Everything head coach Jeff Lebby said in Wednesday's press conference

Mississippi State is closing out this week with a couple more practices before players exit for this weekend’s open date. The Bulldogs will close out the regular season next Friday against Ole Miss and are still one win shy of bowl eligibility.

On Wednesday, head coach Jeff Lebby met with the media to discuss the open date along with other topics:

Q: What do you want to get out of the bye week?
Lebby: We want to get as healthy as we possibly can. I think that is a huge thing for us. As we’ve gone through it, next Friday we need to be fresh and fast. That is what will help us get done what we want to get done.

Q: With the Missouri loss, how do you go about trying to fix those issues?
Lebby: Trying like heck to learn lessons and change the outcome. If you look at that game, we spot them 14 points, botched the field goal. We get off the field, create the stop on fourth down and they are going to kick a field goal to make it 17-10 and then that happens with the offsides. Just some undisciplined things that are incredibly frustrating. That’s me needing to fix it and that’s the reality of it. I’ve said non-stop that when things are good it’s all of us. When things are bad we all have to take responsibility. It will always and forever start with me. Our guys need to find ways to learn those lessons and have the ability to change the outcome.

Q: Where’s your confidence that this team can change things around for the Ole Miss game?
Lebby: I have confidence in our group to go play the way we need to go play and win. Our guys inside our walls believe that. The frustrating things when you look at the game from this past weekend, it’s a four-point game with about four minutes left in the third quarter and it gets away from us.

There’s a couple of different reasons that went on. That is where we have to take control of the game. Our guys are really eager as they’ve gotten in the building, ready to go to work to finish the way we want to.

Q: Since the Texas game outside of the fourth quarter against Arkansas, the defense has regressed. Is there one issue or that or multiple issues?
Lebby: We did not tackle the way we needed to. That is something that has been very constant. The explosive plays would be the next thing. The explosive plays against Georgia and then the explosive plays on Saturday with six for 232 yards and think then nine for 280. For us, we’ve gotta quit giving up the explosives and we got to tackle better. Those go hand-in-hand.

Q: After the Missouri game you talked about the quarterbacks and wasted plays. What defines a wasted play for you?
Lebby: I didn’t say Blake (Shapen) didn’t have wasted plays. We can’t waste a play and didn’t think it was fair to put KaMario (Taylor) out there for every single snap. For us, creating predictable outcomes, the ability to make sure when I call something that one of two things are going to happen. That is the reality of playing the position. That looks a lot of different ways. For us, just having the ability to look at every single snap in every single situation, not play perfect. There’s going to be physical things that were are not perfect with inside a game.

But from a decision-making standpoint, that is what we are striving to be. That is what I talk about when I say no wasted plays.

Q: You’ve been on both sides of this rivalry. How heated is it from both sides?
Lebby: There is an understanding on both sides of it that this game is a huge game for a lot of reasons. It’s a big game because it’s the last one of the regular season. It is obviously this huge in-state battle, and it gives the ability for each fan base the opportunity for bragging rights for a year. I think it is one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football. For us, it’s about protecting Davis Wade and playing the way we’re capable of playing. What gives us a chance to do that is our preparation. Both sides of it, it’s heated. There’s just a little extra urgency that goes into it.

Q: Where is your head at with evaluating Shapen and his recent performances?
Lebby: Every single one of us is doing everything we can to find ways to get better. We were on the field today, gonna be on the field tomorrow. If Blake’s available, I have great confidence in him to be able to go do what we need to do to go win the game. I have continued to feel that way and that’s where that’s at.

Q: How much has Brenen Thompson meant for this program?
Lebby: He’s just been a pro. Every single day the guy shows up and he’s the exact same. When he hasn’t felt great, he’s practiced hard and when he’s felt good, he’s practiced hard. The result has not dictated who he has been inside this building and that is what we are looking for. He will have this incredible life because he has great consistency, he’s tough, he works his butt off, and he’s all about the right things. That is what went into that. His production is his production. That’s been elite. Who he is, is pretty special.

