If we get to 6 wins...

The Peeper

Heisman
Feb 26, 2008
16,860
12,675
113
what do you do? In a vacuum before the season, I thought he would be safe with 6 but how the season has played out - I have zero faith that Lebby is a long term answer.

Why not get rid of him now then than give him the chance to get to 6...........Other teams have cut ties w/ their coaches and are already out there shaking the trees for their next coach already and taking applications while we prolong the inevitable.
 

Shmuley

Heisman
Mar 6, 2008
24,376
12,460
113
6 wins probably means he gets another year, absent the football equivalent of a Diamond Head Classic incident, ala R Sidney/E Bailey wife beater throw down.
 

horshack.sixpack

All-American
Oct 30, 2012
12,267
9,668
113
what do you do? In a vacuum before the season, I thought he would be safe with 6 but how the season has played out - I have zero faith that Lebby is a long term answer.
It seems that he can coach, or has brought in guys that can coach, but overall program administration is not in a good spot regarding depth, etc. Maybe that's just how it is going to be. We've seemingly always been a few key injuries away from having stellar, or terrible, seasons. Not much has changed from my observation except the idea that if we had enough money we could legally pay enough folks to solve that problem.

SPS folks who are more in the know than I am insist we have money to compete, so I think that it would be hard to argue with us parting ways post season. I have no idea who we get that gets us where we want to be, but maybe we are far enough removed from our Leach coaching carousel that we have stability to attract the right person.
 

horshack.sixpack

All-American
Oct 30, 2012
12,267
9,668
113
I'll add that in the era of NIL, boosters at every program will likely have an Auburnesque level of influence over coaching hires. We have a very large and influential "board of directors". I would not want to have to be an AD right now.
 

Chesusdog

All-American
May 2, 2006
5,171
5,617
113
I really struggle with the whole "not having a legitimate plan B" for QB. Puckett and Swann are the best we can do? Is the Rashada or whatever his name is guy so bad that he's not even a possibility?
 
Aug 22, 2012
1,147
422
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Trying to be rational right now, but it's hard.

If he goes 6-6 I think we will keep him. He shouldn't get a 3 year extension, but he should be retained. His offense works with K1. Part of the reason we are in this death spiral is because of the constant turnover we have had through the last 8 years. Also, 6-6 would be an improvement from last season even though it feels like it's not.

After seeing the product after K1 was out, I have serious concerns about talent evaluation in the portal at every position except receiver. Also, I have felt he has made better on field coaching decisions this year. I still don't like his stubbornness in doubling down on everything he does in the post game press conference. It was clear that Puckett was not going to give us a chance to win the game, but we stuck with it anyways and then defended it. It's getting old.
 
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horshack.sixpack

All-American
Oct 30, 2012
12,267
9,668
113
Trying to be rational right now, but it's hard.

If he goes 6-6 I think we will keep him. He shouldn't get a 3 year extension, but he should be retained. His offense works with K1. Part of the reason we are in this death spiral is because of the constant turnover we have had through the last 8 years. Also, 6-6 would be an improvement from last season even though it feels like it's not.

After seeing the product after K1 was out, I have serious concerns about talent evaluation in the portal at every position except receiver. Also, I have felt he has made better on field coaching decisions this year. I still don't like his stubbornness in doubling down on everything he does in the post game press conference. It was clear that Puckett was not going to give us a chance to win the game, but we stuck with it anyways and then defended it. It's getting old.
He hasn't learned simple things, like take points early in games on the road. His 4th down go for it always mentality and our putrid success rate at it tell me he doesn't learn some lessons. Sometimes scoring a filed goal after a long drive is as much about getting something positive out of it as it is about points.
 

MSUDC11-2.0

Heisman
Sep 29, 2022
11,104
18,042
113
I don’t think we have the guts to fire him at 6-6. It will be too easy to blame it all on the Kamario injury and other clear and obvious problems will just he brushed under the rug.

Then next year when we have a generational QB and still can’t qualify for a 24 team Playoff, everyone will realize what is already apparent to many now.

We’ve not built any kind of sustainable program under this guy. We’ve recruited decent 7 on 7 rosters that don’t have a prayer at the line of scrimmage. For the third year in a row.
 

ckDOG

All-American
Dec 11, 2007
10,466
6,890
113
what do you do? In a vacuum before the season, I thought he would be safe with 6 but how the season has played out - I have zero faith that Lebby is a long term answer.
Pray some program with more money than sense says "6-6 at lowly MSU is incredible...let's throw $6M at him" and we let him walk.
 
