Offensive Linemen. Hidden Metrics.

[ETK99]

There are a ton of teams running more plays than us per game guys. Indiana and OM are two playoff teams running more plays. So that volume of plays some are worrying about aren't hurting other teams it appears.

 

[bulldoghair]

Damn you're ignorant! OM is within 3 seconds of us and it's not hurting them. Now bring your other BS excuses when it's 100% terrible talent on the OL. Our clock management late in games sucks, but it's got zero effect on OL health. You're just rambiing your same stupid troll along.

For one thing, Ole Miss rotates more dynamically (6–8 deep, interior 4-man churn for run sets), leveraging top-15-recruiting and portal vets for versatility—starters play 85–95% snaps, backups 10–25%. We stick to 5–7 (core starters 90–100%, backups situational). Not to mention 3-seconds is a huge difference over the course of a game and season, especially with less rotated. 3-second difference pet play is just as dramatic of difference as someone running a 4.8 forty vs a 4.5. It’s also allowed their defense to have a much lower snap count per game than us (State SEC #1; Ole Miss #8)

 

[85Bears]

There are a ton of teams running more plays than us per game guys. Indiana and OM are two playoff teams running more plays. So that volume of plays some are worrying about aren't hurting other teams it appears.

More plays also correlates with offensive success rate, not mindless up tempo when you should be trying to burn clock

 

[The Peeper]

So what I'm reading is our head coach is stubborn about his approach. Unable to make adjustments and makes bad decisions in game? I am absolutely stunned, color me surprise!

If this were another profession I'd say the person in this position is unable to admit they're wrong, is hard headed, inexperienced and overpaid

 

[ETK99]

For one thing, Ole Miss rotates more dynamically (6–8 deep, interior 4-man churn for run sets), leveraging top-15-recruiting and portal vets for versatility—starters play 85–95% snaps, backups 10–25%. We stick to 5–7 (core starters 90–100%, backups situational). Not to mention 3-seconds is a huge difference over the course of a game and season, especially with less rotated. 3-second difference pet play is just as dramatic of difference as someone running a 4.8 forty vs a 4.5. It’s also allowed their defense to have a much lower snap count per game than us (State SEC #1; Ole Miss #8)

I'm sure you'll attempt to say all those teams rotate more. I don't think anyone would be surprised by you attempting to do that, but it goes back to lack of talent available again, that you seem to be excusing from the equation here. Can't rotate more when you don't have the players available, just like we don't have starting SEC talent there either. There's a reason we fired our OL coach after last season, he couldn't recruit. We've missed on more talent than we've had injury issues and it's not close.

 

[ETK99]

More plays also correlates with offensive success rate, not mindless up tempo when you should be trying to burn clock

The fact teams are scoring so much, so fast on us, means we get the ball on offense a lot and we still aren't putting up the play numbers some of you think. It was stated those seconds add up to quarters, that's not the case in your scenario. We've had historically bad defenses for two straight years. Lebby has done some stupid stuff, moving fast isn't one of those things, except in the 4th qtr with a lead.

 

[bulldoghair]

There are a ton of teams running more plays than us per game guys. Indiana and OM are two playoff teams running more plays. So that volume of plays some are worrying about aren't hurting other teams it appears

Team—Plays per game— National rank

State— 81.4— #1

Ole Miss- 74.8- #35

Indiana- 71.5- #50

 

[85Bears]

The fact teams are scoring so much, so fast on us, means we get the ball on offense a lot and we still aren't putting up the play numbers some of you think. It was stated those seconds add up to quarters, that's not the case in your scenario. We've had historically bad defenses for two straight years. Lebby has done some stupid stuff, moving fast isn't one of those things, except in the 4th qtr with a lead.

Doesn’t really correlate when your team has a lead in the fourth quarter , nice try

 

[bulldoghair]

Lets look at the effect and hidden metric of Lebby’s offense on the transfer portal with regards to OL.
In the 2025–26 portal cycle (and the last cycle), veteran offensive linemen, the exact guys who we want and need— are now doing their homework.
That veteran portal lineman is 22–24 years old, has 30–50 college starts, and is trying to protect his NFL draft stock, or at least finish his career healthy. He is asking himself one question:
“Do I want to add the equivalent of 2½–3 extra full games of violent, high-speed reps to my body — reps that come with only 12–18 seconds rest instead of 30+ — when I already have 700–800 college reps on my frame?”
The answer is “Hell no.”
These Veteran offensive linemen in the portal aren’t just glancing at box scores anymore—they’re deep-diving into film, analytics, and listening to agents. Them looking at the +190–220 extra explosive reps at tempo heavy programs like State vs. baseline at slower ones like Vanderbilt is a massive red flag. It’s not abstract math; it’s a visible, quantifiable risk to their bodies, careers, and earnings.
If they don’t say, “He’ll no”, then there is a real thing as a tempo-tax. You pay much more, like 25-40% for a veteran lineman to sign up for a Jeff Lebby tempo offense. Not to mention the domino effect and the same problem for signing the veteran d-lineman. They are now looking at these metrics I can promise you that.

