Mississippi State rising senior Branden Jennings had a solid debut season with the Bulldogs a year ago. The Florida native and jack linebacker collected 56 tackles and led the Bulldogs in tackles for loss (5) and quarterback hurries (4). Early on in his final collegiate training camp, Jennings is feeling optimistic about State’s possibilities this […]
Mississippi State rising senior Branden Jennings had a solid debut season with the Bulldogs a year ago. The Florida native and jack linebacker collected 56 tackles and led the Bulldogs in tackles for loss (5) and quarterback hurries (4).
Early on in his final collegiate training camp, Jennings is feeling optimistic about State’s possibilities this season. Following Tuesday’s camp session Jennings met with the media to discuss camp and other topics:
Q: Where are you practicing in camp?
Jennings: The jack on the strong side and playing to that boundry edge.
Q: Who all is competing with you at that spot?
Jennings: Right now we have (Malick) Sylla, Nevaeh (Sanders), Champ (LaKendrick James and a young guy named Tyshun (Willis). We are all getting in a lot of work right now.
Q: What do you think about your group so far?
Jennings: We have the outside linebackers and the edges in my group. I think we have a very good group going on right now. Lot of competition going on and we are pushing each other every day.
Q: Do you see it being capable of creating more depth this year?
Jennings: We have far more depth. I feel like we have two different coaches that help with off the ball and on the ball stuff. Really, just honing in on our jobs.
Q: How cool is it now to have that depth and competition?
Jennings: I feel like it is very different when you have depth and have good depth. I feel like we have good depth right now and I feel like it will create a lot of competition. We are pushing each other further. I feel like Malick and Nevaeh are older transfers we brought in that are pushing me and we are teaching each other things. I think that will help further our game.
Q: What is coach Vincent Dancy emphasizing with your group and what are your impressions of him so far?
Jennings: I feel like we are not aiming for perfection but we are aiming for perfection. We just try to tweak the small things and further our games. I feel like with execution and putting ourself together each and every day, we will be able to further each other.
Q: What have you noticed from transfer linebackers Jalen Smith and Derion Gullette?
Jennings: I love both of those guys. They’ve been real crisp on their fits. I haven’t gotten the chance to completely look at them but they are flying around like linebackers should.
Q: You’ve had an interesting journey here. What did getting back to Power 4 football last year do for your game?
Jennings: I feel like we still have a lot of the same staff from last year that brought me in. This is definitely my best camp so far. It is definitely the most competitive camp. I am really excited about this team and I think we have a brotherhood. I think that brotherhood is going to take us further than anything else we have going on right now.
Q: Why do you think this is the best camp you’ve had?
Jennings: They are coaching the hell out of us. That’s the biggest thing. I feel like each and every one of us is getting coached up right now. That’s is really all I can say.
Q: Where do you feel like you’ve made some gains this year?
Jennings: Each and every day I feel like I’m learning. I feel like I’m learning from bringing it to the meeting room to the practice field. I think that is going to be that extra step for me this year. Not only me but us as a team.
Q: What offensive linemen have stuck out to you?
Jennings: Well, I couldn’t say too tough to get past (laughing). But I feel like running against Blake (Steen), we already had (Albert) Reese and some interior guys like (Canon) Boone that we brought back. I’ve seen different sets and gone against the guards and the tackles. Some guys, I don’t want to downgrade anything but everyone is getting some work and it is coming from this end, too.
Q: Along with Dancy, what is the feedback you get from Coleman Hutzler and David Turner?
Jennings: Well, I feel like it is so much greatness. These guys have coached so many good players. I just try to soak the game up as much as I can each and every day when I walk in the building. I just love getting in the building and further my game and my knowledge. I am getting it from the best of the best, to be honest.
Q: With the pass rush, are there any guys sticking out to you that bring that pressure?
Jennings: I feel like we have a lot of guys that can blitz. We are going to have some defensive guys that will surprise you this year when we are sending some pressures. It’s something to look for.
Q: How can this team improve on just getting 10 sacks last year?
Jennings: We’re using that as motivation for this season. We’re scratching last year and we’re coming to work each and every day with the mindset we want to be tops in the country. Not only as an outside linebacker group but as an edge linebacker group, defensive back group and all over as a defense.
Q: Mississippi State has a legacy of producing good defensive linemen. Has any of that been brought up whether in coaching or recruiting?
Jennings: Everyone knows when they step into the building that this is Dline U. So having that on your shoulders and coming to work every day with a chip on your shoulder, I feel like that’s helping to carry the guys and everyone is motivated, to be honest.
Q: If there is a race to get to the quarterback between you and Isaac Smith, who gets there first?
Jennings: Well man, you tell that to him and he might say him. Of course I’m going to say myself. But you know, I love Isaac so I might give it to him.
Category: General Sports
