The Mississippi State Defense Laid a Solid Foundation this Spring

Despite a lot of change, there is plenty of buy-in for the Mississippi State players.

Change has been a consistent theme throughout spring practice for Mississippi State, whether it be new schemes on both sides of the ball or the variety of new faces added to the roster. However, first-year head coach Jeff Lebby is an established offensive play-caller, so the excitement for his group is high, but the defense has many question marks. 

Coleman Hutzler has taken over as the defensive coordinator but lacks playcalling experience in the SEC. The former Alabama outside linebackers coach spent the 2020 season as the co-defensive coordinator for Texas. 

When a team deals with a lot of change on one side of the ball, it is nice to have some players with veteran experience, but that is not the case for the Bulldogs. MSU lost a wealth of experience from last year's team, including the top two tacklers in the SEC, Jett Johnson and Nathaniel "Bookie" Watson. 

However, two MSU veterans—John Lewis and De'Monte Russell — must step into leadership positions on and off the field. Both guys understand their new role and said they learned from Watson and Johnson and want to live up to their legacy. 

"Just follow in their footsteps," Lewis said. 

While he mainly focuses on defense, Lebby brings a lot of energy to the entire team. The former Oklahoma offensive coordinator has praised his team's hard work throughout spring practice, and his energy helps everyone. 

"Probably one of the best springs I have had since I have been here," Russell said. "Energy plays a big part, and that is what Coach Lebby brought." 

The defense struggled at times during the spring game, especially in the secondary, but no matter what group it was, they played hard. While scheme and talent are essential to defense, simply playing hard can fix many issues elsewhere. 

"I feel like everybody has a high motor," Lewis said. 

Mississippi State is known for its rugged and physical defenses as it is often a staple of a Bulldog team. This year will be no different as the group showed they are willing to play hard, but is there enough talent for them to perform well in the SEC? 

The Bulldogs have talented players such as Isaac Smith, Kelley Jones, and Trevion Williams, but none of those guys have played many meaningful snaps. The previous coaching staff did not do an excellent job of letting young guys when games were out of hand, leading this new staff to inherit a lot of inexperienced players. 

However, Lewis says spring practice was a good start to where they want to be. 

"We have set a pretty good (foundation)," Lewis said. "As of right now, the whole team has come together, and we have gotten better as the days go by."

One player who will be essential for MSU after being selected to the all-SEC freshman team a season ago is Russell's younger brother, Donterry Russell. The edge rusher flashed last year, putting up 1.5 sacks, and his 6-4 220 frame is perfect for a pass rusher. 

The two brothers shared a special moment in Davis Wade Stadium during the spring game as they both got a sack on the same play. 

"It's a dream come true and a moment we will forever cherish," Russell said. 

The amount of trust the players have shown in this coaching staff has been impressive, considering the short time Lebby and his coaches have been around them. This defense still has a long way to go, and they will be active in the transfer portal, but their commitment so far is promising. 

"Once everybody comes together and we get where we need to be, we will be good," Lewis said. 

"It's a big step (to have) a big buy-in," Russell said. "The enthusiasm is different."