Relf emerges as dual-threat quarterback

Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf took the snap on Auburn's 2-yard line Sept. 10 with his team trailing by seven points and nine seconds left on the clock.

Relf had three options on the play. He could throw it, he could pitch it or he could run it himself. He chose to keep it, ran left and met an Auburn defender, who kept him inches from the goal line.

That tackle held the Bulldogs from victory despite Relf's best efforts — he threw for 195 yards and ran for 106 more.

"I thought he played well, with a lot of confidence," said Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen after the game. "He made the call on the last play. He had three options, and he chose the run. I like that. I liked the confidence in Chris. Chris said he felt great about the run call, and the kid made a heck of an open field tackle."

Two seasons ago, Mississippi State suffered a similar loss to LSU, falling short of the upset bid thanks to a goal line stand by the Tigers' defense. Relf, then a sophomore, completed his only pass attempt for a 46-yard gain.

Mullen said he received praise for his team's near victory after the loss against LSU two years ago, but the reactions took a more sour tone after the loss to Auburn.

"There's a lot of guys on our team, especially Chris, that are angry with that loss, because the expectations around here have changed a little bit," Mullen said. "A couple years ago, if we lost a real tough game to a defending national champion, there was some disappointment. Now there are some guys who are angry because they felt we should have won that football game."

Those expectations surrounding the Mississippi State program have changed in large part due to the offensive spark Relf provides.

The 6-foot-4, 245-pound senior keeps defenses off balance with his ability to run and pass on any given play. Although he's built a reputation as a run-first quarterback, LSU coach Les Miles said his passing ability has improved significantly.

"Chris Relf is an all-around quarterback," Miles said. "He throws the ball better. He certainly is the field general you want. He's a very physical runner. He handles the ball well and does everything that you need to have happen at the quarterback spot."

The Montgomery, Ala., native threw for 1,789 yards in 2010, his first season as the Bulldogs' full-time quarterback, after throwing for 283 yards on 41 attempts in 2009. Senior safety Brandon Taylor has taken notice of Relf's progression.

"They've made him a lot more of a passing quarterback than what I've seen," Taylor said. "He doesn't really run as much as he used to, but he still gets like 27 carries a game."

Relf still possesses the threat to scramble from the pocket, drawing comparisons to Heisman Trophy winners Cam Newton and Tim Tebow. Sophomore defensive tackle Michael Brockers said Relf's running ability has served as a big portion of the defense's game plan.

"When you got a guy that can run and throw, we just got to box him in," Brockers said. "We got to make him throw. If we box him in, we stop the run and make him have to throw.

That's why we have quick safeties and cornerbacks."

For Relf, his main priority may be coming out of the game unscathed. LSU defenders have knocked Relf out of the game in both 2009 and 2010, with former linebacker Harry Coleman and senior linebacker Karnell Hatcher doing the damage.

"We've seen on film that he likes to wiggle around a little bit, so he doesn't really like contact that much," Taylor said.

But Relf frequently avoids contact by making defenders miss tackles. He carried the ball 157 yards on 40 carries in the Bulldogs' first two games of 2011.

LSU has experience containing a running quarterback this season. The Tigers held Oregon quarterback Darron Thomas, who ran for 486 yards in 2010, to just 12 yards on two carries in the Tigers' season opener.

But Miles said Relf brings a different skill set than Thomas.

"Their quarterback is a little more aggressive to the run than the Oregon style of attack," Miles said. "I think there is that piece that makes a tremendous difference in the Mississippi State attack than the Oregon attack."

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Contact Hunter Paniagua at hpaniagua@lsureveille.com