Mississippi State football will be without a pair of starters for Saturday’s 2024 season opener against Eastern Kentucky.
First-year coach Jeff Lebby announced Monday that wide receiver Kelly Akharaiyi and safety Corey Ellington will be out for Week 1. Lebby also revealed that running back Jeffery Pittman is no longer with the program, citing an, “internal matter.”
Lebby did not reveal what Akharaiyi’s and Ellington’s injuries are. They were both left off of the Mississippi State depth chart that was released Monday.
“Both of those guys have been dinged up, fighting some things through fall camp, so they won’t be available this week,” Lebby said of Akharaiyi and Ellington. “We’ll continue to look at their situation as we get into the season and hopefully get those guys back sooner than later.”
Asked specifically about his concern with Akharaiyi’s injury, Lebby said, “I won’t get too much into it. Kelly’s a guy that has had all this production. He’s played a lot of ball, played a lot of snaps so concern from that point. We’ve got some young guys in the room — I’ve talked about them through fall camp — that have a chance to be really, really good players. They just haven’t lived it and haven’t done it.”
MORE: Mississippi State football 2024 schedule: How much Bulldogs will pay for nonconference games
What Kelly Akharaiyi injury means for Mississippi State
Akharaiyi transferred to Mississippi State from UTEP, where he was an All-Conference USA First Team selection with 1,033 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Mississippi State lost most of its receiving production from last season, and Akharaiyi is expected to be a big contributor in Lebby’s passing game. The Bulldogs listed Kevin Coleman, Jordan Mosley and Trent Hudson as the three starting wide receivers in Monday’s depth chart.
What Corey Ellington injury means for Mississippi State
Ellington, a senior, was projected to start at safety after he made seven starts last season. He ended 2023 on a high note with a career-high 12 tackles and one sack against Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl.
Issac Smith and Hunter Washington are the two starting safeties listed in the depth chart.
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Jeff Lebby rules 2 Mississippi State football starters out for Week 1
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Publish date : 2024-08-26 06:23:00
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