This week on Next Up with Adam Breneman, Mississippi State Head Coach Jeff Lebby joins the show to talk about the journey of rebuilding a program in the heart of the SEC. From taking over a team that had seen four head coaches in five years, to bringing in more than 60 new players and creating instant belief, Lebby opens up on how he’s building stability and momentum in Starkville.

He shares what it means to shape the identity of Mississippi State Football around effort, physicality, and execution, and why he leans on tempo and explosiveness to make opponents “defend every blade of grass.” We dive into recruiting battles in the South, the role football plays in growing the Starkville community, and why alignment with the administration has been critical to the program’s rise.

Coach Lebby also reflects on the lessons from a 2–10 season, the importance of preparing his players for life beyond football, and his personal “why” that keeps him grounded through it all. It’s a candid look at what it takes to build a program in today’s college football.

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CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Intro

:50 - Reflections of first years at Mississippi State

2:24 - First adjustments when taking Head Coaching job

3:32 - Why Mississippi State

4:40 - First year at Mississippi State

6:45 - Momentum at Mississippi State

7:54 - Getting buy-in from transfer portal players

10:25 - Reflecting on 2-10 year

11:40 - Identity of Mississippi State Football

12:28 - Investment from University into football program

13:47 - Spring ball

14:40 - Installing Coach Lebby’s Offense

15:47 - Talent acquisition at Mississippi State

17:07 - Tennessee matchup preview

18:00 - Locker room after beating ASU

18:49 - Dealing with outside noise

19:46 - Approach to analytics

20:53 - Day in the life

22:48 - Growth of Starkville

23:37 - Preparing players for life after football

24:47 - Traits Coach Lebby looks for in young coaches

25:53 - Non-negotiables for recruits and portal players

26:45 - Coach Lebby’s Legacy

27:20 - Future of Mississippi State

28:07 - Coach Lebby’s why

On Next Up, college football analyst Adam Breneman sits down with the most influential names in college sports and lets them tell their stories unfiltered, direct to the fans.

Next Up is a Front Office Sports Network show featuring candid, open, and honest conversations with the most impactful figures in college sports including head coaches, athletes, athletic directors, commissioners, entrepreneurs, media personalities, agents, and executives shaping the business of college sports.

Adam is a former All-American, Penn State alum and media personality. Front Office Sports is the leading multi-platform media and news organization covering the intersection of sports, business and culture.