WATCH: Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby updates 2nd week of spring practice

On Thursday morning Mississippi State continued its second week of spring drills and will conclude the week’s work on Saturday. Following practice, head coach Jeff Lebby met with the media to update practice progress among other topics:

Q: What kind of day was it for your squad?
Lebby: The energy was really good. For our guys, again, it’s about finding a way to correct from the day before. Our guys have done a good job of it and we’ve put a lot on their plate. But the energy, the way we’re straining, the toughness, the attitude is what we want. We’ve got to continue to get better in all areas. But our want-to and our energy is really good.

Q: From the time you took the job to now, how is your confidence with your team?
Lebby: The people I am around every day have created confidence. I think we’ve got an incredible staff, guys that are great teachers, great connectors, great coaches. Then our football team is in a really good place right now. Again, we’ve got a ton of work to do and we’re nowhere close to where we are going to be by the time we go and kick it off. But the attitude and commitment to wanting to be great has been really, really good. That’s created confidence for everybody.

Q: How is the quarterback competition shaking out?
Lebby: Good, we just need to continue to take care of the football. Our guys need to understand that’s the only thing that matters at the end of the day. Taking care of the rock, putting us in good situations, not making a bad play worse. Our guys are starting to understand that and understand that’s how they’re getting coached every single day. Pride of where they’re at, but we’ve got a ton of work to do.

Q: You like the steps your freshmen have taken after one week?
Lebby: Yeah I think for those guys it’s a ton. Making sure they understand it’s all about playing fast. They’ve got more on them in the meeting room than they’ve ever had before. So finding ways to make sure they’re spending enough time, and when they’re not in the building, to be able to nail the install and correct mistakes from the day before. Again, that’s what I probably like about them most. They’re far from perfect right now but they’re a bunch of guys who are serious about being good.

Q: What has the addition of strength coach Shaud Williams meant for this program?
Lebby: I think when you look at it, Shaud and those guys and the entire staff has done a great job of creating buy-in. Knowing we’re going to push these guys in a great way that the expectation is exactly what it needs to be. And those guys have been answering the bell. They done a great job of holding guys accountable, keeping them accountable and creating energy inside these walls. Proud of them and feel great about where they’re at.

Q: Freshman Stonka Burnside is well known around here. Is he a guy that can contribute this year?
Lebby: Yeah, I think he has a chance to contribute, for sure. He’s a guy that’s got some natural football IQ. He’s naturally a tough kid. He’s got a strong body. And he’s having fun. That’s what I love to see. So many times you get these young guys in here that are 18 year olds and feel overwhelmed. Stonka is finding ways to have fun, enjoy his teammates and fighting like heck to get better every single day just like the rest of those freshman.

Q: Defensively, how are guys like Donterry Russell and John Lewis handling their position changes?
Lebby: I think they’ve taken and ran with it. They’ve looked at it like a true challenge. I think it’s been fun to see. Just being around those guys and talking to them every single day, it’s been a lot for them with all the newness. There’s a lot of newness for everybody right now. But those guys have taken through it and done a really good job. We need J Lew (Lewis) to not be good, but be great. He’s taken that responsibility and understands the expectation of him and what we need out of him and he’s doing it.

Q: How do you plan to handle the receiver rotation?
Lebby: We want to be deep at that position so we can play with great tempo and play really, really fast when we’re out there. Perfect world, we want to play with 7-8 guys. There’s been times we haven’t been able to do that just from a depth standpoint. But that’s what we’re trying to do and that’s what we want to get done.

Q: With the spring transfer portal, what are your top priorities there?
Lebby: I think we’ll continue to evaluate that as we go through practice. I’m not real comfortable in saying it today. I want to see where we are after Day 10, Day 11. After I’ve gotten a great sample size of what do we have at this position? We’ve put so much on these guys in a matter of five days of where some guys are at. Obviously, you know exactly where some are at and some are operating at a high level, playing their butt off and doing it all right. We got to get better but you know where they’re at. But I’m gonna wait and seefew more practices before I can make that decision.

Q: Are you a proponent of the communication line in the quarterback helmets?
Lebby: Yeah, we’re using it because at the end of the day, everyone else is going to use it. For me, it’s an opportunity to get better. We’ve got to use it and find a way to create an edge. That’s what we’re working through right now.

Q: How’s it going so far adjusting to being a head coach?
Lebby: It’s been great. Again, it’s been incredibly busy but it’s been great. We’ve got great people in the building. We’ve got great energy in Starkville, great energy around the progra, right now. This town has been special, just from a welcoming standpoint. They’ve made everyone feel incredibly welcomed. So it’s been great, it really has. It’s a lot but it will continue to be a lot and that’s part of it. And I will take all of it.