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Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby for the Bulldogs defense

Online Niel October 29, 2024

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State’s defense, despite signs of improvement in recent weeks, isn’t very good.

The Bulldogs (1-7, 0-5 SEC) rank 129th among FBS teams in total defense, 124th in scoring defense and 125th in rushing defense (after allowing 359 yards to Arkansas). They haven’t recorded a layoff since their game against Texas a month ago.

The offense performed better, but not enough to make up for Mississippi State’s defensive deficiencies.

So it was no surprise that coach Jeff Lebby spent more than half of his Monday’s press conference answering questions about his defense. Here are the highlights he had to say:

If the defense’s struggles are a personnel or coordinator issue…

It’s a group thing. At no time will there be only one person. We’ve talked about how a ton individually is the best thing possible, so collectively we have an opportunity to play the way we need to play. Again, we showed great improvement three weeks before Saturday. Saturday we didn’t play, we didn’t play the way we needed to play on the defensive side of the ball.

On the defense’s struggles to make in-game adjustments…

It’s pre-snap. When we make an adjustment on the sidelines after someone has done something we didn’t see on tape, we’re coaching them, teaching them, and correcting them on the fly. We have to be able to take that meeting, which is literally an inter-unit meeting, and be able to go and enforce it. We have to be able to do that from sideline to court, even if you don’t get another rep like you would in practice.

Regarding possible changes based on injured and unavailable players…

We’re really trying to make sure we stay tight game-plan wise; trying to give our guys the ability to play free, play fast and keep their eyes clean. We will continue to do that and try to continue to limit some of the mistakes.