Paul Finebaum Reveals If One SEC Coach Can Turn Around Struggling Program originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Mississippi State Bulldogs had a challenging Year 1 under head coach Jeff Lebby, finishing with a record of 2-10 and going 0-8 in the SEC.
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Lebby was the former offensive coordinator for both the Oklahoma Sooners, the Ole Miss Rebels and the UCF Knights. In 2023, he successfully led Oklahoma to achieve a top-five ranking in offense. However, his offense at Mississippi State struggled in 2024, finishing ranked No. 78 in total offense, No. 87 in rushing offense, No. 50 in passing offense and No. 86 in scoring offense.
The issues weren’t limited to the offense; the defense performed even worse. They finished ranked No. 125 in total defense, No. 129 in rushing defense, No. 104 in passing defense and No. 117 in scoring defense. On “The Paul Finebaum Show,” the SEC Network analyst raised questions about whether Lebby can turn things around in his second year.
Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby.Matt Bush-Imagn Images
“I think he can,” Finebaum said. “The question is, does he have enough support? I don’t mean fans. I mean, does he have enough money flowing in where he can elevate the program high enough?”
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Paul Finebaum Believes Mississippi State Faces a Brutal Schedule
Finebaum discussed the schedule that the Bulldogs will face this upcoming season. He noted that there are few favorable matchups, emphasizing that the most crucial game of the year will be against the Arizona State Sun Devils in the second game of the season. The Sun Devils made it to the playoffs last year.
Athlon Sports’ Kyle Wood has ranked Mississippi State as having the toughest schedule in the SEC for the upcoming season. He noted that the Bulldogs had a winless record in SEC play in 2024, marking their worst season in over two decades. Wood believes that things may not improve significantly in the coach’s second year on the job.
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He mentioned that the Tennessee Volunteers, Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, and Ole Miss Rebels will all be visiting Starkville—three of which were playoff teams and one that narrowly missed the cut. On the road, Mississippi State will face the Texas A&M Aggies, Florida Gators, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Missouri Tigers. Ten of the Bulldogs’ opponents had a winning record last season; six of them won more than ten games, and four made it to the College Football Playoff (CFP).
Is There Any Reason for Optimism For Bulldog Fans?
The optimism stems from the return of Mississippi State’s starting quarterback, Blake Shapen, who was injured early in the previous season. In just four games, Shapen threw for 974 yards, eight touchdowns and had only one interception, completing 68.5% of his passes. If he had continued at that pace, he would have been on track for nearly 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns over a full season.
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The Bulldogs feature a formidable duo at running back this season. They return Davon Booth, who rushed for 759 yards and five touchdowns, averaging five yards per carry last year. Additionally, they have added Fluff Bothwell, a transfer from South Alabama, who contributed 832 yards and 13 touchdowns on 7.5 yards per carry during his freshman season.
Last season, Mississippi State struggled with one of the worst offensive lines in the SEC. To address this issue, they hired Phil Loadholt as their offensive line coach. Loadholt previously turned around the Colorado Buffaloes’ offensive line in 2024. As a result, the team revamped its offensive line, making six new additions through the transfer portal.
The question now is whether the team will improve by 2025, as Lebby aims to turn the program around. The Bulldogs will kick off the season on the road against the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles at noon ET on August 30.
Related: Paul Finebaum Casts Doubt on One SEC Program’s Commitment to Winning
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
