STARKVILLE — Dan Mullen doesn’t see his defense changing.
Since last season, the Mississippi State football coach has replaced all four of the defensive coaches on his staff and has hired a new defensive coordinator for the third-straight year.
Despite all of the new faces, Mullen expects MSU to play defense like it always has under his watch.
“That’s always going to change, a little bit of that personality and a little bit of that play-calling,” Mullen said last week at Southeastern Conference Media Days in Hoover, Alabama. “But our philosophy will not change.”
Mullen said the Bulldogs will continue to have 11 guys running after the ball and being in attack mode. That was evident last season, as MSU had 30 sacks under former defensive coordinator Manny Diaz, who took the same position at Miami. The defense also played that way in four seasons under Geoff Collins, who is now the defensive coordinator at Florida.
Mullen hired former Southern California linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Peter Sirmon to replace Diaz as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Mullen picked 19-year NFL veteran Brian Baker to coach the defensive line, former Louisville coach and Florida State standout Terrell Buckley to coach the cornerbacks and be the recruiting coordinator, and former Iowa State coach Maurice Linguist to coach the safeties.
Mullen said he makes sure the coaches fit into the “Bulldog philosophy” before he hires them.
“Peter certainly does that,” Mullen said. “He is going to bring a different personality and a little different flair for our players. The feedback from the players I’ve gotten has all been extremely positive of his energy, what we’re doing defensively and how we’re going about teaching it.”
Sirmon also served on defensive staffs at Washington, Tennessee, Oregon, and Central Washington. He played four seasons at linebacker for Oregon and seven seasons with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.
His experience as a player and as a coach has eased the transition for the players.
“He relates really well to the players,” MSU rising senior linebacker Richie Brown said. “NFL guys tend to relate to us a lot better because they kind of know what we have been through. He is bringing new things to the table, but we are still Mississippi State defense. I’m really excited for this season.”
Brown led the Bulldogs with 109 tackles (13 for loss) in 2015. He recorded six-and-a-half sacks, one interception, two pass breakups, three passes defended, and three quarterback hurries. Brown was named to preseason watch lists for the Butkus Award (top linebacker) and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (top defensive player). The media selected the Long Beach native to the preseason All-SEC third team last week.
Rising senior defensive lineman A.J. Jefferson has worked well with Sirmon.
“He’s a great guy, a real people person,” Jefferson said. “You can tell he’s been in California for a while because he really just brightens up everybody’s mood. With him, we have defensive meetings. Every coach is in the business of getting you better, and I like that about him. I can tell he’s very passionate about what he does, and he loves it.
“As far as getting us better, I can tell you he’s in the business of getting me better because he wanted me to learn every position up front. I can tell he wants me to be versatile so I can show what I can do.”
Jefferson had 47 tackles (13 1/2 for loss) and five sacks last season. He forced one fumble, had seven quarterback hurries, and was credited with three pass breakups. He was named to the preseason All-SEC third team.
Brown and Jefferson were part of a defense that allowed 391.2 yards and 23.2 points per game last season. All of the Bulldogs used their 15 practices and the Maroon and White game in the spring to get to know Sirmon and their new coaches. There wasn’t a lot of time to adjust, but Brown feels like the Bulldogs have grasped many of the concepts.
“I think we’re learning quick,” Brown said. “Defense is defense. There’s little different words, little different lingo, but defense is still cover one, two, three, whatever and go tackle the guy with the ball. Once we get the lingo down and we can communicate well, I think things are going to go pretty smoothly.”
One of the new concepts Sirmon is working on is a 3-4 defense. The Bulldogs have used the 3-4 in the past, but they might use it more with Sirmon. In Sirmon’s 3-4 defense, he has what is known as a “viper position.” The position acts as an outside linebacker/defensive end hybrid that rushes the passer and sets the edge. That player also will drop into coverage when needed.
Will Coleman, Traver Jung, and Anfernee Mullins worked at the position in the spring. Being a defensive end, Jefferson said he has to work closely with the player in the viper position.
“We both have to be on the same page because there might be times where we’re both rushing and he’s not dropping and he has to know if I’m going to shoot so he can come underneath or if need to go inside so he can stay outside,” Jefferson said.
Mullen hopes the additions of Sirmon, Baker, Buckley and Linguist help MSU’s defense retain is aggressiveness and grow in other areas, too.
“There is a new taste and new flavor in the defensive room this year, and I think our players are really enjoying that,” Mullen said.
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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