The South Carolina Gamecocks will start SEC play this week, taking on the Mississippi State Bulldogs at home. It'll be an interesting test for Gamecock offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, as the Bulldogs have allowed just 13 points in each of its last two games.
Briles is actually quite familiar with Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby. The two coached together at Baylor from 2008-2011. But it goes deeper than that, as Coach Lebby is married to Kendal's sister, Staley. That makes Coach Lebby Briles' brother-in-law.
Coach Lebby talked about the familial connection he has with Briles, and what it will be like playing against him on the South Carolina sideline game.
“It’s not something we enjoy,” Lebby said of playing against Briles via Maroon and White Daily. “But incredibly blessed to both be in the situations that we’re in and both looking to take advantage of the situation.”
The two have played each other before during their respective careers. While Lebby was at Ole Miss from 2020-2021, he played against Briles and Arkansas. The Razorbacks won 33-21 in 2020, and the Rebels won 52-51 in a game where defense was optional in 2021.
When Lebby was at Oklahoma in 2023 and Briles was at TCU, the two played each other again, with the Sooners winning 69-45.
“There’s familiarity obviously just from a play-style standpoint,” Lebby added via Maroon and White. “Play design, some differences, but attacking and running the football and playing with tempo, changing tempos, those are all things that our defense is able to see every single day, and their defense has seen it every day. There’s familiarity on both sides, but for us it’s about doing a great job of first and second down defense. Finding ways to limit their opportunity for explosives. They’re fast on the perimeter, 16 can throw it all over the field, and we’ve got to do a great job of matching guys.”
It’s not every day that the coach calling the offense for the other team is your brother in law.
— James Murphy (@jsmurphymedia) September 14, 2026
Lebby talks about the relationship he has with Kendal Briles, dating back to their days as assistants at Baylor. pic.twitter.com/cbvbq5cVqk
Briles and Lebby were on-staff working for Kendal's father, Art Briles, for nine seasons in Waco. Lebby was an offensive quality control assistant at Baylor from 2008-11 before coaching the running backs. Briles coached Baylor's wide receivers from 2008-14 before getting promoted to offensive coordinator.
Lebby married Briles' sister, Staley in 2011 while both were on staff at Baylor.
We'll see which former assistant gets the edge on Saturday night as the Bulldogs come to Columbia.
South Carolina opens as slight home favorites against Mississippi State at home
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