For the Mississippi State football team, Tuesday’s open practice session was technical.
Running backs ran through bags, linebackers practiced pursuit and quarterbacks threw skeleton routes.
Yet even with the rather nondescript session, there was plenty of barking and bantering among the linebacking corps.
New defensive run game coordinator and linebackers coach Chris Marve was noticeably vocal. He quickly filled each momentary silence with new commands or instructions for his position group.
Of those looking on, junior linebacker Erroll Thompson listened intently.
“I’ve just been trying to focus on being more of a leader,” Thompson said. “I always took that from (former MSU player) Dez Harris and I’m just trying to come out every day and make my teammates better and myself.”
After Harris went down with an injury Nov. 11, 2017 against Alabama, Thompson took over. He earned Southeastern Conference All-Freshman honors and finished second on the team in tackles last season with 87.
“Last year he did an excellent job and this year he’s going to step up even more,” junior linebacker Willie Gay Jr. said.
Despite having been on the job for a little less than a month, Marve has been thoroughly impressed with Thompson during his short time in Starkville.
In the linebackers room, the Florence, Alabama, native has demonstrated a mastery of the playbook.
“Sometimes during spring ball, especially early on, it’s kind of a 100-level, maybe early 200-level type of class,” Marve said. “But he’s asking 300 and 400, grad school level questions already — which I love because it lets me know he’s not just thinking about what we’re describing but what could potentially happen.”
Outside the classroom, Marve said he’s also noticed Thompson possesses underrated athleticism on the field.
“I think sometimes his athleticism might not be talked about as much but he’s very athletic,” Marve said. “He’s fast, he’s physical, he’s fluid and I mean whatever you ask a linebacker to do in this conference he has the capability to do it.”
There was little to glean from Tuesday’s practice given its walkthrough nature. And even with the season still five months away, reloading on defense remains a concern.
With stalwarts Jonathan Abram, Montez Sweat and Jeffery Simmons off to the NFL, the Bulldogs are in need of stabilizing forces on the defensive side of the ball.
Thompson may be the first puzzle piece to fall into place.
“I know every day we’re coming out and competing to replace those guys,” Thompson said. “It’s hard to replace them but to be the team we’re trying to get to we’ve got to do it.”
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