WATCH: State safety Hunter Washington and Bulldogs' defense ready for season opener
Preparations for the August 31st season opener against Eastern Kentucky got real earlier this week for Mississippi State’s squad. The Bulldogs made the transition from training camp to scout week earlier this week and that process will continue the rest of this week and next week.
Following Wednesday’s practice session, Mississippi State junior safety Hunter Washington met with the media to discuss the latest preparations for the debut of the Jeff Lebby Era in Starkville:
Q: What’s this last week of preparation like before you get into game week?
Washington: It’s going pretty good. Just working on small things and stuff like that. Taking it one day at a time and that’s all that matters.
Q: With so many new faces on this team, how do you feel about the team chemistry?
Washington: Everybody’s been coming together since Day 1. It’s a lot of new faces and with the people from the previous year, we’re just bringing them on and letting them know that we got their backs and stuff like that.
Q: How is Kobi Albert coming along after getting back in the mix this month?
Washington: He’s doing pretty good. He’s getting back to his groove so he’s doing pretty good.
Q: What’s camp been like for you and wanting to prove yourself again?
Washington: I’m just glad to be back and back healthy. Just doing my job and doing what I’m coached to do. My job is more like to play for the team and do what the coach asks me to do. Just go out there and execute.
Q: You’ve been here awhile now and have stepped into a leadership role this year. Which ones of the new guys have also become leaders?
Washington: Really everybody’s been, if I had to say, working to the same standard to the highest peak. Everybody is holding everybody accountable and that is what I like. Stone (Blanton) has been doing good and showing leadership. Brylo (Brylan Lanier) has, as well. So really it’s a big group of leadership that’s around that shows actions more than words.
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Q: In what ways have you showed leadership?
Washington: Just holding them accountable. Just letting them know what the standard is and holding them to the highest ability as possible.
Q: How’s it been practicing against this offense?
Washington: Pretty good. I will say it’s keeping our conditioning up. I’ll say that. But it’s going pretty good and it’s making us better. We both compete so that’s what I like.
Q: What improvements did the defense make from the first to the second scrimmage of camp?
Washington: The first scrimmage, that was really our first time going live and stuff like that. I will say we went back, watched the film and got things corrected. We just went out there and executed, and fixed the little things.
Q: How eager are y’all to hit someone in a different uniform?
Washington: We’ve been talking about it. I told the receivers and I said we’re finally back on teams now. So finally we get to go out there and mess with somebody else on the other side. So we’re ready for the first game.
Q: Are y’all making the scout team pay the price for wanting to hit somebody?
Washington: I will say this, they’ve been showing good looks. I give props to them. They’ve been doing good going out there, working hard day-by-day and taking it one day at a time.
