Cowbell Corner

Mississippi State's Future Brightens with Jeff Lebby's Ability to Adapt His Offense

Jeff Lebby showed the ability to adapt his offense, which is key for Mississippi State moving forward.

Jacob Bain

Sep 7, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby 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 head coach Jeff Lebby 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 dropped its fourth straight game in a 35-13 loss to the top-ranked Texas Longhorns. Coming into the game, expectations for Mississippi State were low, as Texas had dominated the whole year while the Bulldogs were on a three-game losing streak.

However, Mississippi State made the game interesting, as the Longhorns held only an eight-point lead going into halftime. First-year head coach Jeff Lebby had an excellent game plan coming into the game, but it went against his standard protocols.

The former Oklahoma offensive coordinator loves to play with tempo, but playing against Texas and its high-powered offense, coupled with the fact that the Bulldog defense was struggling, he decided to slow the tempo down. The game plan worked on the first offensive drive for Mississippi State; the Bulldogs ran 13 plays and took 7:08 off the clock.

Mississippi State did not score any points on that drive, but it set the tempo for the game, which threw Texas off. The Longhorns would score on their opening drive but not again until the final drive before halftime.

Slowing down the tempo and effectively running the ball helped Mississippi State stay in the game. Halfway through the third quarter, the Bulldogs only trailed by eight points, which seemed impossible before the game.

Often, coaches stick to their philosophy no matter how poorly their team is doing, and Mississippi State fans have seen it before with former head coach Joe Moorhead. However, Lebby showed in Austin, Texas, that he was willing to alter his methods to give his team a better chance of winning the game.

Mississippi State has had a tough season thus far, but there are signs of good progress.

Read More Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI:

Resilient Mississippi State Offense Delivers Solid Performance Against Texas

Mississippi State Defense Shows Improvement vs No. 1 Texas, But Issues Remain

When Did Mississippi State’s Upset Attempt Against No. 1 Texas End?

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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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