The 2024 college footballs season is just a few weeks away, and fall camp is underway in Starkville. Mississippi State football enters camp with some major questions about the team ahead of Jeff Lebby's debut season.
Here are five burning questions facing the Bulldogs in fall camp...
Does Blake Shapen have a full grasp of the offense?
Blake Shapen was brought-in by Jeff Lebby to run his potent offense in year one. Shapen is a veteran who's played well throughout his career, but Lebby's system is very different than what he's used to. He looked very comfortable in the spring running a bare-bones version of the scheme. Now in the fall, more will be on his plate. Can he pick up the rest of the offense and be able to execute it at a high-level?
Does the Offensive Line gel together?
State will have five new starters along the OL in 2024, with at least three of those five being transfers. It's a brand new group of guys who haven't previously played together trying to learn a new system while simply learning each other. Cohesiveness is key along the OL, and it's vital that this group can finish gelling in camp. Will they do so and effectively pave the way up front?
Will young Wide Receivers play their way into major roles?
There's a lot of talent in the WR receiver room with some instant-impact transfers and quality veterans. But MSU also signed a trio of 4-star freshman wideouts this year in Stonka Burnside, Mario Craver, and JJ Harrell. All will have the chance to see the field this season, but will any of them standout enough in camp to justify heavy usage and being a featured part of the offense?
Do disruptors emerge in the Front 7?
For the first time in a while, State enters a season without any proven commodities in the Front 7. There's talent in that room, but we've yet to see the high-level play needed from a SEC defensive front. This defense needs play-makers to step-up. Can a DL like Trevion Williams or LB like Donterry Russell emerge as a big-time disruptor that opposing offenses have to worry about?
Can a pair of Cornerbacks rise above the rest?
Cornerback is the single biggest question mark on the entire team. Entering camp, we have no idea who'll start at either CB spot on this defense. But State needs a pair to rise above the others as SEC-caliber starters. Might that be young guys like Brice Pollock or Kelley Jones? Perhaps transfers like Montre Miller, DeAgo Brumfield, or Traveon Wright? Regardless of who, the Bulldogs need multiple CBs to emerge.