The 2021 Missouri State Bears football team represented Missouri State University as a member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FCS football season. They were led by second-year head coach Bobby Petrino, the Bears compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference playing, placing second in the MVFC. For the second consecutive season, Missouri State advanced to the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs, where the Bears lost in the first round to UT Martin. The team played home games at Robert W. Plaster Stadium in Springfield, Missouri.
The 2021 team set and matched numerous school records. Quarterback Jason Shelley broke several school records in total offense and passing yards. He broke the single season passing record, total offense in a game, total offense in a season, games with more than 200 passing yards and matched the record for passes completed in a game. Wide receiver Ty Scott set school records in receiving yards in a season, matched touchdown receptions in a season, and 100 yard receiving games in a season. Scott was also the first receiver in school history to eclipse a thousand receiving yards in a season. P Grant Burkett set school records in punting average in a game and punting average in a season.
Schedule
Rankings
Preseason MVFC media poll The Media picked the Bears to finish in sixth place.
Game summaries At Oklahoma State
Statistics MSU OSU First downs 23 16 Total yards 336 369 Rushes/yards 37/102 28/54 Passing yards 234 315 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 24-46-0 22-40-1 Time of possession 35:30 24:30 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 23/44, 235 yards, 1 TD Rushing Kevon Latulas 6 carries, 45 yards Receiving Xavier Lane 8 receptions, 78 yardsOklahoma State Passing Shane Illingworth 22/40, 315 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing L.D. Brown 15 carries, 30 yards, 1 TD Receiving Tay Martin 6 receptions, 107 yards, 1 TD
No. 19 Central Arkansas
Statistics UCA MSU First downs 22 24 Total yards 453 378 Rushes/yards 29/ 121 34/ 147 Passing yards 332 231 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 25-38-2 18-36-0 Time of possession 27:43 32:17 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Arkansas Passing Breylin Smith 25/38, 332 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Trysten Smith 8 carries, 79 yards, 1 TD Receiving Lujuan Winningham 10 catches, 144 yardsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 18/36, 231 yards, 1 TD Rushing Kevon Latulas 10 carries, 98 yards Receiving Xavier Lane 9 catches, 148 yards, 1 TD
South Dakota
Statistics USD MSU First downs 14 22 Total yards 361 439 Rushes/yards 33/ 130 46/ 158 Passing yards 231 281 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12-29-2 19-29-0 Time of possession 24:11 35:49 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Dakota Passing Carson Camp 12/29, 231 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Nate Thomas 4 carries, 60 yards Receiving Carter Bell 3 catches, 102 yards Missouri State Passing Jason Shelley 19/29, 281 yards, 2 TD Rushing Tobias Little 14 carries, 71 yards Receiving Ty Scott 7 catches, 111 yards, 1 TD
At Illinois State
Statistics MSU ISU First downs 26 17 Total yards 513 358 Rushes/yards 38/194 31/40 Passing yards 319 318 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 19-27-1 19-30-3 Time of possession 30:50 28:26 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 19/27, 319 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing Tobias Little 14 carries, 91 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jordan Murray 5 catches, 85 yards, 1 TDIllinois State Passing Jackson Waring 19/30, 318 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Rushing Pha'leak Brown 7 carries, 27 yards Receiving Jabari Khepera 5 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD
At Youngstown State
Statistics MSU YSU First downs 30 21 Total yards 503 476 Rushes/yards 27/131 50/377 Passing yards 372 99 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27-49-2 10-19-0 Time of possession 26:47 33:13 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 27/48, 372 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jason Shelley 11 carries, 93 yards Receiving Ty Scott 8 catches, 121 yards, 2 TDYoungstown State Passing Demeatric Crenshaw 10/19, 99 yards, 2 TD Rushing Demeatric Crenshaw 22 carries, 202 yards, 1 TD Receiving Samuel St. Surin 2 catches, 39 yards, 1 TD
Indiana State
Statistics ISU MSU First downs 15 21 Total yards 177 442 Rushes/yards 24/84 45/190 Passing yards 177 252 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 18-33-1 13-25-1 Time of possession 24:56 35:04 Team Category Player StatisticsIndiana State Passing Anthony Thompson 18/31, 177 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Peterson Kerlegrand 16 carries, 73 yards Receiving Dante Hendrix 10 catches, 121 yards, 1 TD Missouri State Passing Jason Shelley 11/21, 225 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tobias Little 9 carries, 55 yards Receiving Ty Scott 3 catches, 106 yards, 2 TD
