Jeff Lebby walked into a buzzsaw. Honestly, there isn't a better way to describe what happened with 2024 Mississippi State football. When you inherit a program that is basically starting from zero in the toughest conference in the country, the scoreboard usually gets ugly.
A 2-10 record.
Zero wins in the SEC.
Losing to Toledo by 24 points at home.
If you just look at the standings, it looks like a disaster. But if you were actually watching the Bulldogs in Davis Wade Stadium last fall, you saw a team that was essentially a science experiment in "how much can one roster take?" It wasn't just about a new coach; it was about a total identity crisis following the tragic loss of Mike Leach and the short-lived Zach Arnett era.
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The Blake Shapen Injury Changed Everything
The season actually started with a spark. State dropped 56 on Eastern Kentucky, and for a minute, Lebby’s "Veo-and-Shoot" offense looked like it might actually translate to the SEC. Blake Shapen, the Baylor transfer, was the engine. He was efficient, completing over 68% of his passes through the first few weeks.
Then came the Florida game.
Shapen went down with a season-ending shoulder injury. Suddenly, a team already thin on SEC-level depth was handing the keys to Michael Van Buren Jr., a true freshman who should have been at his high school prom a few months prior.
Van Buren was tough. He threw for 1,886 yards and 11 touchdowns while running for his life behind an offensive line that was, frankly, overmatched. You've got to respect a kid who goes into Austin and Athens in back-to-back weeks as a teenager and keeps swinging. But the reality is that 2024 Mississippi State football lost its ceiling the second Shapen hit the turf.
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A Defense That Couldn't Get Off the Field
It’s hard to win when you're giving up 34.1 points per game. That was the 118th-ranked scoring defense in the nation. Coleman Hutzler, the defensive coordinator, was trying to install a 3-4 base with guys who were largely recruited for different systems.
The results were predictable.
- Arizona State ran for nearly 350 yards.
- Arkansas put up 58 points.
- Florida moved the ball at will.
The Bulldogs were essentially playing a game of "bend and then break." They lacked the monsters in the trenches that Mississippi State has historically been known for. There were no Montez Sweats or Chris Joneses on this line. It was a lot of portal additions and young guys trying to bridge a gap that was simply too wide.
Kevin Coleman Jr. Was the Lone Bright Spot
If there was one reason to keep your TV on, it was Kevin Coleman Jr. The wideout was a revelation, hauling in 74 catches for 932 yards. He was the safety valve for Van Buren and the only playmaker who consistently forced opposing DCs to double-cover anyone.
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The running game was... okay. Davon Booth and Johnnie Daniels did what they could, combining for about 1,300 yards. But when you’re constantly trailing by two scores in the second quarter, you can’t exactly establish a ground-and-pound identity. Lebby wanted to go fast, but the defense was so gassed that the "fast" offense just meant the defense was back on the field three minutes later.
Why the 2024 Struggle Matters for the Future
A lot of people want to write off the Lebby era before it even starts. That's a mistake. The 2024 Mississippi State football season was a "Year Zero." The roster Lebby inherited was objectively one of the least talented in the SEC according to almost every recruiting metric and NFL scout.
You saw the flashes. The game against Georgia was a 10-point loss where State actually looked like they belonged for three quarters. They hung tough with Texas A&M. The fight was there, even if the depth wasn't.
What You Can Do Now
To understand where this program is going, stop looking at the 2-10 record and start looking at the 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes. Lebby is leaning heavily into the "Oklahoma 2.0" model, bringing in speed and portal experience.
If you're a fan or an observer, keep an eye on these specific indicators for next season:
- Offensive Line Continuity: Watch the transfer portal additions in the spring. If they don't get three starters there, the quarterback won't matter.
- Defensive Trench Growth: State needs at least two interior linemen who can hold a gap. Without that, the SEC schedule remains a nightmare.
- The Redshirt Freshman Jump: See how Michael Van Buren Jr. develops with a full offseason of "QB1" reps, even if Shapen returns.
The 2024 season was a hard pill to swallow, but in the modern NIL era, things can flip fast—provided the foundation isn't built on sand.