Mississippi State Football is Adjusting to New Tempo under Jeff Lebby
STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs have started spring practice, and while there are various changes, none is more significant than the pace of play. First-year head coach Jeff Lebby is bringing something to Starkville that has yet to be seen: an up-tempo offense.
Those familiar with the SEC know about the speed of play of teams like Tennessee and Ole Miss; now, the Bulldogs will see a variation. Lebby has worked under Josh Heupel and Lane Kiffin, so the pace of play is a big deal for the former Oklahoma offensive coordinator.
Bulldog veterans are still getting acclimated to the speed because both Kevin Barbay and Mike Leach called offenses played with little to no tempo. Junior receiver Jordan Mosley explained how spring workouts prepared them for the pace of play and how the transition is easier than some suggest.
"This offseason, we did a lot of running," Mosley said. "I wouldn't say it as tough as people make it seem."
There is a method to the madness because playing at a high tempo puts the defense on its heels and tests its endurance. The extra conditioning will give MSU an advantage.
"I have an advantage over my opponent each and every rep," Mosley said.
It will be an adjustment throughout the spring and fall, but Lebby is impressed with the player's progression.
“I love the fact that they have responded to everything we have asked them to do,” Lebby said.
Another adjustment the players are getting used to is the ability to execute at a high level, even when tired. While the Bulldogs have the advantage of being used to the speed, that does not mean they are exempt from fatigue.
“I think our guys are feeling that right now,” Lebby said. “The understanding of how we are gonna execute when we are tired.”
It was important for the Bulldogs to get a lot of their transfers and freshmen in for spring football so everyone can understand the scheme by the time fall practice rolls around. However, credit to Lebby for putting together a staff that has prior knowledge of his offense, whether that be under him or Kendal Briles, who runs a similar scheme that familiarity, is significant for MSU.
The staff having prior knowledge avoids a learning curve for them, so they can entirely focus on teaching the players.
“Everyone on that side of the ball has great system knowledge outside of Bump (Chad Bumphis),” Lebby said.
With all the changes around the Mississippi State football program over the past few years, some guys have had three different coaches in three years. However, despite all the turmoil, the players have had good buy-in to the new staff and are eager to learn.
“There's been really good energy,” Lebby said. “They have taken and ran with everything we have asked them to do”
