Everything head coach Jeff Lebby said during Monday's press conference

After a challenging road stretch at a pair of Top 5 teams, Mississippi State finally returns to Davis Wade Stadium this weekend for the first time in nearly a month. On Monday, Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby held his weekly press conference to discuss Saturday’s foe in No. 13 Texas A&M along with other topics:

Opening statement
Lebby: For us, incredibly excited to be back home and be here at Davis Wade. I think, as everybody as seen, we’ve gone on the road the last two weeks and played in incredible environments. I can’t say it enough. Our guys are incredibly excited to be at home in Davis Wade, welcoming back our 2014 team that had such a special season. So we’ve got a lot to be excited about in front of us and can’t wait to see our fanbase being back home.

Q: What have you seen from Michael Van Buren these past couple of games?
Lebby: I think I talked about it a little bit postgame. Proud of how he answered the bell and answered the challenges that happened inside the game. I think if you talk to Mike today, he is going to be incredibly aware of how much better we need to play at the quarterback position. He did some great things. He played with toughness. He found some ways to get himself out of some bad positions after having a really bad start and a slow start, and then put together some drives to get us back in the game. Proud of how resilient he was but again, the message is we have to play better. We have to play cleaner, we’ve got to start faster to give ourselves a chance to feel different in the locker room. Nobody understands that right now more than Mike does.

Q: Do you feel like this team has a new life due to having a new quarterback out there now?
Lebby: I think it’s our guys sticking true to the process, concerning ourselves with us every day. Finding a way to be better today, finding a way to be better tomorrow than we were today or yesterday. As simple as that sounds, that’s the only stress that we have and finding a way on Saturday to be the best we’ve been all year long. That is the constant message and being who we are supposed to be. Not trying to be anybody else, not comparing ourselves to anybody else but truly having the best Monday we can possibly have. Then do the same thing tomorrow and with that, that is how you try to flip it and control what you can control to have a different outcome.

Q: With the passing yards allowed the last couple of games, what sticks out to you on tape with the defense?
Lebby: Like Georgia on Saturday, made some incredible plays down the field and won some 1 on 1s where we’ve got to be in position to stay on top of routes and clash their routes. We’ve got to make sure we’re doing everything we can to not give them layups. Some situational things where we had some opportunities from a communication standpoint to get off the field. That’s where we’ve got to be able to go get off the field. Then at the point of attack and some of our rush 1 on 1s, finding a way to create some pressure on the quarterback. So it’s the front end and the back end. It’s all of us together to find ways to keep them from creating all of these explosive plays.

Q: How is Seth Davis doing with his rehab and is there a timeline for his return?
Lebby: We don’t have a timeline on him. Still rehabbing.

Q: You’ve had some freshmen step up so far this season. What allows certain freshmen to get to that point?
Lebby: A daily process, every day committing to trying to get better. Then when they have the ability to make the play, making the play. I think those are the things that you see out of these guys non-stop, just finding ways to get better. Another young guy that has played his butt off on special teams is Stonka (Burnside). He’s created this role for himself on teams because of his process and being incredibly committed to getting better every single day and controlling what he can control. So he is going to continue to push in that area as well as being able to play on offense. But proud of those young guys, proud of what they’re doing.

Q: Your thoughts on Texas A&M?
Lebby: They’re a football team that’s playing really, really good. They’re playing complimentary football, they’re playing good in all three phases. You look at the defensively, statistically as good as we’ve played all year from a point total that they’re giving up. How they’re playing inside the core, specifically at the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the ball is as good as anybody we’ve played without a doubt. Offensively, the quarterback comes back last week and plays the best game he’s played all year long before they went into the bye week. They’ve done a really good job distributing the ball and is really accurate. They’ve got a good run game to go with it. So we’ve got a Top 15 team coming to town and another great challenge and great opponent.

