Brent Venables pens heartfelt statement to Jeff Lebby following hiring at Mississippi State
Brent Venables is sad to see Jeff Lebby go, but the Oklahoma leader is happy for the freshly-
minted Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach.
The SEC squad has been looking for their next head coach after parting ways with Zach Arnett on November 13, and they’ve found one in the now-former Sooners offensive coordinator. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Lebby has agreed to a five-year deal with the Bulldogs.
On Monday, Venables addressed the news, thanking Lebby for all his hard work, on behalf of the Oklahoma family.
“On behalf of our staff, our players and Sooner Nation, thank you Jeff for all you’ve done here at Oklahoma,” Venables said, via a statement shared to X, formerly known as Twitter. “We wish you, Staley, Kora and Kane the absolute best! Boomer!”
Moreover, the head coaching job will serve as the first of Lebby’s coaching career, after serving as on offensive coordinator at places like the aforementioned Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and UCF throughout his career as an assistant.
He’ll be missed by Brent Venables and company at Oklahoma, but the future is bright for Jeff Lebby as he takes his talents to Starkville.
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Mississippi State officially announced that Lebby would be their 36th head football coach in the announcement unveiled by Bulldogs’ athletic director Zac Selmon on Sunday.
“As we continue to invest in excellence at Mississippi State, the future of our football program is incredibly bright with the addition of Jeff Lebby at the helm,” Selmon said in his statement. “I am confident that Jeff is the perfect leader for the next exciting chapter of Mississippi State football. He will bring an exciting brand of football, elite student-athlete development, and a winning culture to Starkville, all while doing so with high integrity. He is a dynamic recruiter who will attract an elite coaching staff and the nation’s top talent.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Jeff’s leadership, vision, and resilient work ethic will take this program to incredible heights. We could not be more excited to welcome Jeff, his wife Staley, and their children Kora and Kane to the Mississippi State family. It is a great time to be a Bulldog and only going to get better.”
Lebby has been regarded as one of the best offensive masterminds in college football, with his most recent Oklahoma offensive ending the regular season as the nation’s No. 3 scoring offense of the 2023 regular season. The Bulldogs’ offense ranked dead last in scoring in the SEC this season, an area that Lebby will look to improve amongst others upon his arrival in Starkville.
“Being the head coach at Mississippi State is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Lebby said. “My family and I are fired up to engrain ourselves in this community, build relationships with our players, and hit the recruiting trail. This is a special place with special people and a football program with a storied tradition. I couldn’t be more thrilled to add our dynamic offensive scheme to an NFL powerhouse with a nationally regarded history of elite defensive play.
“I am truly honored and appreciative of Athletics Director Zac Selmon and President Dr. Mark Keenum for this special opportunity. I can’t wait to lead Mississippi State football into the future, while competing in college football’s premier conference. Hail State!”
Jeff Lebby has proven he can build a successful offense, but Mississippi State will now be looking to him to build an elite program ahead of a 2024 football season highlighted by changes in the SEC and beyond across college football.
