Cowbell Corner

How Much Blame Do Mississippi State's Coaches Deserve for the Defense's Poor Play?

The Mississippi State defense has been bad to start the year, but how much are the coaches to blame?

Jacob Bain

Sep 7, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Sep 7, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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Mississippi State football has limped out to a 1-3 start to the season. While it has been a struggle in all areas for Mississippi State so far, the offense has shown some signs of life, but the defense has not.

First-year head coach Jeff Lebby hired an inexperienced defensive play-caller, Coleman Hutzler, to run the defense, and let's just say it's been a bit of a struggle.

However, Hutzler did work under brilliant defensive minds in his career, like Nick Saban and Will Muschamp - he's been taught by the best. Unfortunately for Mississippi State fans, the coach's early returns are not promising - but are these growing pains, or is there a problem four games in?

His unit has been bullied and pounded on for the past three weeks, and the question is how much blame falls on Hutzler's shoulders.

Hutzler will get all the blame because he is the coach, which is the nature of the game, but he was not dealt the best hand either., but ...

This is what a rebuild looks like. Even so, being 111th in the nation in total defense isn't okay. The talent level does need a boost, the transfer portal needs to do more, and there will be plenty of opportunities for the young players to see time, but for now, that doesn't help.

Jeff Lebby and the offensive staff revamped that side of the ball, and it'll take even more work with QB Blake Shapen out for the year. But now we get to see what Hutzler can do on the other side to try coming up with something, anything that starts to work.

At 1-3 and the brutal schedule ahead, a bowl game is a distant dream. It'll be about getting better over the next eight games, seeing what works for 2025, and using this time get this whole thing rebuilt.


Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI:

Will Blake Shapen Return to Starkville in 2025? (si.com)

Mississippi State's Defensive Woes Continue in Loss to Florida

Jeff Lebby Recaps Mississippi State's Loss To Florida, Blake Shapen Injury

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Jacob Bain
JACOB BAIN

Jacob Bain first joined Cowbell Corner as an intern, and was promoted to lead day-to-day coverage in Starkville of Mississippi State sports in 2023. His primary beats include football, baseball and basketball. He's originally from Fulton, Miss.

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