Damn you're ignorant!

The “tempo tax” is the single biggest reason Mississippi State’s offensive line portal situation in this 2025–2026 cycle is underwhelming. Veteran and experienced linemen are actively avoiding or leaving Lebby’s program because the scheme’s extreme demands are a direct deterrent, along with lack of fundamental development the scheme doesn’t prioritize. I’ve been saying this for a while now, and most here brushed it off or made fun of me. Next time someone warns about the cost of the style you begged for, maybe listen instead of clowning them. I didn’t want to be right- I wanted the rebuild to work. But the tempo tax is real, and it’s more expensive in more ways than one, and it’s biting us exactly like I said it would.

 

[Out of Bounds]

1. Lebby’s offense for the 2nd straight year is the fastest tempo between plays in the SEC.

Avg. Sec/Play: 22.2 (SEC #1)

12–20 sec rests → lactic buildup

Plays/Game Offense: 80 (SEC #1)

High-Intensity Distance (OL/Game, GPS Est: 4,800–5,500m

Skill-player type loads on linemen → higher strain risk

Lebby’s tempo has directly fueled OL injury spikes again this year with 19 missed starts through Week 12 (SEC #1). Up-tempo amplifies strength and conditioning challenges.

2. On the contrary, Vanderbilt’s huddle-heavy approach is the slowest tempo between plays in the SEC.

Avg. Sec/Play: 29.5 (SEC #16)

35+ sec → better muscle recovery.

Plays/Game Offense: 67 (SEC #16)

High-Intensity Distance (OL/Game, GPS Est: 2,900–3,500m

Traditional OL conditioning suffices.

Vanderbilt’s slower pace has kept them at just 3 missed starts, fewest in the SEC. They have the healthiest OL in the SEC. This emphasizes their strength and conditioning’s role in prevention (ex. fewer sub-25-sec sprints in training). Vanderbilt’s pace avoids late-game fatigue.

Up tempo and playing fast on offense makes zero sense in the SEC. Every now & then after an explosive play? Sure, but not 99% of the time. That could work at Baylor & in the Big 12 in 2010 in a 7 v 7 league. Not in the SEC.

 

[leeinator]

Will the Vandy stats change after Pavia leaves? Their success seems highly based on having him.

Vandy stats likely will take a slight step back until their new 5-Star QB gets the hang of college football in the SEC.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Up tempo and playing fast on offense makes zero sense in the SEC. Every now & then after an explosive play? Sure, but not 99% of the time. That could work at Baylor & in the Big 12 in 2010 in a 7 v 7 league. Not in the SEC.

Y’all are outside your minds

All Lenny needs is 17 more 4-star portal OL this thing will be revved up like an E-F1 racecar

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[OG Goat Holder]

Dbl

 

[bulldoghair]

Vandy stats likely will take a slight step back until their new 5-Star QB gets the hang of college football in the SEC.

So far Vandy has landed two solid experienced veteran OL transfers early in the window:

Beau Johnson, a redshirt junior, 1st team All Conference offensive lineman from North Dakota State- 6’6” 297lbs

Lyndon Cooper, a lot of experience after starting for Pitt in each of the last two seasons. Cooper has 25 starts under his belt and 39 total games between stops at Pitt and NC State, where he started his college career. No. 28 interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal- 6’2” 310lbs

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[patdog]

So far Vandy has landed two solid experienced veteran OL transfers early in the window:

Beau Johnson, a redshirt junior, 1st team All Conference offensive lineman from North Dakota State- 6’6” 297lbs

Lyndon Cooper, a lot of experience after starting for Pitt in each of the last two seasons. Cooper has 25 starts under his belt and 39 total games between stops at Pitt and NC State, where he started his college career. No. 28 interior offensive lineman in the transfer portal- 6’2” 310lbs

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And we’ve landed 3 redshirt freshmen.l at our position with the biggest need. Pathetic.

 

[NWADog]

General rule of thumb. If you’re better & deeper than the teams you play, a fast tempo is best. Wear the weaker team down. If you’re not as good or as deep as the teams you play, you should run the play clock down to 5 seconds every snap. Shorten the game so your players don’t get worn out or injured & increase the chance for an upset. Lot easier to upset a better team in a game with 100 total plays than in a game with 150 total plays. So of course Lebby does the opposite.

He did this in the 2024 season with MVB at QB vs Texas and it had us in the game late in the second half against a much superior team roster wise