John Lewis​

Press Conference​

THE MODERATOR: John Lewis is ready for your questions.

JOHN LEWIS: How you doing?

Q. John, what's your favorite part of playing linebacker? I see you have quite a few sacks. Where did y'all get those arm bands?

JOHN LEWIS: That's Adidas. It's great playing linebacker at Mississippi State. I learned a lot from the previous guys from the past years so it's been great.

Q. What have been the biggest challenges of this off-season with a new head coach and holding the team together amid the transition?

JOHN LEWIS: I mean, it's always a challenge when you come in with different coaches and have to learn new schemes. So I mean, it's been great bonding with the guys and being able to come together and learn everything and being able to, you know, be a family. Everybody is being closer so it's been better.

Q. Going off of that, with this transition, what have been the biggest differences you've seen in Jeff Lebby and his philosophy with the team?

JOHN LEWIS: Energy. It's been great that he came in, because I feel like we have more energy, and it's more of a family, more than just football. We all are like closer together than we've ever been and our locker room environment is great.

Q. I wanted to ask Coach Drinkwitz yesterday a campaign for Coach Leach to be in the football Hall of Fame. Which I think is a worthwhile cause. Your memories of Coach Leach, when folks ask you about him?

JOHN LEWIS: He was very funny. He was the smartest guy I ever met, ever. Leach was a great guy, he was very funny. So I mean, he -- he's definitely an offensive guy though, but he was fun to be around but, yea.

Q. Is this your third head coach since you've been there?

JOHN LEWIS: Fourth.

Q. So you're getting kind of --

JOHN LEWIS: It was Knox first, then Arnett. So it was Leach, Knox, Arnett, now Lebby so yeah.

Q. Does that help in any way when you get a new coach? You're used to the routine of turnover and getting things resettled.

JOHN LEWIS: I feel like where I'm at right now is great, because we're not looking forward to another coach right now. So far it's been great with Lebby coming in and being able to change the environment and being able to bring us in and have a bond with all of our teammates. It's been a challenge, honestly. It's been a big challenge, but everybody likes it and it's very -- it's chill now because once Lebby came in we all knew he was in it for us.

Q. You said they stress the family idea or the closeness, what is different? It's bringing a team together, I understand that. How do they do that without forcing it on you guys?

JOHN LEWIS: Just being ourselves, having a personality, having fun with the guys. We're not always literally about football. Outside of football we have like a life. So we all have fun outside of football. We all have like get-togethers, we will go to a teammate's house, go out to eat, do little things outside of football, just bond, get to know each other better.

Q. I think back to the LSU game, and if I remember correctly the defense did their part but the offense was off the field wearing you guys out. Do you have a complimentary offense now, maybe helps you guys keep your wind longer in the game?

JOHN LEWIS: Of course I got a lot of faith in this offense. We had faith in them last year, too. It wasn't never a "we don't like the offense". It's just they had their struggles, you know, bits and pieces. So I feel like this year it's going to be way better, way -- it's going to be fun this year.

Q. So you guys aren't going to the state of Alabama this year but in your experience which stadium, Bryant-Denny or Jordan-Hare, has the more difficult atmosphere to play in?

JOHN LEWIS: On our schedule now? Everybody is saying Texas but I don't know because I never been there.

Q. Between Jordan-Hare or Bryant-Denny?

JOHN LEWIS: Auburn most definitely.

Q. Why?

JOHN LEWIS: I haven't been there since my freshman year but it's -- I apologize, we was there last year, right? Last year. It's fun but it's the fans, they're crazy.

Q. Is there a particular game on your schedule that you have circled more than others?

JOHN LEWIS: No, not really because everybody counting us out, so we just play every game like a normal game. Every week we focus on that one opponent. It's going to be great this year. We just worry about the first opponent, our first game coming up.

Q. Do you embrace that? You said everyone is counting you out. Do you embrace that everyone is sleeping on you, the underdog?

JOHN LEWIS: We love it. We can't wait to prove everyone wrong and shock everybody.

Q. I want to ask you, Athletic Directors, I don't know if they have ties to football players but you have a good one in Zac Selmon, are you familiar with him at all?

JOHN LEWIS: Of course. There's probably a picture on Twitter. He was on our shoulder when he first came. Yeah.

Q. (Away from mic.) Football program?

JOHN LEWIS: He brought in a lot of pieces we need that helped us to become a better person off the field and it's like he's done so much that has helped us. I feel like he's done more than enough. We all appreciate him a lot.

