Jeff Lebby breaks down day one of spring practice

Though many may feel that the 2025 season just concluded, work is now underway for Mississippi State football in 2026.

Jeff Lebby and his staff have begun preparations for the third season of his tenure and a new team now takes the field. Tuesday was the first day of spring practice as the team got on the practice fields at the Leo Seal Jr. Football complex. Several new faces graced the field within the roster but also a lot of new, and old, faces have taken over the coaching side of things.

Lebby spoke to the media about that first day of work and gave his thoughts on the progress of his team from winter workouts into spring.

Question: How did you feel like the first day of spring practice went?

JL: “I liked our guys’ energy. As they got back in the building yesterday morning, there was great intent. Our leaders have got some really good juice about them right now and it’s flowing through our locker room which is really good to see. There’s going to be a ton to clean up, but our intent has been really good as we got back in the building yesterday morning and got back on the grass today.”

Q: How have the new coaches fit in so far?

JL: “It’s been great. I love that both sides of the football, there’s some new faces, but at the end of the day everyone is pulling the same rope. There’s incredible buy in, there’s incredible alignment, and for me that’s been great. Seven and a half weeks of winter training with Shaud (Williams) was really good and you got to see guys involved with their position groups and obviously Zach (Arnett) with his groups specifically.

“The last thing I did leaving the office (Monday) night was talk to some of the new guys that this is going to be the first time on the grass together and ‘are you guys good?’ There’s been great conversation and communication and everybody was ready to roll (Tuesday).”

Q: Kamario Taylor seems fine after his procedure. Any setbacks?

JL: “No everything is fine, he did great. Been really good to see him back and fully healthy.”

Q: The QB room is a different group from last year to this year. What’s that looked like to you so far?

JL: “(Taylor) has done a really good job getting himself ready for (Tuesday) and create some growth in his play and decision making. There’s great competition for the number two spot, which I love. The other four guys are going to get a ton of reps. We’re going to cut them evenly. There’s going to be a different two every single day until one guy starts to separate a little bit. From an 18-year-old true freshman that got here in January to AJ (Swann) who has been at three different places, is a fifth-year senior and has been through a lot and played a lot of ball; you’ve got a wide range of guys that are going to go out there and get ready to go  compete.”

Q: How is Zach Arnett different than the guy you coached against?

JL: “I like having him on my staff more than coaching against him. He’s done a great job and been the same guy every single day. As the defense has gone through the install and learning what his expectation is and what we’re doing schematically, he’s continued to put those guys in positions of success.”

Q: What’s one of the biggest things you want to see over the next few weeks?

JL: “We’ve got two things that we’re going to talk about over the next five weeks and that’s creating trust and becoming a team. With the new guys, new staff – we want to create trust on both sides. From the standpoint of them trusting themselves as players and creating trust from a staff standpoint, that’s how you become a football team. We need that in the next five weeks. Off to a really good start and we have a ton of work to do and a ton to clean up, but those are the two things that we’re fighting to do every day.”

Q: Any injuries right now?

JL: “There are some postseason surgeries that we’re going to continue to rehab and guys will do the right thing and make sure we’re timing it the right way to get them healthy. Nothing out of the ordinary.”

Q: Last spring, you were concerned right away about your offensive line. Where are you with that group?

JL: “With where we’re at today and where we were last year and the year before, first day of practice is night and day. Without a doubt, it’s the best that we’ve been from a body standpoint, a physical standpoint and a talent standpoint than we’ve been the three years I’ve had spring ball here. We’ve got a lot of work to do and need to find the right eight to 10 to play competitive football. I love the seven and a half weeks they had in the winter. Day one, we’ll be able to get in there and watch the tape, but I love where we are compared to last year.”

Q: What’s your confidence level that some of those younger lineman that haven’t done it yet will be able to help in a big way?

JL: “LJ Prudhomme was very involved in what was going on (at Arkansas). Tyler (Miller) was a little different because he had the surgery last year and was out and didn’t get to develop quite as much in practice that you would like to as a true freshman. But those are two guys that are SEC, real, big-time offensive lineman. They’ve got a lot out in front of them, but there’s a lot more to that room and that group that is going to give us a chance to be the best we’ve been up front and I don’t think it will be close.”

Q: Who do you see competing for the left tackle spot?

JL: “We had Miles McVay out there, Saquon Miles, Jakheem Shumpert is being able to swing from right and left, Isaiah Dent… We’ve got the ability to have real bodies and real competition. Ja’Elyne Matthews was banged up through winter workouts but is back with us so he’s rolling and is feeling really good. He’s another one that is going to be able to swing and compete. We didn’t have that a year ago today – I think we’re all very aware of that. The competition piece, the bodies, the length, the size and strength in that room is finally where we need it to be. Now it’s about getting them ready to play.”

Q: You got Kamario in here early last year. What’s the biggest difference you’ve seen in him?

JL: “There’s a ton of them. There’s some predictable outcomes right now as we go through the offense and the install when a year ago today, he didn’t know what he didn’t know. He’s out there just kind of playing football and right now, as you look at him today, he’s learning to play the position. One of the greatest things for him is us being able to go back and, as hard as it was, watch the bowl game and watch the Egg Bowl and see the decisions inside that game where he flashed and did some incredible things.

“Playing the position and creating some predictable outcomes and putting the offense in good situations is something that he’s going to continue to get better and better at it. He’s taken to it, he’s worked his butt off to get ready for this morning and he’ll continue to work like heck to get better at it.”

Q: Are you planning on doing a spring game?

JL: “We’ve actually got a couple of things in the works that we’ll announce here in the next week – some fan engagement things and one of our big scrimmages. We’ll put that out here hopefully in the next week.”

Q: What have you seen out of some of the freshman?

JL: “We’ve gotten a good bit of those guys in like the two running backs JJ (Hill) and Cooper (Crosby). Both of those guys physically are really good. They’re both really intelligent and are really skilled. They’ve got a long way to go, but I love who they’ve been inside the building and that’s been good to see. Leon Noil, Dalton Toothman are guys from an o-line standpoint that were big time recruits, but then you get them in the building and they work tirelessly and do exactly what they need to do.

“Micah Nickerson on the defensive side of the ball looks like a fourth-year junior. He came in and was 207 pounds and he’s 255 pounds now and looks great. That’s been fun to see him starting to grow up and do some good things being just a baby and getting going. (Jaiden Taylor) has already changed his body and what he’s doing at safety, you can hear him when he’s out there. He’s going to be talking and have fun doing it, but he’s a guy that I love how he’s worked and what he’s done with his body since he’s gotten here.”

Q: You guys retained your roster better than you have since you’ve been here. How important was that?

JL: “That was goal number one – retention. Across the country, you look at the teams that retained really well and they had the ability to take the next step the next year. We retained really, really well and that was the number one goal as we got into it. There’s people inside the building that have got great belief. There is trust with the people that are returning and they see where we’re going.

“That’s where it all started for us and then it was acquisition and attacking the right way. There are a couple of pieces that are still left out there where we’ll have some spring visits with a couple of guys and see where it shakes out. But really proud of our staff and everything we were able to get done from a retention standpoint.”