Unpacking Mississippi State football’s puzzling slow starts in Jeff Lebby’s offense

KNOXVILLE — The second play of Saturday’s game is one that irks Mississippi State football coach Jeff Lebby. MSU (2-8, 0-6 SEC) started with the ball for the 10th time this season, needing to make a splash on the road to silence Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium crowd. Tight end Seydou Traore broke loose 20 yards up the seam on second-and-11, but freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. threw an uncatchable pass high and wide of him. Another incompletion on the next play resulted in a three-and-out punt. From there, Tennessee (8-1,...