Transfer Spotlight – Mississippi State QB KJ Costello

At CFB Saturdays we recognize that the landscape is always changing in College Football and the undeniable impact transfers have had on our beloved sport in recent history.  Transfers have gone on to make College Football Playoff runs, win the Heisman, the National Championship, and become top NFL Draft Picks (Joe Burrow recently accomplished all of the above).  Over the next few days, we will take a look at the potential impact of top Transfers in 2020 in our Transfer Spotlight Series.  Today we take a look at Mississippi State Quarterback KJ Costello who is ranked 14th in our 2020 QB Rankings.

From Stanford to Mississippi State QB

KJ Costello entered the 2019 season as the returning starter for the Stanford Cardinal after a 2018 campaign in which he threw for 272.3 YPG, 65.1% completions, 8.6 YPA, 27 TDs & 11 INTs on his way to leading the Cardinal to a 9-4 record.  That offseason saw a ton of roster turnover, however.  Costello lost his top three receivers, as WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and TE Kaden Smith went on to be selected in the NFL Draft, and WR Trenton Irwin exhausted his eligibility (He was later signed as an undrafted free agent).  If that wasn’t already enough talent to replace, the team also lost 2017 Heisman runner-up RB Bryce Love.  2019 would see Costello adjusting to almost an entirely new supporting cast, save for a ginormous red zone threat in TE Colby Parkinson.  There really wasn’t much time for him to develop a rhythm in season as he was injured in the first game of the season and went on to only play in five games.  QB Davis Mills closed out the season and there was a sense that Costello’s time at Stanford had come to a close. 

Costello entered the transfer portal shortly after the season, eventually committing to the Mississippi State Bulldogs and new head coach Mike Leach.  Leach has had recent success with transfer quarterback and current Jaguars starting QB Gardner Minshew at Washington State.  Leach, an architect of the modern spread air raid offense, is a widely respected offensive mind whose attack features tempo and quick passes, pulling defenses in only to pop a game changing deep shot when least expected.  The offense is a true air raid attack, with Leach’s QBs at Washington State consistently pushing the 5,000 yard mark (QB Anthony Gordon threw for a ridiculous 5,579 yards in 2019) albeit his rushing attacks have struggled to reach the 1,000 yard mark the past three seasons.  It’s clear that Costello will be called upon to orchestrate the Bulldogs offense in 2020.

A Look at What Costello Brings

Costello comes to Starkville with a reputation as an accurate passer with ideal size (6’5”, 222) who isn’t afraid to trust his receivers on deep shots.  His trust in his receivers led to some turnovers at Stanford, but his willingness to take these attempts led to plenty of big plays as well.  There is also no denying his arm talent as he has shown the ability to make throws to all levels of the field as well as an ability to go through his progressions when he has time in the pocket.

Like most College QBs, there is plenty of room for improvement in his game as well. Costello is not a particularly nimble quarterback in the pocket and should not be expected to escape an opposing pass rush.  Most QBs tend to struggle under pressure, but Costello’s tendency to abandon the play and his throwing mechanics in the face of rush is a cause for some concern.  He has made some courageous throws while taking hits, but the consistency to handle pressure is lacking.

Nevertheless, the pairing with Leach at Mississippi could be the perfect fit to hide some of Costello’s weaknesses.  The quick pace, quick hit, attack should make it difficult for defenses to get to Costello and limit the need for him to buy time in the pocket consistently.  When playing in the SEC, however, the rush will ultimately come and Costello’s performance under duress will determine how the season plays out for him, and the Bulldogs.

The Talent Around the Mississippi State QB

There is also legitimate concern about the personnel around Costello being able to handle the transformation from a conservative, rush heavy attack (almost 63% rushing plays in 2019) to the pass first attack under Leach in one season.  It’s no surprise that there are a bevy of new pass catchers coming to Starkville this offseason from the high school and JUCO ranks.  The problem is only one of those players is an early enrollee, so Costello will have to develop chemistry with his new receivers quickly. 

All of this is not to say that the offensive roster is devoid of talent.  The Bulldogs return 2^nd Team All-SEC RB Kylin Hill, leading receiver Osirus Mitchell, and three senior returning starters on the offensive line.  Replacing long-time center and leader Darryl Williams and LT Tyre Phillips (NFL Draft) is a concern upfront, but there are plenty of young talents on the roster including 2019 247sports composite five star Charles Cross.  It appears that Costello will have a nice blend of experienced and talented players around him when the 2020 season eventually comes around.

Final Thoughts on KJ Costello

Mississippi State QB KJ Costello has the measurables and talent (he has even drawn some favorable NFL Draft reviews), and is walking into a passer’s dream under Mike Leach.  Assuming the Mississippi State Defense can be a respectable unit in 2020 after losing plenty of talent the past two seasons, the Costello transfer could prove to be the catalyst for a strong season and rebuild in Starkville under the new coaching regime. 

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Stanford vs. SDSU 2018 image taken by Daniel Hartwig is licensed under CC BY 2.0