STARKVILLE — After rushing for more than 400 yards in each of his first two seasons at Penn State, running back Keyvone Lee saw a significant decline in production in 2022.
The St. Petersburg, Florida, native played in just five games, recording 94 yards on 25 rushes for the Nittany Lions.
At the same time, freshman running back Nicholas Singleton starred, recording the second-highest rushing yards for a true freshman in program history.
Lee needed a change of scenery, a new direction to put a jolt back into his career, and Starkville was the perfect place for him to do that.
“Really the history in the running back room and the coaches and who they are,” Lee said. “It’s also closer to home, so that was a plus.”
While he isn’t anticipated to be the starter for the Bulldogs, with Jo’Quavious Marks expected to be that guy, Lee should get plenty of touches for MSU in 2023.
Lee showed potential at Penn State, running for a career-high 530 rushing yards in 2021, and his play style and personality seems to fit the Mississippi State way.
“The culture here, that’s what they thrive on,” Lee said. “That’s what I do, too. You put both of them together, that’s a good match.”
Adjustments are still going on heading into the 2023 season, but he’s excited to experience life as an SEC back.
“It’s like coming in as a freshman all over again,” Lee said. “Coming from Penn State, it’s kind of different. The offense is kind of the same, but most of the terms they use are different…It was a rough transition, but from where I started to where I am now, I feel like I came a long way…I can’t wait.”
Hughes back with offense and a deep running back room
After another stint on the defensive side of the ball last season, Mississippi State associate head coach Tony Hughes is back with the offense.
The longtime coach with the Bulldogs entering his 12th season in Starkville has seen time coaching safeties, nickelbacks, tight ends and now, running backs.
“I’ll give credit to Coach [Zach] Arnett in having confidence in me to go over and coach the running backs,” Hughes said. “One of the most important positions on the team is running back because you have to run the ball, be in pass protection, block, do a lot of different things…As Coach Arnett said, ‘A football coach can coach football. It doesn’t matter what position.’”
He takes over a deep running back room for the 2023 season, starting with senior Jo’Quavious Marks.
“I really like our depth,” Hughes said. “It creates competition in practice every day. It creates competition in meeting rooms, and everyone has to pay attention to detail because everyone wants to play and have the opportunity.”
MSU ranked last in the SEC in rushing in 2022 at 81.7 yards per game, a byproduct of Mike Leach’s pass-happy Air Raid offense, but did see an uptick from 2021 where they only averaged 63.2 yards per game.
That upward trajectory will continue this season with new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay running the show. Barbay’s Appalachian State squad was 21st in the nation in rushing offense last season.
“Coach Barbay does an outstanding job,” Hughes said. “He’s great from a leadership standpoint. He’s great from an Xs and Os standpoint. He’s very knowledgeable about what he wants to do in his offense…Looking at his numbers everywhere he’s been, he’s been successful, so I know he’ll be successful here also.”
Additions like Lee have the ability to make a big difference, especially in replacing the production of Dillon Johnson, who rushed for nearly 500 yards in 2022.
Players like that have allowed Hughes to spread the touches out more, creating opportunities for better production among more players.
“We’re trying to equalize it as best we can and get the players who have been playing, the experienced guys, as many reps as they can,” Hughes said.
Bumphis looking for ‘complete players’
MSU’s first-year wide receivers coach Chad Bumphis knows what it takes to compete in the SEC, having starred here for four years during his playing career. He’s bringing that knowledge to his players as fall camp progresses, preaching consistency and constant improvement.
He acknowledged the grind that comes with playing college football – the aches and pains that start now and linger throughout the season – noting that most players won’t be 100 percent until “after Thanksgiving.” The key for wide receivers, Bumphis said, is to be able to contribute in multiple ways, whether that be receiving or blocking, and to tune out everything else.
“Remember why you’re doing it. Just keep the main thing the main thing.”
Bumphis has made sure all his receivers are getting opportunities during the early stages of fall camp, with an eye toward who has the potential to contribute on Saturdays.
“It always happens. You give everybody a lot of reps. As you get deeper into camp, the guys show who they really are and who can help us…” Bumphis said.
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