Mississippi Scoreboard highlights a Mississippian or someone with Mississippi ties who plays or coaches SEC football at Ole Miss, another at Mississippi State and another at an out-of-state SEC school each week.

By Robert Wilson

GREENVILLE ST. JOSEPH HIGH ALUMNUS AND MISSISSIPPI STATE RUNNING BACK DILLION JOHNSON BIG PART OF WIN OVER THEN NO. 12 KENTUCKY

Greenville St. Joseph High alumnus and Mississippi State sophomore running back Dillion Johnson had a career-high 11 carries for 41 yards and scored two touchdowns and had four catches for 30 yards in MSU’s 31-17 victory over then No. 12 Kentucky. 

MSU ran the ball 35 times, the most in Mike Leach’s two years at MSU’s head coach and the fourth most in his coaching career. 

The 6-foot, 215-pound Johnson is second on the team in rushing yards (248) and rushing touchdowns (3), third in receiving yards (261) and third in all-purpose yards (551, including 42 yards on kickoff returns) this season.

Johnson started one game and played in 11 last season and had a season-high 57 yards on 10 carries in the bowl game against Tulsa.

Johnson was rated the No. 11 player in Mississippi by Rivals as a senior at Greenville St. Joe and helped his team to three straight state titles. He had 1,668 yards and 24 TDs as a senior. He also played basketball and had a school record 53 points in one game.

MSU plays at Arkansas Saturday at 3 p.m. on SEC Network.

STARKVILLE HIGH ALUMNUS LUKE ALTMYER COMPLETES FIRST PASS FOR OLE MISS

Starkville High alumnus Luke Altmyer and Ole Miss freshman quarterback completed his first pass of his collegiate career Saturday against Auburn.

Altmyer replaced starter Matt Corral late in the first quarter when Corral suffered an apparent ankle injury and was taken by golf cart to the locker room.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Altmyer completed 5 of 5 passes for 18 yards and ran for an 8-yard gain before Corral returned to the game with 10 minutes to play in the second quarter. Altmyer completed passes to Jerrion Ealy, Damarion Drummond, John Rhys Plumlee, Pearson and Kelly. Altmyer finished up a drive, but on his second drive he marched the Rebels down to the Auburn 35 before Corral came back in.

It was Altmyer’s fourth game to play this season. He was 0 for 4 on passes before Saturday.

Altmyer was ranked as the No. 2 player in Mississippi and No. 11 pro-style quarterback in the country by ESPN as a senior at Starkville. He threw for 1,653 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior and more than 3,000 and 37 TDs as a junior. He passed for a school record 426 yards against Germantown. 

Ole Miss plays host to Liberty Saturday at 11 a.m. on SEC Network.

ST. STANISLAUS HIGH ALUMNUS AND LSU QUARTERBACK MYLES BRENNAN ENTERS THE TRANSFER PORTAL

St. Stanislaus alumnus and LSU quarterback Myles Brennan has entered the transfer portal, LSU head coach Ed Oregon said this week.

“He just came to meet with me, and he was teary-eyed,” Orgeron said of Brennan, a fifth-year senior who has been sidelined all season with a broken left arm. “He thought he needed to find a place that he felt he could go play for one year and start. It was a tough decision. He and his family made it. I told him, `Listen, hold your head high. You gave all you can to LSU. You graduated from LSU.’ I wish him the best. Myles wants to play pro ball. I hope he gets that shot.”

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Brennan replaced 2019 Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow as LSU’s starting quarterback. He started the first three games of last season, becoming the first Tigers’ quarterback to throw for 300 yards in his first three starts. He passed for 1,112 yards and 11 TDs before suffering a season-ending torn abdomen against Missouri.

“I’ve got to give it to Miles and his family,” Orgeron said. “They remained patient. He waited his turn. He played very good last year at the beginning. He was very accurate, he made the right throws, he’s got a strong arm. I thought he was going to have a great year. Unfortunately, he got hurt. And unfortunately, he got hurt again this year.”

Brennan was set to compete with Max Johnson for the starting quarterback position, but just before practice started, Brennan broke his left arm carrying fishing gear down steps from the fishing camp to a boat when his flip-flop got caught on a board. He fell down a flight of steps, landing on his left arm. There was talk of Brennan possibly coming back this season, but it didn’t happen.

“I didn’t expect him to play,” Orgeron said. “I knew his rehab was taking a bit longer. He had some other things he had to work on, he had a knee that was a little hurt. There are some things he needs to fix up and get healthy.”

Breenan holds the Mississippi high school career passing records with 15,138 yards and 166 TDs. He was rated as the No. 6 pro-style quarterback in the country as a senior at St. Stanislaus. An Under Armour All-American, Brennan passed for 3,982 yards and 48 TDs and only three interceptions as a senior and didn’t throw an interception until the playoffs. He passed for 5,248 yards, 53 TDs and eight interceptions as a junior. Brennan led St. Stanislaus to MHSAA Class 4A state runner-up finishes as a sophomore and junior.