[Tuck4Bama]

STARKVILLE — Zack Harrington left his family's home in Hattiesburg at 11:30 Monday morning. When he arrived in Starkville some three hours later, he was Mississippi State's third-string quarterback.

"I didn't make the meetings," Harrington said. "I made practice. Matter of fact, Mike (Henig) had called me and I told Mike I think I might take up NASCAR."

Yes, it was that kind of a day among the red-jerseyed quarterbacks at MSU's hour-and-a-half practice, the team's first of a week of preparations for Saturday's game against UAB (1-3).

Harrington, the walk-on who was a prep star at Oak Grove, left the program last week. But he did so under amicable terms with MSU coach Sylvester Croom.

Good thing, too.

Josh Riddell's season-ending injury in the South Carolina loss forced another shuffle of Mississippi State's depth chart at its most critical position.

Harrington's father made the call and handed his son the phone, with Croom on the other line, late Monday morning. Though Harrington is still in school at MSU, classes were canceled Monday as part of fall break.
A few hours later, Harrington, wearing a red No. 16, jogged out of the locker room smiling.

Injuries force Dogs to reshuffle QB ranks