STARKVILLE, Miss. — When Jeff Lebby arrived as Mississippi State’s new head football coach, he understood that the roster must be revamped. No unit took a bigger hit than the offensive line, as all five starters left the program, and Percy Lewis, who earned a lot of playing time, transferred to Auburn.
However, Lebby, a former offensive lineman himself, understood the importance and cleaned house in the transfer portal. State signed four guys who will make immediate impacts: Ethan Miner, Makylan Pounders, Jacoby Jackson, and Marlon Martinez.
Martinez, a former LSU Tiger, will bring valuable Southeastern Conference experience. He appeared in 45 games and made four starts, starting at center and right guard.
Despite a chance to compete for a starting spot in Baton Rouge, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native decided it was time for a fresh start.
“I decided it was time for some personal growth,” Martinez said. “Throughout my recruiting process, I was looking for a school that knew what the plan would be for me and a good relationship with coaches.”
The former 3-star did have an offhand connection with the new MSU staff, as Brad Davis, the Tigers’ offensive line coach, had a relationship with new Bulldog offensive line coach Cody Kennedy. Kennedy has an impressive pedigree, as he was a Broyles Award (Top Assistant Coach) semi-finalist in 2021 under Kendal Briles, who runs a scheme similar to Lebby’s.