STARKVILLE — The temperature didn’t quite match the sunshine as Mississippi State’s 2026 football team took the field at the Leo Seal Complex on Tuesday for the first sessions of spring ball. It was just around freezing when players and coaches made their way out at about 9:15 yesterday morning, but the team was ready to get back to work and take the first steps toward facing ULM on Sept. 5.
Taylor stepping up
One of the big positives for MSU was the sight of Kamario Taylor moving as normal after a scary end to the Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest. The freshman quarterback was carted off after an ankle injury that would require a minor operation, but he recovered quickly and is back to work as QB1.
“He had a really good day today,” Lebby said of Taylor. “He was moving around great, and it’s been really good to see him fully healthy.”
Getting back to work means unpacking both the good and the bad from Taylor’s freshman campaign, which saw him go from a situational and red-zone weapon to starting quarterback for the Egg Bowl and Mayo Bowl.
“As you look at him today, he’s learning how to play the position,” Lebby said of his growth. “I think one of the greatest things for him is us being able to go and, as hard as it was, watch the bowl game, watch the Egg Bowl, and see him make decisions inside those games, where he flashed, and he did some incredible things, but man, playing the position, creating predictable outcomes, putting the offense in good situations. It’s something that he’s gonna continually get better and better at.
And he’s taken to it. He’s worked his butt off to get himself ready for this morning. And he’ll continue to need to work like heck, which I know he will, to get better every day.”
The Bulldogs did have three new faces at quarterback, veteran transfers AJ Swann and Jaden Rashada and true freshman Brodie McWhorter. Lebby plans to have a different guy getting second-team reps every day until someone starts to separate and claim the primary backup job.
New faces
It’s the nature of the modern game to have so many new faces added through the transfer portal and with early enrollees coming in each spring, but the Bulldogs had plenty of new faces shouting instructions to the players as well.
There are nine new coaches who have joined Lebby’s staff since the end of last season, but the process has been smooth for big transitions positionally and with the defense as a unit under Zach Arnett.
“The last thing I did leaving the office last night was talk to some of the new guys, and this was gonna be the first time on our grass, on the grass together, and just, ‘Man, you guys good? Anything that you’re concerned with, or anything that I need to make sure we’re cleaning up?” Lebby said. “And there’s been great conversation, communication, and everybody was ready to roll this morning.”
While Arnett might not be new to Starkville, he is a new face for a defensive unit that has struggled to stay consistent and do the most important job: hit the quarterback.
The Bulldogs reloaded with some new defensive line and edge-rushing talent, and return Will Whitson after a season-ending injury led to an injury redshirt, but the most important addition could be the direction from a veteran playcaller on that side of the ball.
“I like having him on my staff more than coaching against him,” Lebby said. “He’s done a great job. He’s been the same guy every single day. As the defense has gone through the install pieces of it and learning what his expectation is and what we’re doing schematically, he’s continued to put those guys in positions of success, whether it’s through walkthroughs, through the last 7.5 weeks, and getting guys on the same page, or today, and getting ready for day one of practice.”
The trenches
The biggest problem for MSU’s offense last year was inconsistency on the offensive line. Timing in the passing game and attempts at a consistent running game were constantly interrupted by busted assignments up front and a failure to win at the line of scrimmage. It became a focus for the team in the transfer portal, and the staff believes the offense will be much more sound up front next season.
Lebby looked to the improvement of guys like LJ Prudhomme and Tyler Miller as “SEC guys” who can make an impact despite limited experience. The team also returns Blake Steen, who was injured in the first game of the season and missed the rest of the campaign.
“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’ll be close.”
Transfer Brandon Sneh found out he was out of eligibility a few weeks ago, complicating the search for a new left tackle, but Lebby was impressed with the options in front of him.
He named transfers Miles McVay and Saquon Miles as options for the spot, as well as Jakheem Shumpert-Perkins and Isaiah Dent as swing-tackle options.
Overall, considering the work done to overhaul the group that returns only Canon Boone from last season’s starting unit, the coaches were impressed with the work ethic and believe that they have guys who can transform the room.
“The competition piece, the bodies, the length, the size, and the strength in that room, is finally where we need it to be,” Lebby said. “Now it’s about getting ready to go play.
“There was great intent. Our leaders, they’ve got some really good juice about them right now.
I think it’s flowing through the locker room and through our building, which has been really good to see. And, man, there’s gonna be a ton to clean up, but, again, our intent has been really good as we got back in the building yesterday morning, got off grass today.”
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