Synergy.
It’s not just every tech startup founder’s favorite word, it’s a vital step in teambuilding for any sport.
In football, where the performance of individual units working together dictate a team’s fortunes, it’s not just a prerequisite for success, but for operating at all.
Last year, Mississippi State’s offense lacked synergy from the jump.
Penalties, three-and-outs, wrong reads, wrong routes. The Bulldogs weren’t exactly turning the ball over at a high rate, but they struggled to get going, and it set the tone for a bad season.
With so many changes in personnel, cohesion and consistency can be a challenge, but MSU head coach Jeff Lebby and his staff have more trust in the offensive unit and their ability to build some momentum this time around.
The Bulldogs have a few returning leaders to help establish some continuity despite the roster turnover. Quarterback Blake Shapen is back, as are running back Davon Booth, tight end Seydou Traore and wide receiver Jordan Mosley to lead their respective skill position groups.
Lebby spoke at SEC Media Days about the importance of Shapen’s return as the leader under center, someone who knows the offense and how to run it.
That consistency is a foundation for the offense as it brings along several newcomers, particularly at wide receiver, with six transfer arrivals.
“It’s a huge advantage,” Lebby said. “Inside this system, regardless of where I’ve been, who I’ve coached, you look at the quarterback in Year 2 of the system, and it’s been a huge, huge jump. And again, through four games last year, we didn’t do what we needed to do while he was the starter, but you look at him statistically and from a production standpoint, the guy was playing pretty clean football, and he’ll build on that in a great way.”
Lebby champions a style of offense that wide receivers love, and there are lofty expectations for the pass-catchers despite seeing so many departures from last year. Ayden Williams and Brenen Thompson both showcased their abilities in the spring game, and along with newcomers Anthony Evans and Markus Allen, the group offers both explosive playmaking and a passion for the game that had receivers coach Chad Bumphis beaming ahead of fall camp this week.
“I’ve had really good rooms, this may be my favorite,” Bumphis said, “just because they love ball. Like, you have to pull them off the football field. Aiden Williams will sit outside and run routes all night if you let him. Jordan Mosey, the exact same way. These are guys that now you say, ‘Whoa,’ instead of, ‘Giddy up.’”
It starts up front
Consistency and cohesion are perhaps most important along the offensive line. There, the Bulldogs have one of their brightest returning talents from last year, along with several newcomers, and it’s up to them to develop synergy as soon as possible to get the offense off to a strong start. Like on defense, success stems from winning in the trenches.
Offensive line coach Phil Loadholt, a former Minnesota Viking who worked alongside Lebby at UCF, Ole Miss and Oklahoma, arrived in Starkville to re-work the position group last winter.
The position group returns a few starters from last year, notably 2024 Kent Hull Trophy winner Albert Reese IV, and brought in several key transfers as well. As the Bulldogs get to work, the offensive line is a priority, both for availability and chemistry-building.
When it comes to putting the right unit together, it starts with Reese and where he can make the biggest impact.
“That’s my main thing with Albert right now is get him healthy, so we see where he can help us out,” Loadholt said. “You hit it on the head, he does have some good versatility for us. He’s played multiple spots in this league, so he’s going to be able to help us out in some form or fashion. I’m not sure where exactly right now, but the main thing is getting him healthy so we can see what he can do for us.”
Loadholt has experience in chemistry-building, especially at his previous stop, Colorado. The Buffaloes totally re-worked the offensive line after a disastrous 2023 season, and while they still struggled with pass protection, the unit was able to produce at a higher level as the team went from four wins in 2023 to nine wins in 2024.
“We’ve just got to spend a lot of time together,” Loadholt said. “Last year, we took six guys out of the portal (at Colorado), and so I’m used to doing it a little bit, but I think you’re exactly right as far as, you know, wanting guys to be able to gel together and we’re looking forward to that, obviously, but the more time we’s been together, the better. We’re just trying to get everybody on the same pace and moving in the right direction, and we’ve been working towards that since they got here.”
Offensive line synergy doesn’t just bring pass protection, it helps to establish the run. That chemistry isn’t just between linemen though, it comes with running back reps as well.
“I think there is a better connection,” running backs coach Anthony Tucker said of the chemistry between the backs and the offensive line.
For Tucker, chemistry in the details. He sees the talent there in the returning group and the portal additions, but they have to work it out on the practice field before they can produce when it matters on Saturdays.
“I think the guys who are returning, the guys that we’ve added in the O-line room, the guys we are returning in the running back room, and the guys we’ve added have got an opportunity to have some great chemistry there, just because of the understanding and second year in the program for a lot of those guys, and to me, that’s the most important piece,” Tucker said.
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