WATCH: Mississippi State offensive lineman Makylan Pounders feels at home in Starkville
In many ways, Mississippi State offensive lineman Makylan Pounders has come full circle. The one-time Mississippi State began his college career at Memphis but this past December, he transferred to Mississippi State following his sophomore season at Memphis.
These days Pounders is working to secure his spot on the depth chart and is past the halfway point of his first spring session as a Bulldog. Following Tuesday’s practice, Pounders met with the media to discuss his transition to Starkville and spring ball:
Q: What’s it been like to be in that Maroon and White and practicing with the team?
Pounders: It’s honestly been surreal. Like I was saying, full-circle moment for me coming back. I was committed out of high school as most of y’all know. Being able to come back and play for these colors, it was really a special moment for me. When I hit the transfer portal I knew where I was coming because of the vibe from the people around here as far as the support staff still being around. I was able to feel at home compared to other schools. So it was an easy decision for me to come down here.
Q: What do you like about this new staff?
Pounders: One of the things I knew I was going to look for on the visit was just how well they mended together. It was a whole new staff, too, and a lot of these guys had not worked together before. I saw how close they were with each other and they were vibing and were real cool. I know they are going to exert that same energy to the team. Once I saw how well they were bonding together, it felt like a family environment.
Q: How has the transition being going from the Memphis offense to this offense?
Pounders: This offense, from the intentions, seems like it is going to be a lot faster. I was in a similar pro-style offense at Memphis, letting the quarterback make decisions on the field and be able to be a field general. We are trying to play with a lot more tempo and we feel like that is going to be our edge. I am real excited to be able to get out there and do that.
Q: Where are you working at?
Pounders: Right now I am at left tackle. From what they’re saying, that’s the plan for me to be the starting left tackle as long as I do what I am supposed to do.
Q: With a lot of offensive linemen transfers in here, how are you guys meshing together?
Pounders: We talk pretty much as a big Oline group. Those transfers are a little more tight-knit just because we are all coming into a new situation. Actually I am roommates with one of them, Jacoby Jackson. Me and him talk every day, get in the Word together, talk about Christ together, go to church together. We feel like that’s going to be a thing with all of us coming from somewhat winning programs. We can all come together and lead by example and other people will fall in line. It seems like it is working so far.
Q: How’s it been working with your position coach Cody Kennedy?
Pounders: He’s real laid back for a coach. From a college aspect you would expect a coach to be a lot more strict and a lot more militant about what we’re doing. But he’s real big on letting everybody’s identity come out and let everybody be ourselves out here. I feel like that’s going to be the thing that carries us a long way.
Q: You are blocking for a transfer quarterback, too, in Blake Shapen. Your thoughts on him?
Pounders: I love Blake. Blake is going to be one of those guys that makes plays for us. Not just him but I feel like we got a lot of depth in that room. I like Chris Parson, I like (Michael) Van Buren. Them guys have really been making a lot of strides this spring. As long as we can keep them clean, we got tools on the outside to go make plays. I am real excited about Blake.
Q: What was it about Mississippi State that appealed to you so much?
Pounders: Just the realness. The realness from fans. Even after everything fell out (in my high school recruitment), a lot of them always stayed in contact with me throughout my career to make sure I was okay. Even when we played here season before last, just getting that feel from a lot of the fans, still remembering who I was. Really all the way down the list to the cafeteria workers to the janitors, I always get a good vibe when I come here. That was one of the things, especially in the NIL world where a lot of guys are chasing the money and trying to make ends meet for their family. But for me, I was always on the relationship side of things. I wanted to go somewhere I felt like I would be in good hands off the field and be developed.
Q: What are you trying to improve on the most?
Pounders: Pad level. I feel like I play a little too high. It’s just consistency and that comes with reps and constantly getting in the playbook. Everything will come around. We are still in spring so we still have a long journey of preparation before we get to the season.
