Leach predicts more players will leave program

Mike Leach said this would happen.

Minutes after Mississippi State lost 24-2 to Kentucky on Oct. 10, Leach hinted that a purge of “malcontents” could be coming. Now the Bulldogs are in the middle of it.

Last week, Garrett Sh ra der entered the transfer portal. J al en Mayden, Nick Pendley and Kareem Walker followed suit Tuesday. Leach confirmed Tyrell Shavers, Tre Lawson and Jamari Stewart are on their way out during Wednesday's SEC teleconference.

Factor in the report that senior running back Kylin Hill will not play again this season, and that makes eight players who have departed in the last week. Mississippi State fans might be surprised, but Leach isn't.

“I would be surprised if we don't lose more,” Leach said. “So if you're stunned or nervous, you better brace yourself. We might lose more.”

That was only the beginning of Lea ch' s comments during the teleconference on players leaving his program. He told reporters that he has not even talked to Hill and that the emerging knowledge of Hill's opt out was as much of news to him as it was to the rest of the college football landscape.

Leach and his assistants had a vision for Hill leading the SEC in yards from scrimmage this season. Hill started strong with a 194-yard outing against LSU, but has been derailed since. Leach was pressed further why he didn't “hit it off” with Hill, last year's SEC leader in rushing yards, but he downplayed the notion that he ever had a falling out with Hill.

“I didn't say that was the case, but we're not going to worry about that because like I said we're going to worry about the ones that we're coaching,” Leach said. “You're going to have to take that up with others perhaps.”