Will Whitson, Blake Steen injury update: Jeff Lebby provides grim news on Mississippi State players

The Mississippi State Bulldogs are off to a hot start. That included adding a massive win over Arizona State over the weekend. That hasn’t come without a cost, though, and injuries are now starting to build up for the Bulldogs.

Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby recently shared updates on defensive lineman Will Whitson and offensive lineman Blake Steen. Unfortunately, Lebby is reporting major injuries on both of them. Whitson and Steen are both going to be done for the season with injuries.

Will Whitson would exit the win against Arizona State during the second quarter. The Bulldogs made a fourth down stop, and Whitson could be seen limping off the field. He would then go into the medical tent before returning to the locker room. That was under his own power, and it’s unclear what the exact injury is.

A transfer from Coastal Carolina, Will Whitson was a three-star recruit in the Class of 2020. Initially, he started at the JUCO ranks before spending two seasons with the Chanticleers. Since getting to Mississippi State, he’s become a key pass rusher for the Bulldogs. In the less than two full games he was able to play this season, he had eight total tackles, five tackles for a loss, and 2.0 sacks.

As for Blake Steen, he was unable to dress for the game against Arizona State at all. The starting right tackle for Mississippi State was seen wearing a sling on his left arm during warmups. Now, Lebby has confirmed he’s done for the year.

For his part, Steen is also a transfer to Mississippi State. He spent the previous three seasons at Virginia. Coming out of high school, he had been a three-star recruit in the Class of 2022. Prior to getting to Mississippi State, he had played in 20 games and made 17 college starts, giving him plenty of experience along the offensive line.

Jeff Lebby saw his Mississippi State team jump out to a 17-0 lead on Arizona State, only for the lead to slip away in the second half. By late in the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs had fallen behind. That was when Blake Shapen hit Brenen Thompson for a 58-yard score to retake the lead and eventually win.

Moving forward, Lebby and the Bulldogs will look to avoid any further injuries if possible. The Bulldogs have upcoming non-conference games against Alcorn State and Northern Illinois. After that, they’ll begin SEC play, looking to make some noise.