STARKVILLE — Mississippi State redshirt freshman defensive tackle Fabien Lovett characterized he and classmate Jaden Crumedy as “unstoppable.”
Almost two years on from the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game in which Lovett and Crumedy lined up alongside each other on the defensive line, the duo is slated to do so again as early as Saturday’s season opener against Louisiana in New Orleans.
“We had to take it more seriously,” Lovett said of this offseason. “Because we’re up next and we know we need to get the job done.”
Entering their second season in Starkville, Lovett and Crumedy comprise two key pieces of a defensive line that is majorly retooling. Faced with the losses of Jeffery Simmons and Braxton Hoyett, the redshirt freshman pair is likely to be tasked with filling their shoes.
The 2018 season was one of relative certainty for Lovett and Crumedy as both were headed toward redshirt years. Cognizant they likely would not play more than four games, the duo dealt with the daily battle of maintaining motivation when playing time certainly wouldn’t arrive on Saturdays.
One of four siblings, Crumedy was quick to name his family as his chief reason for staying steadfast in his work ethic.
“I just thought about my family and wanting to keep pushing every day,” he said.
For Lovett, he welcomed the idea of a redshirt year. Rather than see it as a negative, he processed the decision as a way to prepare himself for SEC play.
“I look at it like this, I’m sitting out a year to get better,” Lovett said. “So the next year I’m coming in ready to play, do what I need to do, make some things shake and be dominant.”
With new defensive line coach Deke Adams at the helm, intrinsic motivation has remained a necessity. Adams is of the school of thought players needn’t be pushed for effort. He’s focused on the minute details — those that take a player from good to great with simple changes.
“He understands what’s going on when we’re in there,” Lovett said. “He takes all the small details — he’ll say you did well, but it’s going to be that one thing you messed up on that could change the game.”
With their redshirt years in tow, it’s been an admittedly different offseason and Week 1 for the redshirt freshman pairing. Lovett is listed as the No. 1 nose tackle on the initial depth chart of the season, while Crumedy is slotted right behind redshirt senior Lee Autry at defensive tackle.
And though they are just two of the new faces rampant along the defensive front, the offensive coaching staff has taken notice of the group’s overall talent.
“I know one thing, I see those guys come out of a meeting and they look pretty,” running backs coach Terrell Buckley quipped. “They’re big now and there’s a good defensive line tradition — they’ve played for some good football players, some high draft picks that I’m sure have passed some tricks of the trade down to those guys. I think they’re ready and they’re prepared and ready to go.”
At 6-foot-4, 315-pounds and 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, both Lovett and Crumedy are physically equipped for the position this season. In 2019, it’s simply about executing.
“We have a lot to prove,” Lovett said of the defensive line. “We’re going to come out and show what we have to prove.”
Ben Portnoy reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @bportnoy15.
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