Jeff Lebby met with the media on Wednesday, providing an opening statement and responding to several questions. After seeing Lebby's press conference, I developed a few key takeaways that will be critical for the Bulldogs this season.
Jeff Lebby is instilling a winning culture for Mississippi State football
One of the most important takeaways was Lebby's emphasis on creating a new culture of winning at Mississippi State.
“For us, it was the guys knowing exactly what we expected of them as they walked in the building. Our guys knowing what they were going into, the expectation, the culture, and I could not be more proud as we look up seven months in, getting ready to start fall camp inside of two weeks and our guys have taken to it,” said Lebby.
As the new head coach, Lebby must provide a solid foundation for success in Starkville. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs have suffered in recent years, with their last 10-win season dating back to 2014. However, Lebby has a wealth of knowledge, having been tutored by well-known head coaches like Lane Kiffin, Brent Venables, and Josh Heupel.
This still raises the question: Is Lebby the missing piece for Mississippi State football, or another "what if?"
Mississippi State football is embracing SEC toughness
Another key takeaway was Lebby's emphasis on adjusting to the SEC's persistent roughness.
“Toughness, toughness travels. This is a league that is built on toughness. Always has been, always will be. I love that fact of being able to lead our program in a way that creates opportunities for guys to be tough. Mississippi State is built on toughness and edge, and those are things that I’m incredibly proud of,” said Lebby.
Mississippi State's SEC opponents this season include Florida, Texas, Georgia, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Ole Miss. This is a significant test for Lebby's first season as head coach. The Bulldogs' performance against these teams will determine whether the SEC is too tough to handle or if Mississippi State can rise to the challenge.
Jeff Lebby is expanding recruiting for Mississippi State football
The third key takeaway from Lebby's press conference was his strategy to utilize the transfer portal with additional assistance from local Mississippi colleges.
“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. 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,” said Lebby.
I agree with Jeff Lebby that the transfer portal is an excellent strategy to establish success in the modern era of college football. It is the name of the game, and if you are unable to land transfers in the areas required, it will be obvious.
Lebby highlighted a path he and his staff will use when looking for potential players going forward.
“There’s still such great players inside our junior college ranks inside the state. Signed a good amount this past year and hoping to do so in this next cycle, which is going to be big for us,” said Lebby.