WATCH: Mississippi State linebacker Branden Jennings embracing training-camp vibes

Braden Jennings enters his junior season this fall and he’s already well-traveled within the college football landscape. The Bulldog linebacker opened his career at Maryland where he earned Freshman All-American honors before making brief stops at Central Florida and Kansas State.

Last season Jennings found himself in the Magnolia State where he spent one season at Hinds Community College. The Florida native then signed with Mississippi State last December and began his Bulldog career in January.

On Tuesday, Jennings made his first appearance in front of the Mississippi State media and shared his thoughts on training camp among other topics:

Q: Your name has been mentioned a lot throughout camp. What have you done to hit the ground running?
Jennings: I just attack every day, to be honest. Same mindset every day. Effort, physicality, that’s what’s on my mind every time I hit the field.

Q: You got off to a great start at Maryland. Do you feel like you are getting back to that?
Jennings: I feel like if anybody has the most faith in my ability, it’s definitely me. I feel like I’m going to put that on display this season and carry on where I left off.

Q: You’ve been a lot of different places. How’s Mississippi State been for you?
Jennings: It’s nice and peaceful. It’s real family like. I just love all the guys, my teammates. Everyone has just welcomed everyone and I feel like we are all getting used to each other.

Q: How does it help you to just focus on football, too?
Jennings: Oh, I’m always focused on football, to be honest, whether there’s distractions or not. I do feel like it does play a part in that, for sure.

Q: You came in with a lot of other juco guys in this class. How’s it been having other Mississippi juco guys come in with you at the same time?
Jennings: Well, I have played against a lot of them so I know they can play. I feel like they can definitely make an impact and there’s no doubt about that, to be honest.

Q: At Hinds Community College, you played some on the interior at linebacker. What’s your experience been playing jack linebacker and on the edge more?
Jennings: You will be surprised and they’re moving us around a lot. At that jack position, we’re playing off the ball, on the edge, inside the box. They’re moving us around. I’m real comfortable with it. If anything, I probably get more on the edge stuff that you asked me about. But it’s nothing too crazy. I feel like I can do it all.

Q: With Donterry Russell and Ty Cooper also at jack linebacker, how much does that competition drive y’all every day in practice?
Jennings: I feel like it’s nothing but motivation. I love competition. I feel like those guys are coming out trying to get better every day. That’s helping me get better every day and I love it. I want to compete. I want us to come out there each and every day and get better. I want everybody on the team to have that mindset. I definitely think if that carries over to the season it’s going to be a good run for us.

Q: Coach Coleman Hutzler likes the word aggressive. How’s it been playing in his position group?
Jennings: I know when I hear it I love physicality. Everybody on our defense is going to have that mindset and it’s going to start with him (Hutzler). We’re going to come into every game ready with that mindset so yeah, I think that will help us.

Q: How do you feel like Sunday’s scrimmage went?
Jennings: I caused a lot of havoc back there. Of course, I want to be a lot sharper on everything and get right with our fits. Make plays off the edge and get in the backfield to do whatever I can do. And just sharpen up.

Q: Who’s caught your attention so far on offense?
Jennings: We have a lot of playmakers at a lot of different spots. Running back with (Keyvone) Lee, Johnnie Daniels, Jeff (Pittman) and (Kevin) Coleman (at receiver). Blake (Shapen) has been throwing some great throws in the pocket with pressure. We’ve been causing a lot of pocket pressure and he’s been doing a good job getting the ball off. So I think that will be good.

Q: Who has been the toughest running back to take on?
Jennings: I’m taking on everybody. Just all three of those guys (Lee, Daniels and Pittman) are running with the ball really hard right now. I think the running back room is going to have a big competition going on.

Q: This strength staff emphasizes speed. How has that helped your game?
Jennings: Oh I feel it a lot with my burst. Every day we are tracking it right now. We have to hit certain speeds at least one time throughout the week and I think we will carry that out throughout the season. A lot of guys are increasing on their acceleration and that will help us.

Q: Where do you feel like you’ve grown the most since this time last year?
Jennings: Definitely my pass rush. My pass rush has definitely gotten a lot better. Coach Hutzler is definitely helping me and they preach to me. I’m not going to you exactly what moves I’m doing and I got to put that out there. Just know my pass rush is definitely elevating.

Q: How is the defensive line doing with shedding blocks and helping the linebackers out?
Jennings: We are trying to get a lot of the young guys involved. The older guys, of course, they’re creating a lot of penetration. But we want to get the young guys involved to be able to rotate and have a deep rotation going on throughout the season.

Q: You seem to be enjoying training camp?
Jennings: Nobody loves football more than me. I love football. It wouldn’t matter if we were having a good day or a bad day. I’m coming back ready tomorrow for practice.