Jeff Lebby breaks down how he built his coaching staff

Former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby attracted some of the top minds in the nation with his explosive offensive attacks with the Sooners. In the offseason, he decided to take his talents to Starkville to join the MSU Bulldogs. He’s been busy settling into a variety of his new roles heading into the 2024 campaign. And it didn’t take him very long to formulate a vision of what he wanted his new coaching staff to look like in Starkville.

Jeff Lebby interview with Greg McElroy

On Saturday, Lebby broke down how he built his new coaching staff with the Bulldogs, when he jumped on the “Always College Football Show” with Greg McElroy.

“From a coordinator standpoint on the defensive side of the ball, I wanted a guy that had lived this conference. And that was incredibly important to me. I think you have to know the grind of it. And understand what the week to week is to be able to go have success in Year 1. I believe that. So, Coleman [Hutzler] obviously, while not having the ability to call it. You know, him, getting his shot and getting his chance to be able to go call it,” Lebby explained.

“[It] was a huge deal for him to be able to stay in this league and go do it. But he’s been a part of incredible defenses. Whether it was at Alabama or South Carolina or Florida or Texas. You know, he’s been a part of the some of the country’s best defenses,” the Mississippi State head coach continued.

“And so, him being able to grow inside this conference and then being able to pair Matt Barnes with him was a huge deal. Obviously, Barnesie called it at Maryland. Called it at Ohio State his last year. He’s called it at Memphis the last three. And having him to be able to add is such a big piece to the puzzle. And support Coleman [Hutzler] I think was a huge deal. They had worked together. They’re incredibly close,” Lebby explained.

“There’s no ego and there’s guys in that room, man. Just fought like heck to give us our chance to go win.” David Turner. Obviously keeping DT, because of the success that he’s had here. Again, a guy that’s lived this conference and has understood it. So, that’s what I was looking for offensively,” the MSU head coach continued.

“I did. I wanted guys that had some system knowledge. And guys that had been with me at some point in time. For Cody [Kennedy] from a system standpoint that gets it and understands it as Kendall [Briles] was with him there at Arkansas. So, for me, that was a big part of it. Because there’s gonna be new things happening, that are gonna be a little different for me this fall. So, having guys in the room that know how I think. Know what I want, was huge,” Lebby explained.

Mississippi State gets their 2024 campaign underway on Saturday, August 31st. They’ll face off against Eastern Kentucky. And that one will be a home game for the Bulldogs in Starkville.