Bulldogs Add More NFL Experience to Offensive Line Room

Mississippi State wrapped up its first week of spring practice on the field, but Jeff Lebby is still busy shaping the program off it.

The latest move, reported by Gene's Page's David Murray, came Friday with the addition of former NFL lineman Brandon Fusco as the Bulldogs’ new assistant offensive line coach.

If you’ve been paying attention, the theme is pretty clear. Lebby keeps adding pieces that point in one direction: improving the offensive line. And bringing in someone with Fusco’s background fits that plan.

Fusco played eight seasons in the NFL, starting 87 games and carving out a career built on technique, toughness and consistency.

That is exactly the kind of experience you want in a room that is still rebuilding under Phil Loadholt. Fusco will work alongside Loadholt and analyst Ben Tawwater, giving Mississippi State another set of eyes and another voice for a position group that needs depth, development and stability.

His path to this point is part of what makes the hire interesting.

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Fusco didn’t even start playing football until his junior year of high school. He went overlooked, chose Slippery Rock, became an All-American and eventually had his number retired. That kind of climb tends to resonate with college players who are still figuring out who they can be.

Mississippi State’s offensive line has been a work in progress for two straight seasons, and Loadholt is facing another major rebuild.

Adding someone who has lived every version of the grind — from small‑school recruit to NFL starter — is the kind of move that can quietly raise the floor of a position group.

It’s not a splashy hire, but it’s a smart one. And it fits the bigger picture of what Lebby is trying to build: an offense with more answers, more development and more people who know what it takes to play at a high level.

Spring Practices Continue

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Mississippi State held its third practice of the spring Saturday morning. The Bulldogs have 12 more practices to go and those practices will play a big role in shaping next season’s offensive line.

“These next 15 practices are big for guys like Tyler Miller and others,” Lebby said earlier this week. “Tyler had surgery last year, so he’s still developing, but those guys are SEC-caliber linemen. There’s a lot of talent in that room, and it gives us a chance to be the best we’ve been up front.

“We’ve got real competition (at left tackle). Myles McVay, Saquon Miles, Jahkeem Shumpert, Isaiah Dent, and others are all in the mix. Ja'Elyne (Matthews) is back healthy after being banged up in the winter, and he’ll compete too. The depth, size, and strength in that room are where they need to be now.”