The Energy is High for Mississippi State Football

Spring football is a week old in Starkville, and there is a buzz on the practice field.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby claps and shouts as the Oklahoma Sooners warm-up. BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY / BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Mississippi State Bulldogs continue to work through spring practice under first-year head coach Jeff Lebby. When they speak after practice, the energy level is the common denominator for every player and coach.

Lebby is notorious for his up-tempo offense, so naturally, practice will be more energic and fast-moving, but it has spread. The defensive side of the ball has matched the intensity of their new defensive coordinator, Coleman Hutzler.

The former Alabama assistant coach stood out during Tuesday's first 20 minutes of practice with his temperament and passion. Lebby seems to have done an excellent job of relaying his message because there is no lack of buy-in from the players.

"The attitude, the effort, and the commitment to wanting to be great has been really good," Lebby said.

There are many new faces on this roster, as 30 new high school and transfer portal guys have entered the program for the second semester. However, this staff still expects a lot from the players, and the workload is heavy.

The players have accepted the work and have handled it with a good attitude.

"Our guys have done a good job," Lebby said. We have put a lot of work on their plate, but their energy, their attitude, the way they are straining their toughness is what we want."

With an entirely new scheme on both sides of the ball to install this spring, it should be great news for Bulldog fans that the players are showing this type of energy. However, excitement does not always translate to success, and they are still working on executing the way this staff demands.

"We got to continue to get better in all areas, but our want to is really good," Lebby said. "We are nowhere close to where we are gonna be by the time we kick it off."

Lebby does not want his players focused on long-term goals; instead, he wants them to live in the moment. Mississippi State needs some normalcy after a wild few years, and their new coach seems to have brought that by instilling his philosophy of getting better every day.

"For our guys, it is about finding a way to correct from the day before, and our guys have done a good job," Lebby said.