Jeff Lebby's answer on end-of-game play-calling has Mississippi State fans furious

Mississippi State football suffered its 15th-straight SEC loss Saturday in Gainesville, falling 23-21 to Florida in a sloppy and maddening game. Despite an uninspiring offensive effort, the Bulldogs had a chance to potentially kick a game-winning field goal in the final seconds. They had the ball at the Florida 29 in the final minute. As long as they avoided any disastrous play, they'd at least have an attempt at the win.

But then this happened...

Many have asked where on earth QB Blake Shapen was even trying to throw to because even had the pass not been picked-off, there's no receiver where he's throwing. The answer is that Shapen was not on the same page with his intended target, WR Ricky Johnson. He told reporters after the game Johnson had an option route, which he and Shapen clearly read differently, and just felt he needed to get rid of the ball with the pressure on him.

But even if the two had been on the same page, Shapen never saw the nose tackle drop into coverage. The pass would have been picked off regardless. Bad execution all around.

Why was Mississippi State throwing the ball to begin with?

Blake Shapen's interception was awful, but the even bigger question that Mississippi State fans find themselves asking is why Jeff Lebby even chose to call a passing play in that situation.

State is in field goal range, and they've got plenty of time to spike the ball if they choose to run it. And if you run, you almost certainly will get a crack at the game-winning kick. The only things that cannot happen here are a negative play or a turnover. Choosing to throw opens the door for those things that can't happen with the chance of a sack or an interception, and sure enough, Shapen throws a game-losing pick.

Naturally, Jeff Lebby was asked about his decision in the postgame, and his answer isn't going over well with Bulldog fans.

Lebby felt they needed to gain more yardage to be in "incredibly safe field goal range." Rather than settle on a field goal around 40-45 yards, which is likely with a run, they felt they could get into chip-shot range by throwing. And he went as far as to say that, despite the outcome, "I love the call."

And that statement is going over about as well as you'd expect with State fans...

That's the type of decision and then comment that will have your fanbase turning on you fast. Look, you want a coach to be confident in their process and decision-making, but the last thing fans want to hear after a play like that is "I love the call." This time last month, Mississippi State fans couldn't have been more bought in on Jeff Lebby, but his approval rating is now dropping quickly in Starkville.