Q: Next weekend you have the Egg Bowl, also official visitors and then signing day two or three days later. How do you manage that turnaround?
Lebby: It’s incredibly hectic. I should have mentioned it earlier when asked what we’re trying to get out of the open date. We talked more about on the field and what we’re doing inside the walls. But we’re getting out on the road. We’re going to leave Thursday as soon as we’re done with practice and be able to get put and go see guys. It will be constant. It is a chase until that pen hits the paper. I think we understand that. We’re excited about some of these guys we have coming down the pipe.

Q: Have the recent changes in the transfer portal made it easier or harder?
Lebby: I think for us, just understanding we are going to have the month of December, hopefully we’re getting ready for a bowl game, and then be able to have conversations with guys as we get ready to retain. That’s going to be a huge piece of the roster for next season. The retention of the right guys and being able to get some things in place before that window opens and that will be important for us.

Q: Any updates on Brenen Thompson and Isaac Smith?
Lebby: I do not.

Q: With the consecutive losses, how do you get this team’s focus back?
Lebby: The result is frustrating. For our guys, having the ability to go play the best we have played all year, not perfect, but being able to go reach our potential next Friday. Our guys feel that, they understand the urgency in that. They want that in a great way. We have the ability to check a bunch of boxes next Friday at 11. We have a ton to play for. The last thing I want is our guys to feel locked down by that. I want our guys to be able to play free and go play fast, and go play violent, and be able to go attack. Then our guys will be in that mindframe to go get it done.

Q: Do you think all of the Lane Kiffin talk could be a distraction?
Lebby: I have spent no time thinking about that or if it will be as they handle things inside their walls. I’m fighting like heck to make sure we’re in a great spot. That’s where 100 percent of my focus and energy is.

Q: As a former offensive lineman and now being a head coach, where is the real frustration with the offensive line?
Lebby: It’s been really hard. For us as a unit, it’s been hard on the quarterback position and our football team because we’ve started all these different lineups. As guys have gotten banged up, guys not playing the way we need them to play. There’s been great frustration in that. That’s the reality of it. The real frustrating ones are is when guys are getting free runs and clean hits on the guy holding the football. That affects the game in a great way. Those are the things we make sure do not happen next Friday. We’re trying to guard against that nonstop. We play great fronts inside this conference. That’s the reality of it. We need to play the best we’ve played next Friday.

Q: What’s been your assessment of the defense’s regression?
Lebby: We have still made great improvement. You look what we’ve been able to do against the throw game, having the ability to create turnovers. That to me is something that stands out in a great way. Against the run, the last couple of weeks, has been frustrating. Finding ways to tackle better, to get guys on the ground when we have the opportunity to get them on the ground is a huge piece of it. But I do think there has been real growth on that side of the football. Really giving us a chance to win a couple of those games earlier. For multiple reasons didn’t find ways to able to do it. We got to go play as good as we have all year next Friday. I got confidence our guys will be ready to do that.

Q: From a coaching and developmental standpoint, do you like where things are at on defense?
Lebby: I do. I think our guys are coaching their butt off every single day. Spending a ton of time teaching and developing, and trying to find ways to create an advantage. For us, it’s about pedal down, straining every single day, every single minute, to give us the opportunity to go play the best we have next Friday.

Q: How do you manage the team inside the locker room going into a big rivalry game?
Lebby: Just creating the message that it matters in a great way to a lot of different people. I’ve talked about that for our program, inside our community and university, how we do what we do and how it has the chance to affect Starkville and everybody that touches our program. Our guys understand that on the daily. It is something we stress nonstop. This game is a little bit different. It’s as heated a rivalry as there is in all of college football. I don’t take that for granted. I don’t take it lightly. We have the opportunity to check a lot of boxes, for us for this season, and be able to extend it and be able to go play one more game afterward. To me that’s what’s most important.