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One day last week, Mississippi State defensive end A.J. Jefferson arrived at the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex expecting breakfast prior to a morning workout.
“I got there and I see rope,” Jefferson said with a laugh after Saturday’s 45-17 win over Troy. “We had to do rope pulls for breakfast.”
Just like that, the tone for the week was set. Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen wanted his defense to play with more of an edge. That message came across loud and clear.
The Bulldog defense harassed the Trojans early and often over the course of Saturday’s victory.