STARKVILLE — Mississippi State football faces a similar question to just a few weeks ago regarding Kamario Taylor's injury.

Is it worth playing a quarterback who is not 100% healthy?

That's what coach Jeff Lebby and the Bulldogs (4-4, 2-4 SEC) face with AJ Swann, who is dealing with an upper-body injury ahead of the Week 10 game against Vanderbilt (3-5, 0-5) at Davis Wade Stadium on Nov. 7 (3:15 p.m., SEC Network).

Swann exited the previous game at Texas, his first appearance and start of the season, in the second quarter and had a sling on his right throwing arm for the remainder of the game. Lebby said MSU is hopeful that Swann will be able to play against Vanderbilt, the team he started 12 games for across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. The first SEC availability report will release on Nov. 4.

And whichever decision is made between Swann or the three other healthy QBs — Taylor is out for the season — could have big implications on Mississippi State's season. Vanderbilt is MSU's easiest SEC game left, so getting to six wins and a bowl game could all hinge on who is the quarterback against Vanderbilt.

The offense has scored just 18 points in the last 13 quarters.

"Our guys understand, man, Saturday is a huge deal because it's the next one," Lebby said. "It's like we talked about in the team meeting. We started 4-0, we're on a four-game slide and we got four left in the regular season. We will dictate what that four-game stretch looks like. None more important than Saturday afternoon because it is the next one and it's the only one we've got control over right now."

How AJ Swann did in first Mississippi State start vs Texas

Statistically, Swann had an efficient game before he was injured with 1:13 left before halftime. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 97 yards. He started 8-for-8 with 79 yards. Swann, who also made six starts for Appalachian State last season, played with anticipation and accuracy.

However, Swann rarely pushed the ball down the field with three completions over 8 yards. The possessions he played amounted to three punts and a missed 38-yard field goal until he got injured on a strip sack that was returned 61 yards for a touchdown.

MORE: Mississippi State football injury list unlike anything Jeff Lebby has seen in his career

Swann does not have an ability to run like Taylor or even Billy Puckett, who replaced Swann against Texas.

"We're not the same as we were the first four weeks of the season when (Taylor) was healthy," Lebby said. "I think that's pretty evident. But, again, that's why they call us coach. I got to put these guys in position to go make the play. I got to put our guys in position to go make the layups and play good enough to win on offense. We’re going to be different than we’ve been. That’s part of it, that’s part of this game and part of playing in this conference. The expectation is to find a way to be plus-one on Saturday."

What are Mississippi State's QB options besides AJ Swann?

Even though Taylor's injury (foot) is different than Swann's, it provided evidence of what it's like when Mississippi State plays a quarterback who is not 100% healthy. It didn't go well at all against Alabama and Oklahoma.

Lebby said the Bulldogs had four quarterbacks, including Swann, take reps in a light Nov. 2 practice. The other three healthy quarterbacks are Puckett, Sacramento State transfer Jaden Rashada and freshman Brodie McWhorter.

Puckett, the former walk-on from Jackson Prep, likely would be in line to start because he's the only other quarterback who's played this season, which included a start against LSU. He didn't play very well against Texas though, completing just 3 of 10 passes for 22 yards and was sacked five times. The Bulldogs had 54 yards of offense in the second half.

Puckett has completed 59.5% of his passes for 390 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions and 105 rushing yards.

Could that open the door for Rashada or McWhorter?

Rashada was a four-star recruit in 2023 who was committed to Florida but flipped to Arizona State after an NIL dispute that was settled in court in February. He hasn't lived up to his ranking, making two starts at Arizona State, transferring to Georgia as a backup and then making two starts at Sacramento State in 2025.

McWhorter was a three-star and the No. 59 QB prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Lebby's request has been the same since Taylor's injury. The Bulldogs need a quarterback who can make the easy plays and produce predictable outcomes.

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Is AJ Swann Mississippi State's best QB option vs Vanderbilt if he's still injured?

Source: Yahoo Sports