Assistant coach Cody Kennedy gets busy rebuilding Mississippi State's offensive line

With no returning starters on the offensive line, Mississippi State’s Cody Kennedy knew he had to get to work in the transfer portal the day he arrived in Starkville. A veteran SEC offensive line coach, Kennedy did just that with four new transfers in the trenches and all four are expected to be critical parts of that group this fall.

Earlier this week Kennedy met with the media to discuss his group and shared his thoughts on his offensive line room:

Q: Your thoughts on your group heading into camp?
Kennedy: I think Day 1 when you get here, no returning starters at all on the yard. So the first thing, you gotta go recruit and get the right people in here. Obviously, this day and age you got the transfer portal and you utilize that. We were able to bring four guys in and they’re all going to be contributors. More importantly, I think they’re really good people. I think they add to the room in unselfish ways, which in this day and age when you do that and sign people, I think you have to recruit the person as much as you recruit the player.

Guys are going to come into this situations. You got all these personalities blending together and that’s been the biggest thing I’ve seen through my time here. They want to hang out with each other. They care for each other. That used to be a given in the Oline world. Now with the fabric of the game and how you are managing rosters, it’s kind of been a lost art. I think that’s one positive. The guys we brought in from the portal are very mature guys, understand what we’re trying to get done. They understand they’ve got to go compete for their opportunity, too, and there’s not going to be any handouts around here. They’ve really taken to that.

Ethan Miner, we got out of the portal and a center. Jacoby Jackson working mainly working at guard with a little bit of flex to him. Marlon Martinez at guard but also some flex inside with him. Mak Pounders, those guys are new adds to the room. Then you got guys that have been here and there’s also a maturity level with them, too, that they have to take on and hey, I got to go compete, too. Just because I’ve been here, there’s not a handout for that either. We’re gonna get the best five guys out there at a time. Every day you got to go compete and every day has to be an ‘on’ day.

You have to really build that competition, that gentlemen’s competition, where you are going out competing against each other but also having a good attitude and be able to break bread with them after practice and build those relationships. That’s kind of been the spring theme leading into fall camp and then building depth with some of your young guys that are on the yard.

Q: How crucial was it getting transfers who have a lot of college reps?
Kennedy: I think it’s huge. You get here Day 1 and realize there’s no starters coming back and Coach Lebby has touched on this, as well. We have a lot of guys that have played a lot of college football. They may not be in maroon while doing it. But a lot of those guys are bringing that edge and that older mentality. I think it’s really important and it goes both ways. Before you had this option, you didn’t have to deal with as much as turnover and you didn’t have the issue it presents. But now, not having those guys coming back, in Year 1 of a program really gives you an advantage to fill those holes through the portal.

Q: How do you approach transfers and not promising them a starting spot?
Kennedy: I think you got to be honest in the recruiting process. Yes, there is an opportunity. But the handout piece of it, if you build your unit on those handouts and those freebies, at the end of the day when things get tough you’re gonna have a lot of guys that don’t step up for you. I think it’s huge that you attack that on the front end of the recruiting process. We have opportunities for you and I was a big-time opportunity dealer in the portal because we did have that.

But I think it’s a mindset of how you talk to the guys. From Day 1 us being honest. IF you try to cloud it up or paint a different picture from what you want, there going to assume something different. So just being on the same page with that. Let them know that every day is a job interview and you’re going to get opportunities. For how long you hold on to that position definitely depends on your performance out there day-in and day-out.

Q: What’s their relationship like with quarterback Blake Shapen?
Kennedy: I think it’s growing, I think it’s good. I think the spring period allowed for that growth within that relationship. I think that is a huge factor in college football and how quickly you can build that and how quickly can you get the right personalities in the room. I think honestly, it shows up a lot more on the field. When you take that and look at those relationships, when things get tough you want to be around guys you trust and guys you have that bond with.

So I think it’s an overlooked trait. A lot of people talk about the roster turnover, transfer portal and things like that. But really, when you get down to the bare bones of it, it is how quickly you can build a trust and communication with those guys. You got to guide them into that as a coach and make sure you are monitoring that and nurturing that as much as you can.

Q: Why was Albert Reese the right choice to go to SEC Media Days?
Kennedy: I think he’s a guy that’s seen it all. I think he’s earned the right to be there. He’s a leader. He’s one of the strongest pound-for-pound guys on this team. Guys look up to him and he’s got an awesome story from start to finish and he’s still building that. A word you don’t want to use is potential and I kind of tell my guys potential is what it is. You haven’t done it yet. But everything from spring ball leads to (Reese) being a guy for us and a leader within the room and somebody that can grasp the offense quickly and successfully. So we’re looking for him to have a great year.

Q: Malik Ellis is a guy who had to play tight end out of necessity last year. Where is he working on the offensive line?
Kennedy: He is on the interior offensive line, primarily in spring ball at center as well as guard. I think when you float as a player there’s no target. He has seen throughout spring ball that there’s a target now. He’s worked diligently day-in and day-out. He really is hard on himself, which is a trait that a lot of offensive linemen have. We all want to be pleasers at heart and get the atta-boys and good job. But he is really hard on himself to do great things. I think that’s a trait he possesses that is going to serve him well not only in football but in life, that he’s trying to work every day to hit that target. I think he sees things that are attainable and has a goal.

Q: Has Amari Smith worked outside?
Kennedy: Yeah, he’s been primarily at tackle there with the second group primarily. He’s coming along. When he got here and you walk up on the kid, he checks all the boxes from a physical trait standpoint. His journey is just body mechanics, body movements, controlling the body. But he has all the tools in the tool box. It’s when to use them, where to use them and how to utilize those tools.

Q: And Jimothy Lewis?
Kennedy: Yes, he’s primarily at tackle. A lot of times with those younger guys that haven’t played as much football, just leaving them stationary to see what their growth can be before you start shuffling around. And those are two guys that are in that category of really talented guys but not as much flex as what we talked about with the older guys that have played a lot of football. You want to keep those younger guys in one spot to see how they grow and their growth potential.

Q: A lot of coaches want 10 offensive linemen in the rotation. How doable do you think that will be?
Kennedy: I think that’s always the goal. I think with flex positions and guys that can play here or here, you can get to that in a myriad of different ways. Maybe not this guy only playing tackle in that 10 but also playing guard and a flex position, or guard and center. You can get to fill those slots. I think it’s something we always have to continue to do and it’s not just here. It’s in college football in general, working to build that depth as much as you can so when things happen throughout the season you are prepared for the inevitable. Hopefully it doesn’t happen but you are going to have to lean on that depth at times.

Q: What is David Turner’s defensive line looking like?
Kennedy: Always a pain (laughing). He does a great job with them. Just working against them every day and cliche, but iron sharpens iron. You want those guys to give you the best possible look every day. I always say don’t go easy on anybody. I’m over there sometimes as their biggest cheerleader, too, and we want your best shot every time you give it to us and prepare us for Saturdays in the fall.