WATCH: MSU AD Zac Selmon welcomes Jeff Lebby
Zac Selmon welcomed Jeff Lebby, the new head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs, in a press conference with media on Monday night. The hiring marks Selmon’s first as the Mississippi State AD.
Selmon’s Mindset
When Selmon set out to make this hire, he knew he had to make a splash. He knew the program was in a state that required someone who could bring a “shot in the arm,” as he said early in the search, to the team and staff, and Selmon feels he hired that exact match.
“I’ve known of coach Lebby for quite some time,” said Selmon. “I think anybody in this business knows and sees the type of person he is, the style of play he has, his ability to attract great people. I think when you have that kind of gravity around you, people take notice.”
The Mississippi State AD also said that a decision was made around Saturday to hire Lebby, and that he and the Mississippi State fan base are extremely excited to have Lebby and his family in Starkville.
“Magnolia Rise”
“Magnolia Rise” was the title given to the head coaching search operation by Selmon. He said that he wanted the name to reflect the upward trajectory that he hopes the football program is headed into underneath its new leadership.
“I’m a visual, name type person, so we named this operation Magnolia Rise,” said Selmon. “That was our mission – to go hunt the next head football coach of Mississippi State, so you understand the responsibility, the weight of these processes, but you also want to have fun…”
Selmon also credited three of his deputy athletic directors for their roles in the hire, along with the rest of the Mississippi State support staff.
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The Starkville pitch
The Bulldog AD also had plenty of good things to say about Starkville in his opening press conference, as he was in the same seat as Lebby just a year ago in uprooting his family and making the move to the Golden Triangle community.
As a father himself, Selmon echoed sentiments that Starkville is a great place to raise a family and build a life, but he also reinforced how hungry the student athletes are to better their craft on and off the field.
“I think it’s easy to share all the great things that happen right here, and I think it starts with a great place to raise a family,” said Selmon. “We’ve got passionate fans, great student athletes. That’s one of the things that Jeff (Lebby) and I talked about is that when you get here, you realize how good our student athletes are, how hungry they are to get better.”
Zach Selmon and Jeff Lebby’s full press conference can be found here and in the window above on browser.
