Jeff Lebby is Establishing his Culture at Mississippi State

The first-time head coach is looking to establish a proper culture.

Jeff Lebby / Mississippi State Athletics

When Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon launched a search for a new head coach, he was searching for a program that needed stability. The MSU football program had four different head coaches since 2017 and was on the heels of missing a bowl game for the time since 2009.

It is tireless because the on-field product is secondary when searching for a head coach. Finding a leader who can properly run a program and has the mental capacity to handle the extreme scrutiny is crucial.

However, Selmon opted to bring a guy with no head coach experience but someone he had a personal relationship with. Former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby was named the head coach at Mississippi State, and not only was it a promotion and pay raise for him, but it was also a new level of pressure.

Every new head coach wants to instill its core values into a program to make it uniquely theirs. Lebby did just that, and with the transfer portal windows in December, he did not have much time to get comfortable.

"For us, it was the guys knowing exactly what we expected of them as they walked in the building," Lebby said. "Our guys knowing what they were going to get into, the expectation, the culture, and I could not be more proud as we look up seven months in, getting ready to start fall camp inside of two weeks, and our guys have taken to it."

Focusing on the little things is critical when handling a pressure-packed job, especially for a first-year head coach when there are always distractions. Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban would notoriously yell, "Do your job!" Is the secret to success as simple as those three words?

No. However, it constantly reminds players and everyone surrounding the program of the foundation that must be adhered to. Lebby follows suit as he preaches his core values.

"We talk about four things nonstop inside the program," Lebby said. "We talk about having fun, being tough, being competitive, and then being accountable, and we break those things down in different ways, but for me, having fun in the doing, that matters."

Fun can be lost in the shuffle when establishing a program, but from an outsider's perspective, enjoying the process of getting better is a positive and brings out the best in players. Embracing the challenges can also create positive energy among teammates, which is extremely helpful for the Bulldogs this season as they welcome many new faces to their locker room.

A positive for college coaches building a culture is they have complete autonomy over which players they bring into their program. Talented players are a must, but finding a guy who can both identify and thrive in the culture both on and off the field is essential.

"Yeah, to me, you have one opportunity to protect the program, and that is by who you choose to be inside the locker room," Lebby said. "So finding the right people and finding the right guys that will thrive in our incredible college town and our community will be forever important because that is how you protect the program, and that's how you protect the pick."

John Lewis is a Mississippi State veteran. He was a member of the 2021 recruiting class, and his career has been tumultuous. He will now play under his fourth different head coach since arriving in Starkville.

The Canton, Miss product notices a difference between his new head coach and his previous ones.

"Energy," Lewis said. "It's been great since he came in because I feel like we have more energy, and it's more of a family, more than just football."

The camaraderie can also be felt by the starting quarterback, Blake Shapen, a transfer from Baylor. The Shreveport, La. native arrived in December and got to go through spring practice.

"Very beneficial (spring practice)," Shapen said. "Knowing that I get a whole spring, a whole, what, five, six weeks of training and going through the offense, the footwork and everything that goes into it."

Despite the low expectations surrounding this team, the energy of the coaching staff has instilled confidence in this group. Lebby has been adamant about success in year one, and creating a culture where players expect success even when nobody else does is perfect for Mississippi State, which is routinely undervalued.

"I feel like that (being overlooked) fuels us in a way that makes us want to go out there and prove a lot of people wrong, and I'm excited," Shapen said.