Skip to main content
mississippi-state logo

Ethan Pulliam focusing all his effort on football

3rupauk8_400x400by:Robbie Faulk•04/04/25•

RobbieFaulkOn3

image0 (2)
Mississippi State punter Ethan Pulliam

It’s been a couple of weeks since Ethan Pulliam has devoted all of his time to the football field.

The Starkville High School graduate was signed to play both baseball and football for Mississippi State and he spent the last two seasons doing what he could to help Chris Lemonis’ team. After redshirting a season ago for football, however, Pulliam has decided its time to focus on punting.

“Incredibly supportive of Ethan. I love the fact he was playing baseball. (But) I’m fired up about having him,” head coach Jeff Lebby said of his decision. “I don’t necessarily love how it worked out being in the middle of things and obviously supporting our baseball team like crazy.”

The 6’2, 190-pounder started with State baseball in the fall of 2023 and then began his work as a true freshman that spring. After sitting for most of the first half of the season, Pulliam got a chance to play for Lemonis’ squad and would ultimately work himself into the starting lineup during SEC play.

In 27 games, Pulliam started 20 times and batted .227 with 15 hits, seven runs, five doubles, one home run and 11 RBI. He had a .348 slugging percentage and a .307 on base percentage.

A crowded second base and outfield made playing time difficult for the sophomore and he played in seven games early this year with one start. Pulliam had two hits in six at bats including his first career triple and was hit by pitch twice.

Pulliam brings the boom

Now that Pulliam has stepped away from baseball, it has allowed him to focus solely on punting the ball. It’s his second spring with the Bulldogs after practicing part time last year and being with the team as a freshman redshirt in 2024.

Pulliam was a great baseball player for the Yellowjackets as he earned Starkville Daily News Player of the Year and All-State selections, but his ability at punter is hard to ignore. With a background in soccer that dates back to his younger years, Pulliam would step into the football realm in high school and take to it like a fish in water.

During his senior season, Pulliam had cemented himself as one of the top punters in the country as he booted 38 balls for 45.8 yards per punt and had 14 of those punts downed inside the 20. His long punt was for 71 yards as he helped the Jackets win a state championship by flipping the field routinely.

Now, Pulliam has a chance to do that with the Bulldog football team. While Lebby would rather his offense score, he understands having great special teams can change games. Pulliam gives them that opportunity.

“I want Ethan to have the ability to be as special of a punter as he can possibly be,” Lebby said. “With him being full time now, he’s an incredibly talented guy that has a chance to be really good for us and I hope we don’t use him much.”

You may also like