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Mississippi State

100 Day Bulldog Countdown: 43 Days - No. 43 DL Will Whitson

3rupauk8_400x400by: Robbie Faulk07/18/25RobbieFaulkOn3
NCAA Football: Hawai'i Bowl-Coastal Carolina at San Jose State
Dec 23, 2023; Honolulu, HI, USA; San Jose State Spartans quarterback Chevan Cordeiro (2) scrambles away from Coastal Carolina Chanticleers defensive lineman Will Whitson (44) during the third quarter of the Easypost Hawaii Bowl at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Steven Erler-USA TODAY Sports

Year two of the Jeff Lebby era has arrived and the Mississippi State coach is back to work.

After a disappointing first season, the coach and his staff are doing what they can to get things back on track in Starkville. The players on the field will be the difference for State this season if they are to make a return and we’re going to discuss every single one of them over the course of the next few months.

As we do every year, we’re counting down 100 days until State’s first game at Southern Miss in Hattiesburg on August 30. Over this period of time, we’ll breakdown every scholarship player on the roster, look back at great moments in MSU history and even talk about legends that have come before the current Bulldogs.

Today, we look at a transfer defensive lineman that could be a major factor for State.  

43 Days: No. 43, Senior DE Will Whitson

There wasn’t a bigger need for Lebby and the Bulldogs in the offseason than the defensive line.

2024 was, arguably, one of the worst seasons for a State defense in school history and the biggest issue came up front. From a talent deficiency to lack of size and depth, there wasn’t much that went right for the Bulldogs, but the transfer portal has given them a chance to rectify the situation.

Among one of the major adds in the portal was Coastal Carolina DE Whitson. Fate would have it that Whitson would earn one more year of eligibility due to a ruling by the NCAA that allowed former junior college players one more year. An injury last season that cut his year short would give him plenty of motivation to take that year and spend it in the best conference in football.

In his last two seasons at Coastal, Whitson has played in 17 games and has been a real problem for opposing offensive lines with 63 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He had a good season in 2023 with 5.0 TFL and 3.0 sacks, but he was poised to have a huge senior year last year when he made 21 tackles and 2.0 sacks in just four games before an injury finished his season.

The Winton Woods High School (Ohio) graduate has really worked his way up the ladder. He started his career at Independence Community College in Kansas where he spent three seasons. Following a shortened season in the spring of 2021 due to Covid-19, Whitson earned All-Conference honors the next fall when he made 11.0 TFL and 6.0 sacks in nine games.

As a sophomore in 2022, Whitson earned All-Conference accolades for a second year in a row finished with 25 tackles, 3.5 TFL and 1.0 sacks over seven games. Coastal Carolina would be one of the only teams to come his way and he took the opportunity to play for the Chanticleers. Two years later, Whitson was considered the No. 13 DL in the transfer portal and was on the verge of a four-star ranking by On3.

Longtime defensive line coach David Turner had to win a battle against several teams for his services with Maryland and Illinois being among his visits along with a trip to Starkville. He spent the spring at State battling for reps on the line and he could be used in multiple ways. A big training camp looms for the talented pass rusher as he and his State teammates look to bring the Bulldogs back into a competitive spot.

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