On December 12, 2022, then-Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett heard two pieces of information that would change his life forever. Then head coach and mentor Mike Leach passed away suddenly. If that wasn’t devastating enough, the second piece of news was that he would be taking over as interim head coach. That interim status changed to permanent after he led the Bulldogs to a win at the ReliaQuest Bowl, defeating Illinois 19-10. There were a lot of emotions rolled up in that decision, having just lost, not only their head coach but a spiritual guide as well. Was Arnett ready or up to the task? Fast forward to Monday and the university with athletic director Zac Selmon answered that question. Arnett is out as head coach at Mississippi State.
In a press release, Selmon said that it’s time to move ahead. “As part of my thorough and continued evaluation, I have determined that a change in leadership is necessary to move our football program forward and position it for the highest level of success,” Selmon said. “I have the utmost respect for Zach Arnett and am incredibly appreciative of the effort he put forth in leading our football program. However, the progress and on-field results have not been of the standard required for Mississippi State to achieve the level of success we need and expect.”
The Bulldogs are 4-6 overall and 1-6 in the SEC. They just came off a demoralizing loss to Texas A&M 51-10. Ironically, the Aggies fired their head coach, Jimbo Fisher, immediately following that game as well.
An Experienced Interim Head Coach
There are two regular-season games left on Mississippi State’s calendar, They also need two wins to become bowl-eligible. Getting those could be a tall order considering one of them is the Egg Bowl. The other game is at home this Saturday against Southern Mississippi. The way the Dawgs have been playing lately, no game is a sure-win. Still, someone has to take over for the last two games and/or the postseason should that arise. Offensive Analyst Greg Knox will serve as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. He has experience in all the aspects of doing that job. He served in that capacity when Dan Mullen departed. This included post-season, getting the Bulldogs through the 2017 TaxSlayer Bowl.
A Player’s Coach and Still Respected
Many have been in this hot seat before and may understand what it takes to be in the head coaching position at a Power Five school. Arnett came into the position willingly, but not necessarily prepared for the rigors nor the politics of the position. As a defensive coordinator, it was never about him as a coach, and nothing changed after ascending to head coach. In his post-game presser following the season-opening, he put it simply. “Players prepare, Players go out and get ready to play, Players make plays,” Arnett said. “Coaches, we can make some good calls, but we make plenty of bad calls. The vast majority as coaches typically have a more negative effect if they are going to have an effect on the game. It’s players.”
When you think about all that Arnett did immediately following Leach’s death, it took a special effort and person to pull it off. He helped the players struggle with their own grief at losing their head coach and prepared them for a bowl game in three weeks. National signing day was in a week, and oh yes, those recruits for 2023 thought they’d be coming to play for Mike Leach. One had to deal with keeping them committed to Mississippi State. Arnett handled it masterfully.
None of this was lost to Selmon. He recognized this effort in his Monday press conference. “Zach took on an unprecedented and challenging situation last December. He provided the football program with much-needed leadership and stability during a tragic time. There is no question that he has made a positive impact on the lives of our student-athletes during his time here. We are grateful for his contributions to Mississippi State and wish him the very best both personally and professionally.”
What About Arnett and the Position at State
As far as the head coaching job at State, Selmon says they are launching a nationwide search. He talked about the kind of person for which they’re looking. “What you look for is someone who has winning traits and knows what winning looks like at the highest level, both schematically and programmatically,” Selmon said. “You know when you’ve got winning DNA, so we don’t want to pigeonhole where we’re at, but you clearly also want someone who builds culture. You’re competing in this league and you’re competing at the tip of the spear, which excites everybody.” There were no names thrown out by Salmon, but rumors fly around things like this. The fans’ favorite seems to be bringing back Mullen. Urban Meyer’s name has even been thrown out there. The rumor mill will continue to be what it is, rumors.
What about Arnett’s immediate future? His contract calls for him to receive $4.6-million over three years. That amount gets reduced should he find a job before then. On that front, many believe he could be hired tomorrow in his old position of defensive coordinator. Arnett was hired by Leach after six full-time seasons in the position at San Diego State. In fact, he was considered a hiring coup back when the Dawgs hired him in 2020. Mississippi State had to make their contract multi-year, due to the interest from programs at Notre Dame and LSU.
It has been speculated there are already schools of that caliber interested in following the news about him leaving MSU. But his current players still have a vested interest. Safety Shawn Preston Jr., tweeted this morning. “I know it’s a long shot but def would be cool if Coach Arnett can be a part of Senior Day.” He will always be a player’s coach.
