Jeff Lebby is Ready to Leave his Mark at Mississippi State

First-year head coach Jeff Lebby wants to leave the program in a better place than when he arrived.

Jul 17, 2024; Dallas, TX, USA; Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby speaking at Omni Dallas Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Patzke-USA TODAY Sports

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Saturday will be a day of many firsts for Mississippi State fans, players, and coaches. The Bulldogs open their season against Eastern Kentucky and will be led out by new head coach Jeff Lebby.

Lebby, who started coaching as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma in 2003, has had a long road to this point. The Andrews, Texas native has been an offensive coordinator at four schools: Southeastern, UCF, Ole Miss, and his alma mater, Oklahoma.

During that time, he became a revered offensive mind in college football with his wide-open veer-and-shoot scheme, initially started by his father-in-law, Art Briles. However, not his offensive prowess but his ability to connect with players has helped him so far in his first offseason as a head coach.

The Bulldogs brought in 19 transfers during the winter and spring periods, and it is imperative that the new faces bond if State wants a successful season. Lebby has given each guy a smooth transition.

"I think the way Coach Lebby relates with the players makes us feel like we are at home," MSU quarterback Blake Shapen said. "The main thing with Coach Lebby is how he communicates with us."

The 40-year-old is the younger head coach in the Southeastern Conference. Each city across the SEC has a bond with the university, and Starkville is no different.

Lebby has felt the community's love for Mississippi State football.

"There is an incredible connection here and a community that has a great love for this university," Lebby said. "For me, that's fun to be a part of."

For a first-time head coach, it can be overwhelming to perform the everyday tasks after years of focusing on their side of the ball and now taking responsibility for everything. This week, Lebby will be going through his first game week as a coach, first stay in a hotel as a team, and first walkthrough.

Despite the immense responsibility, Lebby considers it important to follow in the footsteps of previous greats and establish his own legacy within the program.

"I'm thinking about the players and coaches that have come before us," Lebby said. "I am just a keeper of the room right now, knowing that at some time, hopefully, a long time, somebody else will lead this program. . .I want to leave it better than I found it."

Obviously, every team's goal is to win every game and compete for conference and national titles, but a first-time coach must establish the culture. Lebby spoke on what he wants to see from his team and how he wants to establish momentum wrapping up 2024.

"We want to look up after the last week of the season and be ready to go to a bowl game, and we want to be trending up," Lebby said. "It's important that Mississippi State is trending the right way."