At No. 3 North Dakota State
Statistics MSU NDSU First downs 15 16 Total yards 321 333 Rushes/yards 32/79 35/144 Passing yards 242 189 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-25-1 12-26-1 Time of possession 30:57 29:03 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 16/25, 242 yards, 1 INT Rushing Tobias Little 9 carries, 41 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ty Scott 6 catches, 104 yardsNorth Dakota State Passing Cam Miller 7/9, 112 yards, 2 TD Rushing Quincy Patterson 6 carries, 57 yards, 1 TD Receiving Christian Watson 4 catches, 106 yards, 1 TD
North Dakota
Statistics UND MSU First downs 23 26 Total yards 441 468 Rushes/yards 41/256 25/119 Passing yards 185 349 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14-23-1 29-42-1 Time of possession 32:48 27:12 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Dakota Passing Tommy Schuster 13/21, 164 yards, 1 INT Rushing Otis Weah 21 carries, 165 yards, 3 TD Receiving Adam Zavainey 2 catches, 54 yards, 1 TD Missouri State Passing Jason Shelley 29/42, 349 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT Rushing Tobias Little 15 carries, 112 yards Receiving Tyrone Scott 10 catches, 147 yards, 1 TD
At No. 7 Southern Illinois
Statistics MSU SIU First downs 26 18 Total yards 480 298 Rushes/yards 53/237 31/36 Passing yards 243 262 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-29-1 21-39-0 Time of possession 37:00 27:14 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 16/29, 243 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kevon Latulas 7 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD Receiving Ty Scott 5 catches, 83 yards, 1 TDSouthern Illinois Passing Nic Baker 21/38, 262 yards, 3 TD Rushing Donovan Spencer 11/19, 15 yards Receiving Landon Lenoir 7 catches, 100 yards
No. 20 Northern Iowa
Statistics UNI MSU First downs 22 18 Total yards 360 379 Rushes/yards 33/122 32/59 Passing yards 238 320 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17-30-2 22-30-0 Time of possession 29:28 30:32 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Iowa Passing Theo Day 17/30, 238 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Dom Williams 16 carries, 83 yards Receiving Deion McShane 6 catches, 86 yards, 2 TDMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 22/33, 320 yards, 1 TD Rushing Tobias Little 10 carries, 34 yards Receiving Naveon Mitchell 3 catches, 74 yards, 1 TD
At Dixie State
Statistics MSU DSU First downs 26 21 Total yards 574 382 Rushes/yards 36/297 36/75 Passing yards 277 307 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15-29-1 24-49-1 Time of possession 28:50 31:10 Team Category Player StatisticsMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 13/24, 251 yards, 1 TD Rushing Kevon Latulas 8 carries, 162 yards, 2 TD Receiving Ty Scott 8 catches, 174 yardsDixie State Passing Kobe Tracy 24/49, 307 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Drew Kannely-Robles 22 carries, 78 yards Receiving Keith Davis 7 catches, 146 yards
No. 16 UT Martin—NCAA Division I First Round
Statistics UTM MSU First downs 19 17 Total yards 361 398 Rushes/yards 35/89 30/119 Passing yards 272 279 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22-43-1 22-42-3 Time of possession 31:44 28:16 Team Category Player StatisticsUT Martin Passing Dresser Winn 23/43, 272 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Peyton Logan 12 carries, 68 yards, TD Receiving Donnel Williams 7 receptions, 178 yards, TDMissouri State Passing Jason Shelley 22/42, 279 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT Rushing Jason Shelley 13 carries, 93 yards Receiving Xavier Lane 7 receptions, 110 yards, TD
Awards and honors
Regular season Missouri Valley weekly awards
In 2021, the Bears broke the program record of 11 conference weekly awards with 14 honors. QB Jason Shelley paced the team with 5 awards across "Valley Offensive Player of the Week" (2) and "Valley Newcomer of the Week" (3). WR Xavier Lane was the other Bears player to receive multiple awards; winning 1 as the "Valley Offensive Player of the Week" and 1 as the "Valley Newcomer of the Week". OT Landon Bebee was the lone selection as "Valley Offensive Lineman of the Week" while LB Ferrin Manulelua was the only player to be selected as "Valley Defensive Player of the Week". Missouri State had had 3 players chosen as "Special Teams Players of the Week" LB Steven Ward, CB Montrae Braswell, and K Jose Pizano. RB Tobias Little was the other "Valley Offensive Player of the Week", and RB Kevon Latulas won his award as "Newcomer of the Week".
