar vote totals. That gives us the opportunity to honor those guys – those vets who have done a lot for the program – but then also as we get into the season kind of have an honorary captain of the week if a guy is just playing at a really high level."
To determine captains, Arnett says the team implemented a, "electoral college" voting system. First-year players' votes were worth one point, second-year players were worth two votes and so on.
“I had to give a great speech on the electoral college and all that to the team," Arnett said. "Civics I know is going down a little bit in education, so that gave a good opportunity for us.”
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Arnett was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach in December following Mike Leach's death. During Leach's tenure, the Bulldogs did not name captains.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State football: Will Rogers, Nathaniel Watson as captains
