Bulldogs use bye week to heal up ahead of SEC gauntlet

Very rarely will a college football coach exclaim that a bye week was bad for his football team, but Jeff Lebby and Mississippi State couldn’t have had their come at a better time.
After the Bulldogs had their second-straight loss with a 31-9 defeat at top 10 Texas A&M, the team limped into the bye week with several key injuries and some mental strain. Naturally, last week’s bye week was used to heal up the players as well as they could be and refocus the team’s energy towards five-straight weeks of college action inside the SEC.
Players and coaches alike had a chance to reset themselves for the grind ahead. But on Sunday night, it was right back to business for the Bulldogs.
“Energy was great (Monday morning),” Lebby said. “(Sunday) night we had a quick team meal as guys got back into town and that was really good. I think this break for us was right on time. I know it was much-needed from a health standpoint and six straight with the schedule that we’ve played. Our guys needed the ability to just kind of go be normal for a day or two. You could tell it in their bounce and their step this morning. A ton of excitement, great intent. We know we have a great challenge ahead of us, but excited about it.”
Lebby still keeping watchful eye on injured Bulldogs
First and foremost, a week off allowed an opportunity to heal up some players in question. Starting right tackle Albert Reese and All-SEC linebacker Isaac Smith each left the Tennessee game with injuries that would prevent them from playing at A&M. Then, in the final 4 minutes of the game, lead running back Fluff Bothwell went down with an apparent lower leg injury that looked the part of a potential season-ending event.
Lebby reported a week ago that Bothwell’s injury had a much better outcome than they originally felt but that he was day-to-day. His status for Saturday’s game at Florida (3:15 p.m., SEC Network) is doubtful as he’s expected to miss at least a one week of action with his full timetable unknown.
Last week, both Reese and Smith were held out of practice to get a full week of rest but did do some light work on the side. Lebby said their status will be unknown until he can see them practice on Wednesday.
“If they are not able to, then to me it’s going to be really hard (for them to play) with us just being in sweats Thursday and fast Friday leading up to game day,” Lebby said. “Those guys are better today than they were last Monday but we’re not there yet.”
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State (4-2, 0-2 SEC) has already lost game one starting RT Blake Steen and top DE Will Whitson for the season as both were injured within the first two games. Since that time, it’s been a group that has been trying to navigate some bumps and bruises.
It’s especially been tough for the team’s offensive line to create any kind of consistency with injuries to tackles Steen, Reese and Jimothy Lewis as well as contending guard Luke Work all through the first six games. While most of those players haven’t had serious injuries, it has prevented the Bulldogs from gelling.
“When you look at it and we step back, we haven’t played the way we need to go play. But also understanding whether it’s Jayvin (James) or Zack (Owens), Canon Boone moving to center about five days into fall camp. We’ve played a lot of different guys at a lot of different spots,” Lebby said of the line. “Hopefully, we have the ability to get Albert (Reese) back. We’re not there yet but that’s the hope. That group has to keep developing. We knew that was going to be a challenge. We’ve got to go play better. I’ve got to continue to help those guys and find ways to create some layups. It was a great open date for those guys.”
A lot of progress has been made through the injuries and adversity the team has faced with the Bulldogs going from 2-10 to a 4-0 start this year. The frustrations of the last two games notwithstanding, Lebby and his crew have already made some massive improvements.
The battle now is ending a 13-game SEC losing skid and Lebby’s 0-10 start to conference play. On Saturday afternoon inside Florida’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, they’ll have another crack at doing just that and getting closer to bowl eligibility for the first time since 2022.
“I think our best football is still ahead of us. I’m not surprised at all with how we were able to start,” Lebby said. “Frustrated at the last two and how they went. But I think our guys are serious about being great. They’re serious about being able to go take advantage of a huge opportunity Saturday at 3:15. We need to go win on the road in this league and that is something we have out ahead of us.”