Q. Rivalries, OU and Texas bringing a rivalry to the SEC, and I asked another teammate about the Egg Bowl. Tell me about the Egg Bowl, how much it means to the school, the community, the state?

JOHN LEWIS: It means a lot, it's like winning the lottery. Like that goes for both sides, though. That's for Ole Miss, if they win, it's like winning the lottery, but same goes for us, if we win, it's like winning the lottery. So it means a lot, but we're definitely bringing it back to Starkville this year.

Q. What's it been lake to practice across from the pace that the offense is using right now? What do you think that tempo is going to look like on Saturdays in the SEC?

JOHN LEWIS: I mean, it helps us a lot, because we have faced a lot of tempo teams with some of the guys that are on defense right now from the previous years. I feel like it helps us so much to a point where I feel like we're going to be -- we're going to be ready for tempo teams this year.

Q. I will pass along your complements to the Auburn fans with what you had to say about Jordan-Hare, and your former teammate Percy has made a jump to Auburn. What is Auburn getting in Percy Lewis?

JOHN LEWIS: I like Percy, that's my dog. You know his last name is Lewis? Calling each other cousins. That's my guy though I like him a lot. He's a great guy.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you. Good luck.

Mississippi State Bulldogs​

Blake Shapen​

Press Conference​

THE MODERATOR: Okay, we have Blake Shapen with us.

Q. When you went into the portal what was it about Mississippi State that made them the right fit?

BLAKE SHAPEN: I think it starts with Coach Lebby, got to watch him coach at OU, got to see that offense in person. It was kind of a no-brainer when he got the job at Mississippi State and he contacted me, obviously I wanted to play in the SEC and I heard Mississippi State is a great place so it was a no-brainer.

Q. How would you describe kind of Jeff Lebby and his coaching style so far, what he ads to your game?

BLAKE SHAPEN: No, he's a great dude, he's energetic. He's got a lot of swagger about him. He's a cool dude but he's very knowledgeable about football and offense and having an explosive offense. A lot of people gravitate toward him just by the way he is, his personality. He's a great guy.

Q. Obviously a lot of veteran experience from you. How do you feel like in these early days you've been able to impart your leadership on this program?

BLAKE SHAPEN: I think at first it was tough because I was at Baylor for four years and it's just a new place, new relationships and being able to build relationships outside of the facility. So when we get inside the facility these guys trust me and they know who I am.

Q. We've seen transfer quarterbacks in the past who have missed spring practice, shown up afterwards and it's a learning process. How beneficial is it that you got to go through spring practice with the team and you got those reps in?

BLAKE SHAPEN: Very beneficial for sure. Knowing that I get a whole spring, a whole, what, five, six weeks of training and going through the offense, the footwork and everything that goes into it. Reps are everything, and so I got to have a lot of reps in the spring.

Q. Blake, I have two questions. A lot of guys on this team are from Mississippi. You're from Louisiana, the south culture and football here. What is it about high school football in the south that prepares you guys to do so well in the big-time stage at the DI level? And could you tell me about your shoes? I wanted to ask about the creativity there.

BLAKE SHAPEN: Football in the south, I feel like we don't have as much nice stuff as Texas and different areas like that. But there is a lot of good football being played in Louisiana all around. I know in our area there is a lot of good football, a lot of good players and I feel like that goes under the rug a little bit of how many great players have came through my high school, the high schools in my area. There's great coaches in the area, too.

But my shoes, I got, Shreveport, and my number, and Romans 12:12 on the left and then I got a baby picture of myself on the right with all my family members' names on it.

Q. You mentioned seeing that offense in person. Do you remember that 2022 game, Dillon Gabriel winning up in Norman when you were at Baylor, and did you get a chance to talk to former quarterbacks of Coach Lebby when you were making that decision to go to Mississippi State or do you know Dillon at all?

BLAKE SHAPEN: Yeah, seeing that in person was a big deal for me. The offense is so fast, it's explosive and I got to watch that in person. No, I didn't speak to any other quarterbacks that have played under him until recently I met Dillon at the Manning camp and we spent a great deal of time together. He's a great guy, he talked about the offense and Coach Lebby and it's good having somebody like that in your corner, too.

Q. Blake, when you look around the league, how would you rate the level of quarterback play in the SEC right now?

BLAKE SHAPEN: I mean, obviously there's a lot of great quarterbacks in this league. This is why it's the best conference. I feel like it's led by good quarterback play. There are good quarterbacks everywhere, though, so, but it's a blessing to be a part of the SEC.

