{
  "id": 19220419,
  "title": "Mississippi State flips Colorado OL commit Li'Marcus Jones: 'They never gave up on me'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/mississippi-state-flips-colorado-ol-commit-limarcus-jones-they-never",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-09T21:10:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/mississippi-state-flips-colorado-ol-211057569.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mississippi State remained committed to recruiting offensive lineman Li’Marcus Jones, despite him committing to Colorado in May. Coach Jeff Lebby and his staff kept in contact with Jones, building relationships and making it clear that he was still a priority for the Bulldogs. Jones, now 6'5\" and 285 pounds, finally returned to his home state of Mississippi to play college football after transferring from Mississippi to Brentwood (Tenn.) Brentwood Academy for his senior season. He expressed that Mississippi State's consistency throughout the recruitment process made a significant difference for him. \"Mississippi State never gave up on me,\" Jones stated. \"They stayed consistent, and continued showing me that they really wanted me to be a part of their program.\" He cited three main factors in his decision: relationships with the coaching staff, their trust in him, and the opportunity to be part of something special. Jones visited Mississippi State over the weekend and felt confident that the Bulldogs were the right fit for him. Head Coach Jeff Lebby and Offensive Line Coach Phil Loadholt also played key roles in his decision. Jones emphasized their consistent support and belief in him, saying, \"Coach Lebby's energy, vision, and belief in his players, along with Coach Loadholt's consistent support and genuine belief in me, made a big impact on my decision.\"",
  "summary": "Li'Marcus Jones is heading home. The four-star offensive lineman committed to Colorado in May, but Mississippi State never stopped recruiting him. After returning to Starkville over the weekend, Jones flipped his commitment from Deion Sanders to Jeff Lebby. He reveals why the Bulldogs won him over and who made the difference.",
  "key_points": [
    "Mississippi State maintained interest in Li’Marcus Jones despite Colorado commitment.",
    "Jones returned to Mississippi to play after transferring from Mississippi to Brentwood Academy.",
    "Relationships, trust, and program opportunity influenced Jones' decision to join Mississippi State."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}