Leo Lewis leaving distractions off the field
STARKVILLE – Like other players entering their second season, Leo Lewis arrived this spring with significant expectations and goals in front of him, but unlike many of his peers, he’s also here with rumors and reports attached to his name.
Rebel Grove reported Lewis was part of a group of players the NCAA granted immunity in exchange for their testimony against Ole Miss, which is facing 21 total allegations against its football program. Whether or not — and how much, if so — Lewis was actually involved in the process is a topic both in-state fan bases have debated on. In a sense, the MSU linebacker has become a polarizing figure, receiving plenty of hate and support.
“I don’t really pay too much attention to it,” said Lewis, who did not comment further on the reports. “I’m just focused on my team at the moment.”
For the former Brookhaven star who signed with MSU in 2015, that’s likely for the better.
He has an opportunity to build off a season in which he earned All-SEC Freshman honors, and help fill the role left behind by last year’s group of senior defensive leaders like former linebacker Richie Brown.
“It’s really a void there, a vacancy,” Lewis said. “I’m still working on being a vocal leader. I’m not there as much as I would like to be, but that’s a big thing I got to work on.”
Lewis made 79 total tackles last season, which was the most among freshmen in the SEC. He had 4.5 tackles for a loss, and that’s a number that may grow if the defense pressures the quarterback and gets to the backfield like how new MSU defensive coordinator Todd Grantham anticipates.
Grantham has also stressed versatility, so it was not surprising to hear Lewis say he has worked at both inside and outside linebacker so far this spring.
Dan Mullen said he wants to see “a big jump of improvement” from Lewis. Mullen compared this stage of Lewis’ career to Nick Fitzgerald’s. The comparison makes sense because Fitzgerald broke out as the Bulldogs’ quarterback last year and is now counted on to play at a higher level. The same holds true for Lewis on defense.
“This is a big offseason for him,” Mullen said.
That’s especially true considering what Lewis wants to accomplish on an individual level this season. He said his goals include making the All-SEC first team and becoming a finalist for the Butkus Award, given annually to the top linebacker in the country.
“Every step of my development is vital,” Lewis said. “I want to do a lot of things. I want to do as much as I can do while I’m at Mississippi State.”
Contact Will Sammon at 601-961-7116 or wsammon@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter .