Greg McElroy analyzes how Jeff Lebby's offense will fit in the SEC

After offensive coordinating the last few years, Jeff Lebby will get his first shot as a head coach in Starkville. It’s a hire that may not succeed much early on but one that Greg McElroy believes great things can come from as his tenure continues.

McElroy spoke about the new coach at Mississippi State during ‘Always College Football’ last week. While he isn’t so sure that the Bulldogs will be a proficient offense to begin with, Lebby’s track record suggests that the work on that side of the football should be at a top-notch level at some point.

“Easy answer? No. Long-term answer? I think, if we average it out over the course of time, I’m really optimistic,” said McElroy.

“Ever since Jeff Lebby has either been in the SEC? Or been a playcaller at Oklahoma, UCF, his time at Ole Miss? They’ve always been really dang good,” McElroy said. “I mean ever since he became the offensive coordinator at the FBS level in 2019? He has led all active offensive coordinators in 50+ point games – he has 14 of those. At Oklahoma, where he was most recently? They ranked third nationally in scoring offense at 42.3 points per game. He has got a great history of being able to work with quarterbacks and get the most out of quarterbacks as well.”

McElroy also sees the positive in Lebby having experience in the state after a two-year stint at Ole Miss. That should help smooth things over early considering he has a familiarity with the region and surrounding areas.

“He has got great experience having been in the state of Mississippi having worked as the offensive coordinator for Lane Kiffin,” said McElroy. “He has recruited the state, he’s familiar with the state.”

However, the fact of the matter is this is Lebby’s first time at the helm. That leaves a lot of room for growth and what usually comes with that are failures as you figure out. That’s why, at least early on and in the Southeastern Conference, McElroy is tempering expectations on just how successful that he’ll be to start out.

“There are some challenges becoming a first-time head coach in a league that is about as difficult as it gets,” said McElroy.

“I think anytime a guy is in a first-time head coaching job? There’s going to be a mistake or two,” McElroy said. “Even the best coaches in the sport have some growing pains early in their career as a head coach.”

Lebby arrives as highly-regarded considering how his last six years went in Orlando, Oxford, and Norman. Now, as he starts his career as a head coach, he has plenty to deliver on which, eventually, is what McElroy expects him to do.

“I’m really optimistic. But I think, early on, to expect him to jump right in and become a top-five offense in the SEC? That’s a difficult thing for me to anticipate right now.”