Mississippi State football: What to watch for in Jeff Lebby's first spring game
STARKVILLE — Davis Wade Stadium won’t be hosting a slam dunk challenge or hot dog eating contest on Saturday – at least that’s the expectation. However, the home of Mississippi State football will be the site of an important day for coach Jeff Lebby.
As his first offseason with the Bulldogs progresses and the regular season approaches, Lebby will get a look at where his team stands with the annual Maroon & White spring game.
As he approaches the regular season with the Bulldogs, Lebby will get his first look at how his team has developed in the spring game.
In a matchup of offense against defense – in which a scoring structure will be put into place for each side to earn points – the Bulldogs will provide their first glimpse into what Lebby and his staff have implemented since he was hired in November.
Lebby came to MSU after serving as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator. His ability to build one of the nation’s top offenses made him a lucrative option, and Saturday (1 p.m., SEC Network+) will be his first chance to show off what he’s bringing to Starkville. It will also give a look into how MSU’s defense looks under new coordinator Coleman Hutzler.
Here’s what we’ll be keeping an eye on Saturday.
How comfortable does Blake Shapen look?
Lebby’s hiring came shortly after quarterback Will Rogers entered the transfer portal. While Chris Parson is returning for his sophomore campaign, finding a starting quarterback was an immediate priority.
He landed former Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen to fill the void. After adding the transfer, Lebby made it apparent that he’s felt for a while Shapen was right for his system.
Is Lebby correct in that assessment? Saturday likely won’t provide a definitive answer as Shapen, along with most of the offensive players around him, hasn’t had enough time to develop under a new coach and style.
However, the spring game will show how far MSU has come in a short amount of time or how much work is left to do when August arrives.
Who has emerged in Mississippi State’s secondary?
Mississippi State, like most teams going through a coaching change, had to retool its roster via the transfer portal. The offensive line, for example, will look much different, but the Bulldogs brought in a variety of talent or proven players from the power conference level to fill holes.
However, MSU left some questions in its secondary.
Top corner Decamerion Richardson declared for the NFL Draft as did safeties Marcus Banks and Shawn Preston Jr.
Safety Corey Ellington returns as the lone proven upperclassman in the group. Corner Brice Pollock and safety Isaac Smith are also back after showing promise last year, but they’re only in their second seasons.
The secondary is filled with inexperience and uncertainty. Saturday could provide some answers.
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Can Jeff Lebby continue to build excitement?
Oftentimes, it’s hard to find things of value in a spring game. Last season, Rogers was connecting with receiver Zavion Thomas on deep passes to suggest Mississippi State’s offense under Kevin Barbay would be explosive. Instead, MSU averaged 181.8 passing yards per game.
Though it didn’t pan out, the big plays in the spring game built some energy around the program and carried momentum into a successful summer of recruiting.
Mississippi State’s spring game comes as part of Super Bulldog Weekend. MSU baseball will be hosting an important series against Auburn, with Saturday’s first pitch coming after the spring game.
Last year, MSU baseball saw more than 16,000 fans come to Dudy Noble Field for the Saturday of Super Bulldog Weekend. It’s a weekend where Lebby has a chance to impress fans and bring energy toward the football program after a five-win season.
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi State football: 3 storylines for Jeff Lebby's spring game