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Aug 22, 2012
1,147
422
83
He hasn't learned simple things, like take points early in games on the road. His 4th down go for it always mentality and our putrid success rate at it tell me he doesn't learn some lessons. Sometimes scoring a filed goal after a long drive is as much about getting something positive out of it as it is about points.
Don't disagree. He's really stubborn. It has gotten a little better this season, but his game awareness is just poor.
 
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615dawg

All-Conference
Jun 4, 2007
7,377
4,992
113
Lebby is not an SEC football coach.

Hal Mumme without Mike Leach was 2-9 (0-8 in the SEC), then went 12-11 at FCS Southeastern Louisiana, then went 11-38 at New Mexico State, 27-16 at D3 McMurry, then 8-33 at D3 Belhaven.

Jeff Lebby without a generational talent at QB is Hal Mumme without Mike Leach.

High school Lebby could be the fourth SEC coach to leave an SEC school then coach at a high school, and I bet he has similar success as the other three.

Mike Dubose was 53-31 at three high schools, but had an 0-10 season
Curley Hallman went 14-26 at Muscle Shoals High School
Doug Barfield was 48-20 at two high schools

The absolute best thing that could happen to Mississippi State right now is the Baylor boosters talking Baylor into hiring Jeff Lebby.
 

L4Dawg

All-American
Oct 27, 2016
12,000
8,459
113
If we get to 6-6 firing him this year would be a huge mistake, and it isn't likely to happen. Given how it's played out firing him if we go 5-7 would be a mistake.
 
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22yardpunt

Senior
Dec 20, 2009
1,215
927
113
what do you do? In a vacuum before the season, I thought he would be safe with 6 but how the season has played out - I have zero faith that Lebby is a long term answer.

I think it boils down to the Egg Bowl. Win 6 and put up fight v OM and he probably gets extended. Win 6 and get skull drug by OM and maybe Keenum makes Salmon pull the plug.
 

GoDawgz52

Junior
Aug 21, 2023
211
254
43
what do you do? In a vacuum before the season, I thought he would be safe with 6 but how the season has played out - I have zero faith that Lebby is a long term answer.
He is not the long term answer, no prior head coaching experience and it is showing!
However, you still have to weight the real possibility of K1 leaving too.
If you term Lebby, K1 is gone (spare me the ole miss jargon "but he loves State") and there is a total rebuild....again.
And if you keep Lebby, K1 may still leave, and you are stuck with Lebby and Puckett for another year....of a half year.
Sometimes you just have to call the baby ugly....and its ugly!
Such is the life of a Mississippi State fan.
 

Called3rdstrikedawg

All-Conference
May 7, 2016
2,521
2,148
113
So then beating Ole Miss is no longer a requirement to be a head coach at MSU? How far has the program fallen when you will accept losing to your arch rival every year just to get 6 wins?
Also, to get to 6-6, that means only winning 1 more SEC game, Making Lebby 4-21 in 3 years of conference play. Is that acceptable as the norm at Mississippi State?
May it never be so!
 
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ckDOG

All-American
Dec 11, 2007
10,466
6,890
113
If we get to 6-6 firing him this year would be a huge mistake, and it isn't likely to happen. Given how it's played out firing him if we go 5-7 would be a mistake.
How can you say that without more info? I could buy that if I knew the big money boosters were ready to go all in on a Lebby/KT year and get the guys/depth in the trenches we lack to compete at a high level AND absorb the injuries that are inevitable. Without that info, it's another gamble on 1 QB masking all the deficiencies we have. Fool me once...
 

00Dawg

Senior
Nov 10, 2009
3,337
602
93
Don't disagree. He's really stubborn. It has gotten a little better this season, but his game awareness is just poor.
It really is. Just Saturday, he screwed up:
1. Not deferring when we won the toss, and passing up the opportunity to put OU's weakest unit on the field first.
2. Making at least two head-scratching decisions on 4th and short (on the same drive, IIRC). On the first he was bailed out on by an offsides, and the other ended up not hurting us.
3. Not having the first down play at the goal line be a straight handoff to Fluff.
4. Not replacing Pulliam after the second shank.
5. Surrendering at the end of the first half...if you're ballsy enough to demand the ball first with a crippled offense, why aren't you ballsy enough to try and get some yards with 39 seconds to go? At least run second down fast and give Fluff another chance to pop one...
6. Choosing the wind at your back for the 3rd quarter, not the 4th.
 

gtowndawg

Senior
Jan 23, 2007
2,371
757
113
We've had this discussing before (Croom the best example) but if we are 6-5 going into the Egg Bowl and we get absolutely embarrassed that can swing everyone's opinion overnight (no matter if he reached the magical 6-6 goal or not).
 
