Mississippi state announces the departure of six players….

If Jeff Lebby has been known for one thing as a coach, it’s tempo.

During his stints as an offensive coordinator at UCF, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma, Lebby’s offenses played at a blazing speed, snapping the football as many times as possible throughout the game. It’s an approach that he learned as an assistant at Baylor, and it’s a foundational part of his scheme. When Lebby has spoken on his offensive philosophy, tempo is one of the first things he discusses. In his own words, “more snaps, more opportunities to score”.

But when his Mississippi State Bulldogs team last took the field against Texas, there was noticeable difference in their approach. They weren’t nearly as deliberate to get back to the line after plays and took the play clock down between snaps. It was clear they were intentionally looking to slow their pace and eat up as much time as possible, something you practically never see with a Jeff Lebby offense.

When asked about playing slower on offense during his Monday press conference, Lebby said it all comes down to what gives his team the best chance to win.

“For me, it’s what allows us to create an advantage…it’s what gives us the best chance to win the game. The ego part, you have to set it aside, know who we want to be, but what gives our football team the best chance to have success is what matters.”