Mississippi
How Mississippi State’s Jeff Lebby is fixing one of SEC’s worst offenses with Blake Shapen, more fun
DALLAS ― First-year Mississippi State football coach and offensive guru Jeff Lebby inherited one of the SEC’s worst offenses.
No SEC team recorded fewer points or first downs than the Bulldogs in 2023. Mississippi State finished 13th out of 14 programs in passing yards per game, ninth in rushing yards and 12th in total offense.
He brought in 19 total transfers, including 11 on the offensive side of the ball, headlined by veteran Baylor quarterback Blake Shapen.
“I think the confidence comes in the preparation and the guys that we have from the standpoint of having Blake being our QB,” Lebby said at SEC Media Days on Wednesday. “A guy that has great experience, he’s a Big 12 champion. He knows what it’s supposed to look like. So that piece of the puzzle was huge for me and for us being in Year 1. That gives us the chance to get off the ground the way we want to.”
Not long ago, a coach bringing in an experienced quarterback like Shapen for the first year of his tenure would have marked a truly rare occurrence. The transfer portal changed that.
Now, Lebby can turn to a player who threw for 5,574 yards and 36 touchdowns in 27 games at Baylor right from the jump.
There’s still a learning curve for Shapen. At Baylor, he played in a pro-style offense, under center roughly 50% of the time. Lebby’s offense will operate almost exclusively out of the shotgun.
“It’s (taken) a lot of time, for sure,” Shapen said. “… Now coming to a more spread-out offense, wider splits, things like that. Getting the ball out quick and throwing the ball down the field.”
Lebby’s offense at Oklahoma last year ripped off 82 plays of 20 yards or more to rank eighth nationally. Mississippi State’s offense produced 42 such plays.
If the Bulldogs can get this right, they should be a much more fun watch in 2024.
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“I think the fans and the people, they kind of understand coach Lebby’s history and what he’s done offensively,” Shapen said. “So I don’t think it’s going to be a huge surprise, but I think when we’re able to put up some points and change the outcome of some games, I think that’ll be a big surprise.”
Walking the path toward that goal, the Bulldogs are prioritizing having some fun of their own.
“I truly think when you walk in the double doors every single day, if you enjoy who you do it with and how you do it, then you’ve got a chance to pour into it just a little bit more,” Lebby said. “So maybe you stay for 20 more minutes, 20 get elite recovery because of what’s going on in the training room and what’s going on in the weight room. That culture to me matters. People want to be inside the building when they enjoy being inside the building.”
David Eckert covers Ole Miss for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at deckert@gannett.com or reach him on Twitter @davideckert98.
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Tennessee is recruiting toward its 2029 football signing class. The Vols offered a scholarship to 2029 wide receiver Matthew Fletcher.
“Blessed to receive an offer (from) the University of Tennessee,” Fletcher announced.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound wide receiver is from Central Hinds Academy in Raymond, Mississippi. He does not have rankings from 247Sports.
Ole Miss was the first school to offer a scholarship to Fletcher. Other schools to offer him scholarships are Akron, LSU, Mississippi State, Tuskegee, Jacksonville State, Hinds Community College and Jackson State.
Tennessee does not have a commitment for its 2028 and 2029 recruiting class.
The Vols have 13 commitments for their 2027 recruiting class: linebacker JP Peace, offensive tackle Princeton Uwaifo, defensive lineman Kadin Fife, quarterback Derrick Baker, athlete Jaden Butler, wide receiver KeSean Bowman, defensive back Carter Jamison, defensive back Brandon Leavell, tight end Malik Howard, defensive lineman Christian Mays, cornerback Dylan Haley, long snapper Sam McKeown and kicker Ford Fehling.
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Only in Starkville,
Know when to call 911 and know when to call a non-emergency number
Knowing when to call 911 and when to use a non-emergency number can save lives. Avoid diverting resources needed in actual emergencies.
Court records show all five suspects charged in the shooting death of a former Mississippi college football player, Idarrious Iantron “D.D.” Bowie, pleaded not guilty June 9 during their initial court appearance in Rankin County.
Ladarious J. Harrison, 18, Dominick Sanabria, 19, Semiko Crump, 46, Kaylee Trimble, 18, and Michael Mitchell, 19, all face charges in the June 5 shooting death of Bowie, 27, of Lena.
Harrison and Sanabria both face a murder charge. Crump, Trimble and Mitchell face an accessory after the fact of murder charge.
Not guilty pleas have been entered into court records for all five suspects.
Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey said Bowie was shot multiple times in the front yard of a residence in the 100 block of Adams Road. Bowie later died from his injuries.