Q. What did you learn at the Manning camp? What can you say about the defenses in the SEC as opposed to the league you transferred from, the Big 12?

BLAKE SHAPEN: The Manning camp was a blessing. I actually went to the camp as a kid so being able to be a counselor and get to experience that was a blessing. Obviously listened to Ely, Peyton and Archie and those guys, was awesome.

The difference between defense in the SEC and Big 12, I feel like SEC they're going to test your talent and play a lot more pressman and test your athleticism more than the Big 12. In the Big 12 there are zone coverages. You're going to see the zone coverage in the SEC, too, but in the SEC they will test you a little bit more.

Q. Coach Lebby talked about the closeness and the camaraderie and the importance of having it for this group. How have you and your teammates been able to accomplish that this season?

BLAKE SHAPEN: Like I said earlier, hanging out outside of the facility, it's a big deal. You have to build these relationships before the season. You can't just go on to the field and play with somebody you really don't know. So just hanging out, doing regular things like regular dudes do, I guess, and just building those relationships.

Q. Blake, you were a big-time baseball player coming out of high school. You chose football. Are you finished with baseball and how do you make the decision to focus on football?

BLAKE SHAPEN: I would like to say I am finished. It's hard to be like I'm done with baseball, but, yeah, I'm probably done.

What was the next?

Q. How did you make the decision to focus on football rather than baseball? What factors led to that?

BLAKE SHAPEN: After my first year at Baylor I went over to play baseball after the football season, and the quarterback coaches blew me up every single day, like, come compete for the job, and next thing, you know, I was over baseball for three weeks and then decided to go back and compete for the job.

Q. Amazed at the weight the Manning name carries in football particularly in Louisiana and Mississippi?

BLAKE SHAPEN: Everybody knows who the Mannings are and like I said, to be able to meet those guys, meet Peyton, Ely and Archie, it was a blessing for me. You get to learn a lot of different things from them. Number of Super Bowls in that room combined through three of them. So it was a lot of good experience I could take in.

Q. One of the things Peyton has always been very proud of, it's a no-nonsense camp, not a lot of falderal. Was it really just football?

BLAKE SHAPEN: Yeah, it was. They told us no autographs when we got there too. And Peyton was my favorite player growing up, so I could have easily been that one that asked, but, yeah, it's strictly football.

Q. Going into the season, your teammates said Mississippi State is kind of overlooked and not a lot of high expectations. Do you embrace that underdog role going into the season?

BLAKE SHAPEN: Yeah, for sure. I think we all use that as fuel. We're looked at -- there is not a lot of expectations at the end of the day for us. So I feel like that fuels us in a way that makes us want to go out there and prove a lot of people wrong, and I'm excited. We're going to use that as fuel for sure.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks very much, Blake.

Albert Reese IV​

Press Conference​

THE MODERATOR: Our first Bulldog of the morning is Albert Reese, Canadian native. This is Mississippi State player Albert Reese.

Q. What's it been like so far the transition with Jeff Lebby and what's it like playing under him?

ALBERT REESE IV: It's been as good as it can be, you know, new offense, everybody has adapted quite well.

Q. What differences have you seen from Lebby and before just with the team and the way the offense is?

ALBERT REESE IV: Just how detailed everything is. Like he really emphasizes the devils in the details and the smallest things that you wouldn't think play a big role in success, play a huge role in being successful.

Q. Biggest -- the similarities and the differences between living in Alberta and living in Starkville, Mississippi?

ALBERT REESE IV: It's got to be the weather is the biggest one you can imagine. Get a lot of snow up there, frigid temperatures -40, 50 sometimes and the food. I would say the food is definitely better here.

Q. What's it been like working with Cody Kennedy the new offensive line coach?

ALBERT REESE IV: It's been great. Everybody on the O-Line respects him, likes him and it's been great being under his leadership and learning some of his techniques.

Q. Is that like a sweater, a jacket? A varsity feel to it. What is it?

ALBERT REESE IV: Like?

Q. Is it a sweater or a jacket?

ALBERT REESE IV: It's a little bit of both, it's a stretchy jacket, real comfortable.

Q. Does Adidas make it?

ALBERT REESE IV: Yeah.

