Opinion: The Mississippi State Offense Needs to be Exciting this Weekend

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State football opens its 2024 campaign this weekend, and it will be the first game for new head coach Jeff Lebby. Since the former Oklahoma offensive coordinator arrived on campus, there has been a buzz about an exciting offense, and the phrase “Showtime at State” has been born.

The phrase excited MSU fans, who were desperate for an exciting offense after a nearly half-decade of stale to downright awful play from the unit. Lebby is sure to right those wrongs, as he has put playmakers in place all around the field and has a staunch reputation for scoring points.

The former Sooner offensive lineman has also put together a solid unit up front for State after signing four instant-impact guys out of the transfer portal.

“I think where we are right now from an offensive line standpoint and where we were on January 15th is two completely different worlds,” Lebby said. “For us to do what we need to do, we need to play winning football upfront.”

This offense and all its new faces will naturally need to click on all cylinders against stiff opponents. However, the Bulldogs do not play stiff opposition this week as they host Eastern Kentucky, who finished 5-6 a season ago.

“We talked about it this morning, and our guys understand this is the biggest game of the year because it is the next one,” Lebby said. “How we prepare and operate never needs to change… What we do on Monday through Friday needs to be advantageous to us.”

From a win-or-loss standpoint, this game does not carry much weight because the Bulldogs could sleep-walk through it and still win safely. However, the offense must deliver on the hype to excite a fanbase kicked in the teeth for the past two years.

The Lebby veer-and-shoot scheme is predicated on big plays down the field and a physical downhill run game. State needs to dominate the line of scrimmage and be able to score at will against the Colonels because of their superior athletes.

Also, since MSU has 11 new starters on offense, it would be a positive sign if the unit can play crisply. Lebby has spoken about everyone adjusting to the tempo he likes to play with, and he has said the group has taken positive steps forward.

The transition from the practice field to Davis Wade Stadium must be smooth because modern fans can quickly lose interest in a product. The Bulldogs have not routinely packed the stadium for home games since Dan Mullen was the head coach, and ever since his final season, it has been challenging for State fans to buy back into this program.

Sure, there have been positives, such as Mike Leach’s final season, when they finished with an 8-4 record, but something has been missing. Lebby has not shied away from being expected to deliver on his past successes in Starkville, but now it is time to show it.

If the Bulldog offense can score 50 points and make several big plays, whether on the ground or in the air, fans will breathe a sigh of relief. MSU has a good chance of being 3-0 heading into their SEC opener as they host Florida.

If all goes to plan and State showcases the excitement the fans want to see, there could be a near-capacity crowd when the Gators come to town.