The Mississippi State Bulldogs rebuild is under new head coach Jeff Lebby, and it starts at quarterback. Former starter Will Rogers entered the transfer portal, ultimately ending up at the University of Washington. Blake Shapen joins from Baylor University and seems to have the starting position locked down for the 2024 season. Shapen has completed over 62 percent of his passes during his collegiate career. Shapen passed for nearly 2,200 yards last season despite not missing four contests due to injury. There is backup Mike Wright who brings wheels and saw action last season due to injury, but coach Lebby will likely go with the quarterback he brought in through the transfer portal.
Mississippi State Bulldogs New Head Coach Jeff Lebby Ready To Show What He Can Bring
The hiring of new head coach Jeff Lebby was about more than a new coach for Mississippi State football. His arrival provides an opportunity to revamp the perception surrounding the program. “Blue-collared” has surrounded MSU for years, and while that’s still true, coach Lebby brings new phrases like “Swag” or “Showtime” to the new regime in Starkville, and he has a chance to show everything off Saturday, April 20 at the Mississippi State Spring game.
There’s importance to Lebby’s first spring game that extends beyond football. The spring game is going to feature offense versus defense. Like a lot of spring games being played around college football, a scoring structure will be put in place where both sides of the ball can score points. While the defense has earned praise from players and coaches throughout the spring, Lebby’s tenure will be judged on how he can turn around this offense. It’s been nearly a decade since the Mississippi State Bulldogs had a top-five scoring offense in the SEC.
The Offensive Turnaround Depends On Coach Lebby And This Guy
It doesn’t seem there will be a quarterback competition at MSU with Baylor transfer Blake Shapen, who’s expected to start for the Bulldogs in 2024. However, it still bears watching how Shapen looks moving to a new spot. There’s also more talent behind him worthy of attention. The Mississippi Bulldogs retain Mike Wright, who started three games last season while quarterback Will Rogers battled an injury.
When Will Rogers was healthy though, Wright was used in special packages to utilize his running ability. The Vanderbilt transfer elected to stay at Mississippi State which means coach Lebby may have an idea of how to use him, so Wright still could play a role in this offense when all is said and done. This is coach Lebby’s first head coaching job, but he has proven he’s capable of running an offense considering he was the offensive coordinator for Central Florida, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma. But what about defense?
Coach Coleman Hutzler’s Defense Going Into The 2024 Season
Coach Lebby’s defensive coordinator is none other than Coleman Hutlzler. Hutlzler has coached at Alabama, Ole Miss, South Carolina, and Florida within the SEC. But coach Hutlzler still needs to prove himself at Mississippi State. Hutzler has primarily worked as a linebackers coach and special teams coordinator during his career. Ranging from scheme to how players will fit certain roles, the defense for MSU will garner the most questions and eyeballs. Hopefully, the Bulldogs provide some answers to the defense in the coming months before the upcoming 2024 season