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DALLAS -- A lot of new coaches like to say they're building from the ground up. Nobody is living that mantra more than Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby.
Mississippi State does not return a single offensive starter. They only return two defensive starters. So if anyone has the task of building from the ground up, Lebby has it.
"The climate of college football, where we're at, the portal cycle that ended in December was a huge part for us having a chance to have success year one," he said at SEC Media Days Wednesday. "We're talking about our starting quarterback, three of the five starting O-linemen, two receivers, starting running back, and on the defensive side we'll have three starters from the portal, as well."
Lebby is not only working to put his stamp on the product on the field, but off it as well. After a disastrous 2023 under Zach Arnett, Lebby is trying to change the culture in Starkville.
"When you look at the defensive side of the ball, I wanted a defensive coordinator (Coleman Hutzler) that was similar from the standpoint of toughness and passion and edge and having great command and knew exactly who he was and was a guy that was incredibly talented and being able to go create this culture in the defensive side of the room and on that side of the ball," he said. "We've got people inside the building that have great passion and energy for taking young people places that they can't take themselves. That to me is what it's all about, and we'll continue to add pieces to the puzzle that way."
One thing Lebby will do is bring an up-tempo offense back to Mississippi State, pleasing Bulldogs fans who enjoyed the pace of Mike Leach's scheme. Oklahoma and Ole Miss were two of the faster offenses in college football under Lebby, and he intends to keep moving quickly.
"We'll never be any different than what we've been from the mindset of knowing that we get to dictate how the game is played because we have the football. That will forever be the case," he said. "So being the aggressor and being pedal down will be who we are, but being able to change the pace a little bit, I think it makes it a lot easier being able to have (in-helmet) communication."
When asked what fans can expect from the 2024 Bulldogs, Lebby made no predictions -- save that they will give maximum effort.
"I think you're going to get a football team that's excited to play. A team that you're going to be able to tell is prepared and loves to play the game of football, and that's my biggest thing is when we run out of that tunnel, everybody in Davis Wade understanding we're there with great purpose, with great passion, and be able to go win football games," he said.
Mississippi State's 2024 schedule
Aug. 31: Eastern Kentucky
Sept. 7: @Arizona State
Sept. 14: Toledo
Sept. 21: Florida
Sept. 28: @Texas
Oct. 5: BYE
Oct. 12: @Georgia
Oct. 19: TEXAS A&M
Oct. 26: Arkansas
Nov. 2: UMass
Nov. 9: @Tennessee
Nov. 16: BYE
Nov. 23: Missouri
Nov. 29: @Ole Miss
Mississippi State two-deep
QB: Blake Shapen (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Chris Parson (RS-Fr.)
RB: Davon Booth (Sr.-TR.)/Jeffery Pittman (Sr.-TR.)
TE: Seydou Traore (Sr.-TR.)/Justin Ball (RS-Sr.-TR.)
WR (X): Jordan Mosley (RS-Jr.-TR.)/Trent Hudson (Jr.-TR.)
WR (Z): Kelly Akharaiyi (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Braylon Burnside (Fr.)
WR (H): Kevin Coleman (Jr.-TR.)/Mario Craver (Fr.)
LT: Makaylan Pounders (RS-Jr.-TR.)/Jimothy Lewis Jr. (Fr.)
LG: Marlon Martinez (Sr.-TR.)/Jacoby Jackson (RS-Jr.-TR.)
C: Ethan Miner (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Canon Boone (RS-Jr.)
RG: Albert Reese IV (RS-Jr.)/Grant Jackson (RS-Sr.)
RT: Leon Bell (Sr.-TR.)/Amari Smith (RS-Fr.)
DE: De'Monte Russell (RS-Sr.)/Deonte Anderson (RS-Jr.)
NT: Kedrick Bingley-Jones (RS-Jr.-TR.)/Kalvin Dinkins (RS-So.)
DT: Trevion Williams (RS-So.)/Sulamian Kpaka (RS-Sr.-TR.)
JACK: Donterry Russell (RS-So.)/Ty Cooper (RS-Jr.)
WILL: Stone Blanton (Jr.-TR.)/Javae Gilmore (RS-So.)
MIKE: John Lewis (RS-Jr.)/Nic Mitchell (RS-Jr.)
SAM: JP Purvis (RS-Sr.)/Branden Jennings (RS-Jr.-TR.)
LCB: Traveon Wright (RS-Fr.-TR.)/Brice Pollock (So.)
SS: Isaac Smith (So.)/Chris Keys Jr. (RS-Sr.-TR.)
FS: Corey Ellington (Sr.)/Jordan Morant (RS-Sr.-TR.)
RCB: Motre Miller (RS-Sr.-TR.)/Kelley Jones (RS-Fr.)
NICKEL: Brylan Lanier (RS-Jr.-TR.)/Hunter Washington (RS-Jr.-TR.)
