Coming off an injury-riddled, dismal first year, Coach Jeff Lebby has his Mississippi State Bulldogs offensive unit ready to take the next step towards returning the program to the postseason for the first time since the 2022 ReliaQuest Bowl victory over the Illini of Illinois. Coming into the fall of 2025, Coach Lebby has seven returning starters from last season, including Blake Shapen at quarterback, Davon Booth at running back, and Jordan Mosley, among three out of the five returning on the offensive line, the expectation for the unit has never been higher as they look to return Mississippi State to relevancy again.

Starting at the quarterback position, Blake Shapen is the one who will likely be named the starter against Southern Miss on August 30th. Still, the quarterback room for Mississippi State has never been busy, with three guys battling for the starting role. Blake Shapen, a Florida State transfer, Luke Kromenhoek, one of the state’s top recruits from Noxubee County, KaMario Taylor, and an unbelievably talented room give Coach Lebby and the Bulldogs an edge with three guys who could step in at any second without missing a beat, leading the Bulldogs to success with raw ability. Many people will wonder why KaMario Taylor doesn’t get the starting role against Southern Miss, given his talent level. Still, as of right now, the experience that returns with Blake Shapen is the intangible factor that could help the Bulldogs reach the postseason. At some point this season, KaMario Taylor will likely have his chance to prove himself. Still, for him, year one might be that of learning the system to implement his role into it next season when Coach Lebby enters his third season as the Head Coach at Mississippi State.

At running back, like at quarterback, the running back room this fall might be as deep as we’ve seen in recent years. Davon Booth returns for his senior season after transferring to Mississippi State from Utah State in the spring of 2024. Then you have the former JUCO star in Johnnie Daniels returning this season, and Xavier Gayten returns for his sophomore season. At the same time, the Bulldogs went to the portal to add Fluff Bothwell from South Alabama, where he was a menace in the Sun Belt last season. All four of those guys add depth and excitement to the 2025 Mississippi State running back room.

At wide receiver, the Bulldogs have one starter from last season in Jordan Mosley. Mosley returns to Mississippi State for his senior season, and the coaching staff expects him to play a pivotal role this season. Elsewhere around the wide receiver room, Mississippi State will hear Brenen Thompson, who spent 2023 in the Coach Lebby offense, and then Anthony Evans, who transfers to Starkville from Georgia. Seydou Traore returns at Tight End for the Bulldogs as well for his senior season.

On the offensive line, Mississippi State returns three of the five from last season, including Luke Work at Left Tackle, Jacoby Jackson at Left Guard, and Albert Reese at Right Guard. The Kentucky transfer in Koby Keenum will start at Center for Mississippi State, where he spent a majority of his time in Lexington on the special teams unit.

Overall, Mississippi State appears to be a better team on paper on the offensive side of the ball. It’s a big if, but if Blake Shapen stays healthy. No other significant injuries occur, then the boys in Maroon and White have the potential to not only light up the scoreboard making football fun again, but have a legitmate chance at reaching six wins, which earns Mississippi State a return trip to the postseason, and a whole month of extra preparation to build off of for the 2026 season.