Mississippi State not retaining special teams coordinator Eric Mele

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are in the middle of a transition with their new coaching staff. That means their new head coach, Jeff Lebby, must decide who he wants to keep and who he doesn’t want to retain. Per Brandon Marcello, the Bulldogs will not retain special teams coordinator Eric Mele.

The 2023 campaign was Mele’s fourth season with the Bulldogs and his second as the special teams coordinator there. He was named Mississippi State’s running backs coach in February of 2020 and served in that role for two seasons.

Mele coached Lideatrick Griffin in 2022. The junior wide receiver led the nation in yards per kick return (32.26) and kick returns for 30-plus yards (11), bringing home All-American honors.

Prior to his time in Starkville, Mele spent the previous nine seasons with the Washington State Cougars (2012-2019), where he spent the final two years as their running backs coach.

Jeff Lebby building his Mississippi State staff

It didn’t take long for newly hired Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby to start building his staff. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Wednesday that Lebby will bring on Oklahoma offensive analyst Matt Holecek and North Texas offensive line coach Jon Cooper.

Holecek spent the past four seasons working with Lebby both at Oklahoma and Ole Miss. He has served an analyst and assistant quarterbacks coach in that span, following Lebby to Norman when he accepted the job as the Sooners’ OC in 2022. His familiarity with Lebby’s offense will certainly be a plus as he joins the Bulldogs’ staff.

Cooper first crossed paths with Lebby as the tight ends coach at UCF from 2018-19. Lebby was then the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Knights. Cooper later reunited with Lebby as an offensive analyst at Oklahoma in 2022 before taking the job at North Texas. He also bring experience as a tight ends coach at Arkansas (2020) and offensive line coach at Western Carolina (2021).

It’s unclear at this point what roles Holecek and Cooper will play on Jeff Lebby’s staff. Holecek was recognized by On3 as one of 65 rising support staff coaches ahead of the 2022 season.

Lebby is set to enter his first head coaching job, and is just in the beginning stages of putting together his staff. Having two guys who he is familiar with already will certainly help ease his transition.

That’s not the only move that Lebby made this week in regards to building his new staff, however.

Jeff Lebby to retain defensive line coach David Turner

Mississippi State will reportedly retain defensive line coach David Turner, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.

“Source: Mississippi State is retaining defensive line coach David Turner under new coach Jeff Lebby,” Rittenberg wrote on Twitter. “Turner is on his third stint at Mississippi State and has significant SEC/Power 5 experience from Florida, Kentucky and other stops.”

The Bulldogs just hired new head coach Jeff Lebby, who spent the last two seasons as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator.

Turner led the Bulldogs’ unit from 2007-09 and again from 2013-15. He spent last season at Georgia Tech as the team’s assistant head coach and defensive run game coordinator.

In addition to Florida (2019-21) and Kentucky (2010-12), he also had stops at Texas A&M (2016-17), Alabama (2006), Vanderbilt (2002-05), Minnesota (2001), Virginia (1997-2000), NC State (1995-96) and a first stint at Kentucky (1993-94).

On3’s Chandler Vessels also contributed to this article.