Mississippi State’s first scrimmage of the season gave fans and coaches a jolt of hope for a much-improved defense. Under offensive coach Jeff Lebby, the Bulldogs showed a new defensive energy, creating turnovers and making big plays that just weren’t there last year.
Lebby, even though his main job is offense, couldn’t hide his excitement over what the defense did during the scrimmage. The Bulldogs’ defense, which really struggled last season, looked like it might finally be turning a corner.
The scrimmage put the defense’s knack for forcing turnovers and negative plays front and center. That’s something they desperately needed after last year’s struggles.
Key Defensive Statistics from 2024
Last year, the defense just didn’t get it done. Mississippi State tied for 63rd nationally in defensive touchdowns and ranked 105th out of 133 teams in turnover margin.
They were 107th in interceptions and near the bottom in sacks. Those numbers make it obvious: the defense needed a serious overhaul.
Lebby’s Focus on Turnover Battle
Lebby keeps hammering home how crucial it is to win the turnover battle. He says a positive turnover margin bumps up the team’s chances of winning in a big way.
He pointed out the defense’s ability to create momentum-changing plays during the scrimmage, especially a wild scoop-and-score by cornerback Kelley Jones that went about 50 or 60 yards. Plays like that can shift a game in seconds.
Cohesion and Trust: The New Defensive Attitude
One of the most encouraging changes? The defense’s unity and effort. Lebby mentioned the whole defense walking together from the Seal Complex to Scott Field, which honestly sounds like a small thing but really shows their growing trust.
This sense of togetherness led to a strong defensive performance, with guys backing each other up and making big plays as a group.
Defensive Line Depth
Lebby gave the defensive line some love, saying they can rotate 10 or 11 players without much drop-off. That kind of depth is going to matter in the SEC, where the games get brutal late in the year.
Building on Momentum
The Bulldogs get a day off after the first scrimmage. They’ll try to keep this momentum rolling into next week and see if the defense can keep trending up.
The second intrasquad scrimmage should show if this improvement is real or just a flash.
Offensive Adjustments: Striking the Right Balance
The defense might’ve stolen the show, but the offense had its moments too. Lebby admitted the offense made some explosive plays, but he didn’t shy away from the fact that turnovers were a problem.
He knows the offense has to take better care of the ball to really help out the defense.
Offensive Highlights
Even with the turnovers, the offense flashed some potential. There were a few big plays that showed this group can score if they can just cut down on the mistakes.
Learning from Mistakes
Lebby and his staff aren’t letting the offense off the hook. They’re focused on fixing what went wrong and making the right adjustments for future practices and games.
Second Intrasquad Scrimmage
The next scrimmage is a chance for the offense to bounce back and for the defense to prove this wasn’t a one-off. Coaches will be watching closely for consistency and improvement from both sides.
Season Expectations
Honestly, nobody knows how much these early changes will matter until the real games start. But the signs are there, and the Bulldogs look like they could take a step up in the SEC.
If they keep forcing turnovers, building trust, and rotating fresh legs on defense, they’ve got a shot at something better this year.
Mississippi State’s first scrimmage brought a real shot of confidence for the team and fans alike.
The defense looked sharp. The offense showed flashes of what it could become.
They’re still working out the kinks, but you can sense some optimism building for Mississippi State football.
Want more details and updates? Check out the full article on 247Sports.
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