State Defense Ushers In Showtime Era Of Its Own
April 22, 2024 | Football
STARKVILLE – New Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby brought with him to Starkville a well-established reputation for guiding incredibly productive offenses, but last Saturday's Maroon and White spring game demonstrated his defensive unit is just as ready for a little showtime, too.
The Bulldogs swarmed the gridiron with exuberant energy and excitement all spring. Then, the fans in attendance for State's spring game witnessed a plethora of flashes from defensive coordinator Coleman Hutzler's unit in an early preview before the cleats hit the ground running for fall camp preparations.
"What stood out the most is our guys' eagerness to go to work and their attitude and their effort coming into the building," Lebby said following MSU's spring game. "We've had great energy every single day [and] that's been a huge stress of ours. Be incredibly present in every single moment [and] be incredibly intentional to find ways to get better."
Defensive lineman De'Monte Russell is one of State's veteran leaders who is zoned in on honing his craft and establishing a culture of energy and excitement during this new era of Bulldog football.
"I think what I'm about to say speaks for itself," Russell said. "This is probably one of the best springs I've had since I've been here. I've been here with four head coaches…The energy is different. It's just a different environment."
Russell established his dominance on the gridiron by securing 24 total tackles, including six tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in 2023.
The senior from Jackson, Mississippi, has carried that dominance into the spring. Russell recorded a special moment alongside his brother, sophomore linebacker Donterry Russell, as the pair surged into the backfield for a combined sack during the first half of MSU's spring game.
"It's different man," De'Monte Russell said of making a play with his sibling. "It's a dream come true and it's a moment that we'll forever cherish."
Another member of State's tenacious linebacking corps is senior John Lewis. The Canton, Mississippi, native has stepped up and become a leader of the Bulldogs defense this spring. Last season, Lewis recorded a career-high 20 total tackles and secured at least one tackle in seven of MSU's final eight games.
As an experienced workhorse for the Bulldogs, Lewis is helping his teammates focus on the grind and the objective at hand.
"As a whole team, we've all come together and we've gotten better as days go by," Lewis said after State's spring game. "We all come together and trust each other. We got to trust each other as brothers."
One thing is for certain, all Bulldog defenders have a tremendous amount of energy, excitement and trust amongst each other. The defensive brotherhood formed between Lewis, Russell and the other talented athletes on State's roster is undeniable.
The Bulldogs are coming together as one, and they are ready to put on a show for the MSU fanbase that will show up to support them. And the best thing of all is the process is really just getting started.
"For us, it's still about climbing and climbing this thing one day at time and finding ways to get better," Lebby said.