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MSUDC11-2.0

Heisman
Sep 29, 2022
11,104
18,042
113
Lebby is not an SEC football coach.

Hal Mumme without Mike Leach was 2-9 (0-8 in the SEC), then went 12-11 at FCS Southeastern Louisiana, then went 11-38 at New Mexico State, 27-16 at D3 McMurry, then 8-33 at D3 Belhaven.

Jeff Lebby without a generational talent at QB is Hal Mumme without Mike Leach.

High school Lebby could be the fourth SEC coach to leave an SEC school then coach at a high school, and I bet he has similar success as the other three.

Mike Dubose was 53-31 at three high schools, but had an 0-10 season
Curley Hallman went 14-26 at Muscle Shoals High School
Doug Barfield was 48-20 at two high schools

The absolute best thing that could happen to Mississippi State right now is the Baylor boosters talking Baylor into hiring Jeff Lebby.

Agree with most of this but there is no way on God’s green earth that Baylor is going to hire Art Briles’ son in law who was also on that staff himself a decade ago when they had their major scandal.
 

Called3rdstrikedawg

All-Conference
May 7, 2016
2,521
2,148
113
Missouri and Alabama took our Oline rejects and made them starters. Now some will say Work isn’t that good. But he is starting for a winning football team who should not have not lost to a Lebby coached team. James was legit and Lebby couldn’t hold onto him. Then he goes and hires the Oline coach from Colorado whose Oline set a record for sacks allowed in a season against a dynamic college QB. Who thought Loadholt was an upgrade? Lebby.😳😳
 

L4Dawg

All-American
Oct 27, 2016
12,000
8,459
113
How can you say that without more info? I could buy that if I knew the big money boosters were ready to go all in on a Lebby/KT year and get the guys/depth in the trenches we lack to compete at a high level AND absorb the injuries that are inevitable. Without that info, it's another gamble on 1 QB masking all the deficiencies we have. Fool me once...
I'm basing it on the effect doing it would have on the next hire. We had a decent team at the start of the year, those wins just keep looking better. Do you want to make a hire where the guy you want is thinking they will fire me if I'm doing well but then my QB gets hurt?
 

HailStout

Heisman
Jan 4, 2020
6,300
18,066
113
We've had this discussing before (Croom the best example) but if we are 6-5 going into the Egg Bowl and we get absolutely embarrassed that can swing everyone's opinion overnight (no matter if he reached the magical 6-6 goal or not).
I think this is the correct answer. I think ole miss is going to absolutely embarrass us in the egg bowl.
 
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615dawg

All-Conference
Jun 4, 2007
7,377
4,992
113
He is not the long term answer, no prior head coaching experience and it is showing!
However, you still have to weight the real possibility of K1 leaving too.
If you term Lebby, K1 is gone (spare me the ole miss jargon "but he loves State") and there is a total rebuild....again.
And if you keep Lebby, K1 may still leave, and you are stuck with Lebby and Puckett for another year....of a half year.
Sometimes you just have to call the baby ugly....and its ugly!
Such is the life of a Mississippi State fan.
This will be an unpopular opinion, but I'd rather Lebby and K1 leave than Lebby stay. I have no faith in Jeff Lebby to make Mississippi State a competitive football program.
 

gtowndawg

Senior
Jan 23, 2007
2,371
757
113
With all the talk about how long we have been in the wilderness (and it does fell like 40 years eating manna) our ranking in the 2022 AP final poll was #20 in the country. If we get the right people in here, we can fix this and be a consistent top 30 team. But like most things, the right people are required.
 

Howiefeltersnstch

All-Conference
Dec 28, 2019
3,014
3,676
98
If they treat the injury correctly its possible we get K1 back for the Egg. Maybe even.a little warm up at TT. He should have never played against Bama and apparently OU either. Lebby has no vision. 1 and 0 this week is the mantra for the players. A coach needs to plan for all 12 games. He killed the goose that lays the golden eggs.
 
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