Stopping the run and making the quarterback play poorly are the two focuses of Mississippi State University’s new defense, Gerri Green.
He will be an integral part of the defense this fall.
Green, a junior from Greenville, has to fill the leadership void left by Richie Brown, who graduated last season. Brown was the defacto leader in the linebacker room. With him gone, MSU’s young linebackers look up to Green. 
“I have to be the voice. In the linebacker room, other than Dez (Harris), I have been there the longest,” Green said. “I think a lot of guys look to me as a leader so I just have to continue to do things the right way.”
Green is also undergoing a change himself this season. Last season he mostly played inside linebacker but is now moving outside in first-year defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s defense.
If there is one thing Grantham emphasizes, it is rushing the passer.
Grantham said the linebackers “are going to be really active in it (the pass rush),” and Green is excited to do that this season. 
“It is always exciting when you have a coach that emphasizes getting after the quarterback especially with the position we play,” Green said. “We know that he wants us to get after the quarterback, so we just have to listen to him when he teaches.”
MSU’s defense last season ranked at the bottom of the SEC, something Green said they want to change under Grantham. He said Grantham came in with an energy the team needed and he is coaching them to play faster and more aggressive to get their defense back to what an MSU defense should look like.
“It’s in the back of our heads, but we know we don’t want to be that defense from last year. We know that is not us and that is not Mississippi State defense,” Green said. “We are going to use that as what we can be and show everyone what we want to be and can be.”
Green said MSU has the linebackers to improve their defense.
“The guys in the linebacker room from Dez to Leo (Lewis) to the young guys, they just feel like it is a matter of time,” Green said. “We continue to grow and get better. It is going to be good.”
Last season’s defensive coordinator Peter Sirmon was coaching the defense as a coordinator for the first time last season. Grantham is a stark contrast to Sirmon’s inexperience. Grantham has led defenses at both the University of Georgia and the University of Louisville as well as at the NFL level before coming to MSU.
He produced all-American linebackers in Jarvis Jones, who was also SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2012, and Justin Houston, two players who Green strives to play like. Green said he plans on receiving the same knowledge Grantham gave those to players.
“That is what I plan on doing. Just study film on those guys and the technique,” Green said. “Hopefully I can try and get the same results.”
Grantham outlined what he thought Green and the other linebackers would need to do to reach that level. 
“I think that guys that have vision,” Grantham said. “To be that kind of guy, it is important to work hard everyday and if you work hard every day and improve your craft. There is nothing that says you can not be that kind of guy.”
Contact Taylor Rayburn at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter.