Mississippi State – Official Athletics Site

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State's season opener last Saturday had a lot to be happy about.

After the Bulldogs’ 56-7 win over Eastern Kentucky, Jeff Lebby was presented with the game ball to celebrate his first win as head coach. As the entire team huddled in the locker room, Lebby praised the collective effort but also highlighted the play of one individual.

Lebby honors sixth-year linebacker JP Purviswho blocked a punt that was returned in the end zone for a touchdown. But Lebby's praise came from more than just that one play. He wanted to recognize Purvis' perseverance in difficult times and for being a perfect teammate through it all.

Before Lebby could finish speaking, the entire team gave Purvis a loud round of applause and lots of high fives and hugs.

“I can't brag enough about JP,” Lebby said during his postgame press conference. “He's a guy that's been through a lot since he's been here and he's the ultimate teammate. So for him to be able to make the block and (Mario Craver) Being able to shovel and sink it was a lot of fun.”

As the Colonels were punting from essentially their own goal line midway through the fourth quarter, Purvis charged unchallenged from the left side and was able to block the ball right off the punter's right foot. The football sailed high into the night sky and Purvis crouched beneath it in the end zone waiting for it to come down. At the last moment, however, a speedy Craver snatched it out of the air and scored the point.

Of course, Purvis would have loved nothing more than to score his first touchdown since his days as quarterback at Pelahatchie High School, but all that mattered to him was that he could contribute to his team's victory.

“It's a team game, so I'm just glad we got the touchdown,” Purvis said.

After recording just four tackles in his first three years in Starkville, Purvis has been a reliable contributor for the Bulldogs since 2022. The 6'1″ and 250-pound player has appeared in 27 consecutive games and started seven times during that time.

But he plays in the same position as the two best tacklers in the Southeastern Conference – Jett Johnson And Nathaniel Watson – Purvis has had limited opportunities over the last two years, but he has made the most of those opportunities, recording 61 stops and 1 ½ sacks over the last two seasons.

“It's always been about not getting complacent,” Purvis said. “You have to know your role and work hard every day and show energy and effort. Control what you can control, that's the main thing.”

After starting six games last fall and finishing with a career-best 39 tackles, Purvis was determined to make his final year in the Maroon and White his most defining one. Not even persistent injuries during spring and fall training could derail his plans.

“It's all just adversity,” Purvis said. “I've been through a lot. I've been through a lot since I was in college. But when adversity hits, you have to keep telling yourself that God is protecting you. At the end of the day, you can only control what you can control. Just go out there and keep working, keep striving to do your best every day.”

Purvis has seen a lot of changes since arriving in Starkville as a safety in 2019. Not only has he played for four different head coaches, but as a rookie he was able to soak up some wise advice from future NFL stars like Willie Gay Jr. that he is now passing on to the next generation of Bulldogs.

But perhaps the best lesson future state stars can learn from Purvis is to just stay positive no matter what happens and discover the simple joys that come with playing football on that stage.

“That's just what I do,” Purvis said of his positive attitude. “I just show up with the right attitude, put in the effort every day and just have fun. I just enjoy playing the game. That's something I do every day. I've been here a long time. Most guys at this point in their careers would have just laid down and said, 'This might not be for me.' But no matter where God takes me, I'm here to stay.”