Paul Finebaum: Jeff Lebby is a 'fantastic' hire for Mississippi State
Consider SEC Network’s Paul Finebaum a fan of Jeff Lebby taking his talents from to the Mississippi State Bulldogs .
After spending the last two seasons with the Sooners as their offensive coordinator, Lebby was hired by Mississippi State to take over their football program. Speaking on the hire, Finebaum couldn’t heap enough praise on the decision-makers in Starkville.
“I like him very much,” Finebaum stated, via McElroy and Cubelic in the Morning . “I think it’s a fantastic hire. I think State really got the man they wanted. I don’t know whether A&M can say that. I haven’t, I don’t — I haven’t seen the autopsy on the entire coaching search yet. But I have a sense of it. It seems like Jeff Lebby was always in the mix. He’s been in the mix for a couple of days. I’ve heard Greg talk about him countless times, in terms of how he feels about him offensively.
“I think State is in considerably better shape than they were three or four weeks ago, when there was uncertainty about Zach Arnett’s future.”
Alas, Lebby is fired up to begin his time in Starkville, almost as much as Finebaum is to see him take the reins of the Bulldogs.
“Being the head coach at Mississippi State is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Lebby said, via a press release announcing the move. “My family and I are fired up to engrain ourselves in this community, build relationships with our players, and hit the recruiting trail. This is a special place with special people and a football program with a storied tradition. I couldn’t be more thrilled to add our dynamic offensive scheme to an NFL powerhouse with a nationally regarded history of elite defensive play.
“I am truly honored and appreciative of Athletics Director Zac Selmon and President Dr. Mark Keenum for this special opportunity. I can’t wait to lead Mississippi State football into the future, while competing in college football’s premier conference. Hail State!”
Mississippi State could be back to being an extremely fun team under Jeff Lebby in 2023. We’re like Paul Finebaum, we can’t wait to see what the Bulldogs look like under his guidance.
More on Jeff Lebby, Mississippi State BulldogsMississippi State officially announced that Lebby would be their 36th head football coach in the announcement unveiled by Bulldogs’ athletic director Zac Selmon on Sunday.
“As we continue to invest in excellence at Mississippi State, the future of our football program is incredibly bright with the addition of Jeff Lebby at the helm,” Selmon said in his statement . “I am confident that Jeff is the perfect leader for the next exciting chapter of Mississippi State football. He will bring an exciting brand of football, elite student-athlete development, and a winning culture to Starkville, all while doing so with high integrity. He is a dynamic recruiter who will attract an elite coaching staff and the nation’s top talent.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Jeff’s leadership, vision, and resilient work ethic will take this program to incredible heights. We could not be more excited to welcome Jeff, his wife Staley, and their children Kora and Kane to the Mississippi State family. It is a great time to be a Bulldog and only going to get better.”
Lebby has been regarded as one of the best offensive masterminds in college football, with his most recent Oklahoma offensive ending the regular season as the nation’s No. 3 scoring offense of the 2023 regular season. The Bulldogs’ offense ranked dead last in scoring in the SEC this season, an area that Lebby will look to improve amongst others upon his arrival in Starkville.
Jeff Lebby has proven he can build a successful offense, but Mississippi State will now be looking to him to build an elite program ahead of a 2024 football season highlighted by changes in the SEC and beyond across college football.
