Jeff Lebby analyzes how Michael Van Buren has handled learning as a freshman

True freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren probably didn’t expect to play much this season after signing to Mississippi State along with senior transfer Blake Shapen. Who also joined the Bulldogs this offseason with over 5,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in his college career.

But when Shapen went down with a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 4 against Florida, the keys to Mississippi State’s offense were handed to Van Buren. Who’s yet to lead the Bulldogs to a win this season, but has definitely not looked like a freshman so far this season.

“He’s handled it in a really good way,” head coach Jeff Lebby said during his weekly press conference. “Again, I think people outside the building have been very quick to talk about how incredible he is, while he’s gotten challenged inside the building every single day. That will continue to happen.”

In his first four career starts Van Buren has scored 10 total touchdowns. Completing 57.2% of his passes for 1,101 yards with plenty of room to grow and learn from one of the brightest offensive minds in college football.

“I’m coaching that position every single day, and we have to make sure that we take out the plays that are really bad and create productive plays when a picture isn’t perfect,” Lebby explained. “And so I thought the dude played incredibly tough, I thought he fought his butt off. He made some unbelievable plays, but then his bad plays were ones that we gotta take out of our game.”

Last weekend against Arkansas Van Buren notched two career-highs after throwing for 309 yards and completing 71% of his passes. Throwing for two touchdowns but also turning the ball over four times through interceptions and fumbles.

“But it’s been week to week challenging him just to be better every single snap. The fact that he’s 19 and a true freshman, at the end of the day it doesn’t matter. I gotta get him ready to go play to win,” Lebby concluded.

Van Buren has a golden opportunity to secure his first career win as a starter this Saturday when the Bulldogs host UMass in a matchup kicking off at 4:14 p.m. ET.