Defensive Player of the Week Player Position Date Ref. Ferrin Manulelelua LB October 31, 2021
Newcomer of the Week Player Position Date Ref. Jason Shelley QB September 5, 2021 Xavier Lane WR September 12, 2021 Jason Shelley QB September 26, 2021 Jason Shelley QB October 31, 2021 Kevon Latulas RB November 1, 2021
Offensive Player of the Week Player Position Date Ref. Xavier Lane WR September 12, 2021 Tobias Little RB October 3, 2021 Jason Shelley QB October 31, 2021 Jason Shelley QB November 14, 2021
Offensive Lineman of the Week Player Position Date Ref. Landon Bebee OT October 4, 2021
Special Teams Player of the Week Player Position Date Ref. Montrae Braswell CB September 12, 2021 Steven Ward LB October 17, 2021 Jose Pizano K November 1, 2021
Postseason Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Year Player Position Date Ref. Jason Shelley QB November 24, 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Player Position Date Ref. Jason Shelley QB November 24, 2021
Personnel Coaching staff Bobby Petrino's coaching staff remained the same from 2020. Ryan Beard remained with the Bears as the defensive coordinator and Nick Petrino stayed on as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Petrino received a pay raise following the successful 2020 season. Other members of the coaching staff such as Beard, Nick Petrino, defensive line coach L. D. Scott, and running backs coach Ronnie Fouch.
Bobby Petrino Head coach Carroll College (1983) 2020Ryan Beard Defensive coordinator/ Safeties Western Kentucky (2012) 2020Nick Petrino Offense coordinator / quarterbacks coach Western Kentucky (2014)2020Austin Appleby Wide receivers coach Purdue (2015)2020Skyler Cassity Inside linebackers coachAuburn (2016)2020Nelson Fishback Tight ends coach/ co-special teams coordinator Western Kentucky (2015)2020Ronnie Fouch Running backs coach/ recruiting coordinator/ co-special teams coordinator Indiana State (2004) 2020Max Halpin Offensive line coach Western Kentucky (2016)2020Reggie Johnson Inside Linebackers Louisville (1996)2020L.D. Scott Defensive line coach/ run game coordinator Louisville (2009)2020Tramain Thomas Defensive backs coach Arkansas (2013)2020Lynn Mentzer Director of football operations Coastal Carolina (2005)2018
Roster 2021 Missouri State Bears Football RosterQuarterback 3 Jason Shelley – junior (5'11, 197) 8 Jaden Johnson – Sophomore (6'2, 216) 10 Jake Van Dyne – Freshman (6'3, 193) 11 Hess Horne – freshman (6'2, 183)
Running back 0 Tobias Little – senior (6'0, 230) 4 Andrew Cunningham – sophomore (6'1, 200) 5 Kevon Latulas – junior (6'0, 200) 14 Myron Mason – junior (5'8, 200) 23 Tywuan Lee – freshman (6'2, 200) 31 Celdon Manning – freshman (5'10, 180) 32 Brandon Benjamin – freshman (5'9, 200)
Wide receiver 1 Xavier Lane – senior (6'4, 210) 6 Cairo Payne – sophomore (5'11, 175) 9 Jordan Murray – junior (6'4, 233) 15 Jahod Booker – junior (5'11, 185) 16 Damoriea Vick – junior (6'3, 213) 18 Terique Owens – junior (6'3, 193) 19 Ty Scott – junior (6'3, 200) 28 Myles Shaw – freshman (5'9, 178) 80 Isaiah Allred – senior (6'3, 214)