Early foundation set as Jeff Lebby prepares for year one in Starkville
At Jeff Lebby’s core, the simple things are what matter.
He’s a family man who loves football and smalltown life. It’s why he’s found himself quickly at home in the Starkville community. From trips to the Little Dooey for fried catfish to building relationships with random people inside the small, southern town nestled in Oktibbeha County, it’s right where he wants to be.
“It’s exactly who we are as people. I love the fact that my kids are going to go to school every day and the expectation is to say, ‘yes sir and no sir, yes ma’am and no ma’am,’” Lebby said of living in Starkville. “There is great community, great connection and great support and there’s this atmosphere about being together and that is special because that’s exactly who we are.”
What Starkville is all about is what Lebby is all about. Despite having no experience as a head coach, he has spent enough time coaching football, learning under others and building relationships to know what he wants his program to be about.
So far, the bare bones of Lebby’s program revolves around some of the same things that has made Mississippi State successful in years past.
“From a culture standpoint, we’ve got the foundation laid how we want. People know how we’re going to operate inside the building,” Lebby said. “Fun, tough, competitive, accountable – those are the four things we’re going to stand and live by. I want our guys to understand that you can have fun in the doing.”
The players are indeed having fun so far.
Linebacker John Lewis arrived to Tuesday’s SEC Media Days in Dallas alongside Lebby and kept a smile on his face throughout the festivities. His personality already lends itself to that kind of emotional response, but “fun” for he and his teammates is being bred by the man in charge.
It’s changed the atmosphere inside the Leo Seal Jr. Complex and taken a tumultuous program the last year and a half and made it a little more stable.
“It’s been great since he came in, because I feel like we have more energy, and it’s more of a family, more than just football,” Lewis said of Lebby. “We all are closer together than we’ve ever been and our locker room environment is great.”
While Lebby deserves a lot of credit for the stabilization inside the locker room and total team buy in, expanding his staff is a big reason for the shift.
One of the first things Lebby did when he arrived in Starkville was request more bodies inside the building. Just simply adding people wasn’t the goal, Lebby has been involved in and signed off on all 63 personnel hires.
“It was a huge deal,” Lebby said of expanding his staff. “Just constantly trying to find ways that our student athletes are having the best possible experience they can have. With that creates opportunities from a personnel standpoint to get guys in the building and mastering their role.”
Lebby’s work is just beginning. The coach has made strides in the offseason with the transfer portal, recruiting, hires and laying that foundation, but the games are on the way.
A lover of all things football, Lebby doesn’t plan on resting any time soon.
“It’s been incredibly constant, but it’s been a ton of fun. We’ve gotten a lot accomplished over the last seven months and I couldn’t be more proud with where we’re at from a personnel standpoint with the people that are inside our building,” Lebby said.
“Our guys have bought in and ran with what we’re trying to create from a foundation standpoint. A ton of work to do, but we couldn’t be more excited about where we’re at and where we’re going.”