Q: With the play Brylan Lanier had in the third quarter on the touchdown pass, have you addressed that with him or has he given you an explanation for that?
Lebby: I won’t talk about specifics of mine and Brylan’s conversation. But absolutely we’ve addressed it and talked about it. For him, it’s making sure he doesn’t allow the noise to seep in to who he is and making sure our football team focuses on the things that are inside these walls. For him, knowing the expectation is to go out and make the next play. He’s made a lot of plays for us. He will continue to be a huge factor for us and got a ton of confidence in Brylan to bounce back to get done what we need to get done.

Q: Do you feel like Kelly Akharaiyi is starting to hit his stride?
Lebby: I absolutely do. I look forward to him having a really big back-half of the season. A guy we had great expectations for, obviously had the injury and is just now getting back to who we thought he was going to be. I am excited about what he will be able to do for us.

Q: With Van Buren’s slow start, what was your message to him at halftime or during that slow start?
Lebby: On that fifth series he was able to connect with that big play to Mario (Craver). Then he makes the good play to Kelly for the touchdown to make it 13-10. That big completion kind of got him going and gave him some confidence. Then for him, just being around his teammates and not sitting there thinking the entire time he’s on the sidelines. Getting up and having energy and focusing on what’s next. Again, for an 18-year-old to go in that environment and struggled the way he did early but to come out of it and go play the way he did the last back half of the game and late second quarter, that’s exactly what you want to see as a coach. Proud of him for that. Got to play cleaner, got to play better to give us a chance to win.

Q: How much will a big crowd at home on Saturday affect the players?
Lebby: There’s nothing better. Our atmosphere and our energy is still unlike anywhere in America. For us, that will be a huge advantage for us on Saturday afternoon. Our guys want that, need that. They can’t wait to be back here at home. There’s a bunch of excitement inside our building just for the fact we will be at home in Davis Wade.

Q: What is your message to your recruits with this program trying to move forward?
Lebby: Understanding that there is a plan in place. We are laying the foundation for something that to me, is going to be incredibly special. I’ve never been more convicted about where we’re going. The people that are inside this building understand that and feel that. We want different results, we need different results. That is the focus this week, finding a way to go 1-0 and win a football game. I think for young people, the connection and the vision for where we’re going and not necessarily where we are today. those are things they’ve bought into and will continue to.

Q: Your thoughts on trying to build the program while facing a tough schedule?
Lebby: I think for us you learn exactly who you are and where you’re at every single step of the way. Understanding that inside this league you get to do it with the best and against the best every single Saturday. As a competitor and man to man, that’s exactly what you want. For us to go out, just find a way to have a happy locker room and go 1-0. That’s our focus, that’s our intent. So many lessons have been learned over the last couple of weeks and that won’t change.

Q: How much are you in touch with the history of that 2014 team that is being honored Saturday?
Lebby: We talk a ton about the history of the program. We talk a ton about the guys that came before us and how we are truly keepers of the jersey. I am the keeper of the seat right now. We want to fight like heck to leave it better than how we found it. That’s important for us. Understanding the guys that came before us sat in these chairs and they did it in a way that makes Mississippi State incredibly proud. Every single Thursday we watch a highlight reel of the guys that are in the NFL. That’s how we start every Thursday team meeting so they can see the guys that sat in these chairs before them. I think that’s important as we continue to build this thing the right way. I want to make sure we give credit to those that became before us.

Q: Any word on if Dak Prescott will be back Saturday?
Lebby: Not sure if Dak will make it back or not. Sure hope so. He will have plenty going on but hope he is able to make it back, for sure.

Q: With Brylan Lanier again, he didn’t play any more after that touchdown pass. Was it due to injury or what?
Lebby: Again, I won’t get into the specifics of it. We won’t speak on that. Our conversations and Coach (Matt) Barnes and Coach (Corey) Bell’s conversations, we’ve had great communication and dialogue. I expect (Lanier) to make a full recovery and be ready to roll this weekend.

Q: Any update on Trevion Williams?
Lebby: I do not. That will be Wednesday night.