According to previous Clarion Ledger reporting, Bowie was a former four-star wide receiver and MHSAA’s Mr. Football 3A who played a big part in Morton’s success as a quarterback and wide receiver. Bowie was a 2016 Dandy Dozen player.
Originally signing with Ole Miss as its top prospect, Bowie left the Rebels for personal reasons in 2018 and then signed with Northeast Mississippi Community College. For the 2019 football season, Bowie joined Jackson State University as a wide receiver.
Court documents state Sanabria and Harrison got into a verbal argument with Bowie which led to the shooting.
Below are more details regarding what each suspect is accused of related to the murder:
Ladarious James Harrison, 18
Rankin County Court Judge David Morrow denied bond for Harrison, who is accused of shooting Bowie multiple times while in the front yard of the home on Adams Road. If convicted, Harrison faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
At the time of shooting, court records state Harrison was on bond for an attempted murder charge for a 2025 shooting in Rankin County. His bond conditions required GPS monitoring.
Court records reveal investigators obtained GPS records which show Harrison “was at the location during the time of the shooting.”
“During an interview with Harrison, he stated that he heard a gunshot and then took off running. He denied any involvement in the death of Idarrious Iantron Bowie,” court records state.
Dominick Delricco Sanabria, 19
Judge Morrow denied bond for Sanabria, who is also accused of shooting Bowie multiple times while in the front yard of the Adams Road home. If convicted, Sanabria faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
According to court records, Sanabria surrendered himself at the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.
Court documents state while being interviewed, Sanabria said he and other individuals traveled to Adams Road. Upon arrival, a verbal altercation occurred.
Sanabria told investigators he did have a gun on him during the argument but “did not intend to use the firearm.”
“But when the altercation escalated, (Sanabria) and Bowie were fighting over control of the gun when it discharged wounding Bowie,” the court filing states.
After the initial discharge of the gun, Sanabria told investigators, “Bowie began running away at which time Harrison fired multiple rounds striking the victim.”
Semiko Nakuna Crump, 46
Judge Morrow denied bond for Crump, who is accused of assisting Harrison and Sanabria “knowing they had feloniously shot another person with the intent to enable them to avoid arrest.”
Court records state a Toyota Camry, used to transport the suspects to the crime scene, later arrived at a residence on Cherry Bark Drive in Brandon. Investigators said at the residence, Crump came out of the garage.
Court filings state Crump allowed men to enter the residence through the garage “at which time she begins looking down the street as if she is filling the role of a lookout.”
At some point later, the Toyota Camry leaves the residence.
“Crump continues her lookout behavior for several minutes which is evidenced by her walking back and forth from the front of the residence toward the roadway and looking down the street,” court records state.
During the time of the shooting, Crump was out on felony bond for trafficking-controlled substances in a correctional facility.
If convicted, Crump faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Kaylee Dewanna Trimble, 18
Judge Morrow set Trimble’s bond at $500,000. Trimble, the daughter of Crump, had no previous criminal history.
Trimble was required to wear a GPS monitor and have no contact with the victim’s family or co-defendants.
Trimble is accused of assisting Harrison and Sanabria “knowing they had feloniously shot another person with the intent to enable them to avoid arrest.”
“During an interview with Kaylee Trimble, she stated that Dominick Delricco Sanabria came to her house and stated that he was robbed and believed he was shot in the leg. She stated that they then left the residence and went to an address in Jackson, MS,” court records state. “Trimble was taken into custody at this time.”
After that statement, investigators went to the Rankin County Jail and photographed Sanabria’s leg.
Court documents state investigators “noticed red marks that Sanabria stated that he sustained during a struggle over the firearm with Bowie.”
If convicted, Trimble faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Michael Jerome Mitchell, 19
Judge Morrow set Mitchell’s bond at $500,000. Mitchell was also required to wear a GPS monitor and have no contact with the victim’s family or co-defendants.
According to investigators, witnesses told authorities during interviews that Mitchell was at the scene of the shooting.
Mitchell is accused of assisting Harrison and Sanabria “knowing they had feloniously shot another person with the intent to enable them to avoid arrest.”
Investigators said they were unable to find Mitchell and the Toyota Camry used to transport the suspects to the crime scene, the vehicle’s tag was listed on a “hot list as being a wanted subject.”
Court documents state officers with the Flowood Police Department located the Toyota Camry on June 6, “being driven by Michael Mitchell.”
The vehicle was towed to the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office, and Mitchell was taken into custody and transported to the Rankin County Adult Detention Center.
If convicted, Mitchell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
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