The New Look Bulldog Offensive Line is Taking Shape

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Change is a constant in life, and Mississippi State football fans have experienced much of it over the past seven years. Jeff Lebby is taking over as the next head coach and is the fifth different guy to have the role since the 2017 season.

However, in the modern age of college football, fans must learn new names every year due to the transfer portal. State recruited the transfer portal hard and, in doing so, completely overhauled some position groups.

The offense line has experienced the most change since the arrival of Lebby as the group returned no starters, and their coach was not retained. Lebby brought in former Arkansas coach Cody Kennedy to coach the offensive line, and it was an excellent fit.

Kennedy was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award (top assistant coach) in 2021 when he coached under Razorback offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who runs a similar veer-and-shoot system as Lebby. However, before stepping on the field, Kennedy knew he had much work to do, and he was impressive.

"It's day one here, and we have no returning starters. The first thing is you gotta go recruit," Kennedy said. "In this day and age, you gotta take advantage of the transfer portal, and we brought four guys in, and they are all going to be contributors."

Kennedy's hard work paid off, as he signed an impressive group of offensive linemen with vast experience. Makylan Pounders (Memphis), Ethan Miner (North Texas), Marlon Martinez (LSU), and Jacoby Jackson (Texas Tech) round out the group.

Due to the nature of its recruiting, building a roster or unit around the transfer portal can be challenging. Veteran players sometimes want a guaranteed spot, but Kennedy did not experience those problems with this group.

"The guys we brought in from the portal are very mature guys and understand they have to go earn their spot," Kennedy said.

The offensive line needs experience to be consistently effective. While the Bulldogs did not return a starter from last year's squad, their portal haul has a combined 64 starts.

"Yeah, I think it's huge when you get here and realize no starters are coming back…. but we have alot of guys that played alot of college football," Kennedy said. "It may not be in Maroon while doing it, but alot of those guys are bringing that edge and older mentality."

Despite the influx of talent from the transfer portal, Albert Reese, a lineman entering his fourth season in Starkville, has received constant praise from the coaching staff. The Edmonton, Alberta native took first-team reps at left guard during the MSU spring game but has needed versatility as he also worked at right tackle.

The 6-7 330-pounder was selected as one of three attendees for MSU during SEC Media Days, which seemed like a sign that the Bulldog veteran was poised to be a leader. Reese said that despite so many new faces, the camaraderie between the group is strong.

"We have bonded very well, especially considering we all have come from all over the place," Reese said.

Like many other Bulldogs, he has dealt with his fair share of coaches, whether head coaches or position coaches. Kennedy is working to establish his mentality with his group, and Reese mentioned what his new coach harps on.

"There are three main things: effort, physicality, and execution," Reese said. "He hammers all those down every practice."

Kennedy has a proven track record coaching offensive linemen, but his recruiting work has been the most impressive during his first few months on campus. He also has seemed to fill his room knowing the group needed to gel instead of just adding talented players.

A selfless attitude is imperative for an offensive line, but Kennedy said that, due to varying factors, it is almost a lost art in modern college football. Kennedy gave a brief inside look at his recruiting pitch and also discussed the importance of building his group properly.

"You have to be honest in the recruiting process. Yes, there is an opportunity, but if you build your unit on handouts when things get tough at the end of the day, guys won't step up for you," Kennedy said. "Every day is a job interview, and you will get oppturnties, but it's up to you how long you hold that position."