Q. Tell me about your quarterback, what have you seen in him giving you confidence this season going forward?

ALBERT REESE IV: I think he's a natural leader. He's very good at bringing everybody together and just making sure everybody is on the same page, knowing what the expectations are, holding people accountable, I think that's actually his biggest and best asset.

Q. What does it mean to be representing the Mississippi State offensive line, to be the selection at SEC Media Days to represent the team?

ALBERT REESE IV: It's a huge honor to be able to represent my program and my offensive line. So very blessed to be here.

Q. Talk a little bit about the clanging of the cow bells and getting acclimated to that. I don't know how many cow bells you heard prior to coming to Mississippi State, but getting acclimated to that as well, does it distract you or do you love it as a Mississippi State guy yourself?

ALBERT REESE IV: As a freshman it was intimidating, even me being part of the team, but I love it now. It's just awesome.

Q. Good morning. Albert, what intrigued you about playing football being from Canada and how much did you play in Canada? I know you played high school football in Florida, as well?

ALBERT REESE IV: How much I played in Canada?

Q. Yeah, the differences.

ALBERT REESE IV: The differences. No snow games down here. I had a good amount of those. That's the biggest thing. A lot more people go to American games like you talk about playing high school football up there. A lot more attendance down in the states than up there.

Q. When you are learning Jeff Lebby's offense, when he is installing his offense, do you look at Oklahoma film? Do you get acclimated to the fast-paced offense? He wants to snap it past, how much of a chore is that for the offense?

ALBERT REESE IV: We do look at his Oklahoma film because that's where he was most recently and it's a good way to learn our plays. But, yeah, the tempo, it's going to be a great asset for us going into the year.

We're going to be able to tire opposing teams out and use that to our advantage and make our jobs easier and more effective.

Q. What's been your favorite thing about playing for Mississippi State?

ALBERT REESE IV: I really like our fan base. I really love how blue collar and toughness-oriented the program is.

Q. What have you seen from Cameron Ball and Justin Ball, tight ends and brothers?

ALBERT REESE IV: Seen two very tall tight ends, good duo to have. They work hard, adapting to the offense well and it's great to have those guys on our team.

Q. Working this off-season predominantly with the first team has been a little bit different for you I imagine in your Mississippi State career. What's it like preparing for a season where it looks like you are going to be on the field a whole lot?

ALBERT REESE IV: I feel like I have a bigger role on the team of course, I feel obligated to step up and be a bigger leader. That's the main thing.

Q. What do you remember from previous games against Texas A&M and how much are you looking forward to hosting them again this year?

ALBERT REESE IV: Definitely looking forward to playing them again, get some revenge and looking forward to a big game.

Q. I've been asking the players that play in rivalry games this question. With OU and Texas coming into the league, tell me how big the Egg Bowl is, playing with Mississippi State players in that game?

ALBERT REESE IV: It means the world. I didn't grow up in Mississippi, so I don't have the history of the Egg Bowl like my other teammates do, but it doesn't matter that I'm a foreigner. It's just as exciting to me as it is everybody else.

Q. I'm wondering, you guys aren't traveling to Alabama this year, but if you had to choose between Jordan-Hare or Bryant-Denny? Which is more difficult to play?

ALBERT REESE IV: Probably Jordan-Hare because we have a great fan base, they are notorious for being great fans, so probably Jordan-Hare.

Q. The Egg Bowl, do you hear about it more from current students or the older parents and older alumni?

ALBERT REESE IV: What do you mean?

Q. The importance of the game, do you hear it from the students or alumni and older people?

ALBERT REESE IV: Probably alumni and older people. They've been around longer.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much. Good job, good luck this year.

ALBERT REESE IV: Thank you. Hail State.

With several targets including WR Cade Cunningham (Bama) and CB Jaylan Morgan, here is a look at some potential next commitments for the Bulldogs who have a top 40 class but could jump into the top 25 with more commits.

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The latest on his recruitment:

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A look across the conference at who did well - and who didn't:

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Stud OL Mario Nash Jr. was at the Rivals 5-star in Jacksonville and I got to spend some time with him. Story coming soon. He is said that he was overcomplicating his recruitment with his flirtation with Clemson because State had everything he needs.

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RB Jaeden Hill and CB Iverson McCoy

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A look at the 20 quarterbacks who worked out at the Elite 11 Pro Day:

The latest on the Elite 11 here:

Three OV kids have committed to Miss State

Sekou Smith Jr.

Josiah Clemons

Stephen Miller

Derrion Horsley