A day later, on the last afternoon of the event, Jeff Lebby took the podium for Mississippi State — and set the tone immediately. He said that as he thinks about year three, the whole focus is on taking the next step, and that’s what the fall is about. He traced that mindset back to January, calling the ability to retain talent through the portal window one of the things he’s proudest of since arriving in Starkville.
The numbers back up the trajectory. MSU won two games in Lebby’s first season, then climbed to five wins last year. That 5-7 finish undersells things, though — the Bulldogs lost three one-score games, two of them in overtime, and still capped the season with a bowl appearance. Lebby made clear he believes the roster is in a better place now and is confident MSU can turn the corner in year three. The Bulldogs open the season at home against Louisiana Monroe, and while they’re far from one of the SEC’s most hyped teams, Lebby thinks this group has the makings of a surprise season.
Quarterback Kamario Taylor was the biggest name to come out of the session — and not just from Lebby. Nick Saban, speaking a day earlier on SEC Now about the depth at quarterback across the conference, singled out Taylor as a guy nobody’s really heard much about yet but called “the truth” and genuinely, really good. Lebby himself joined the SEC Now desk to set the stage for the season, highlighting Taylor specifically among the players to watch.
Running back Fluff Bothwell also got a moment, with a reporter noting the local tie before asking about his outlook. Lebby said Bothwell has a chance to accomplish a lot this year — he was banged up for stretches last season, played well against Tennessee, then missed a couple weeks afterward — but he’s put in the work with his body and is now in a position to feel better than he’s ever felt, with real optimism about his ceiling. Lebby also fielded lighter questions during the session, including one about a viral TikTok dance video out of the program. Joining him in Tampa were wide receiver Anthony Evans III and cornerback Kelley Jones, both representing the program alongside Taylor.