STARKVILLE — Zach Arnett has only been the head coach of Mississippi State football for four months. In that short span, it is becoming clear that he knows how to sell his program.
After a two-hour camp session Thursday evening at Davis Wade Stadium, Arnett gathered the nearly 120-plus recruits, both high school and junior college, who traveled from across the south to work out in front of MSU’s coaching staff, and told them the truth.
The fact that MSU is only one of three Southeastern Conference schools, along with Georgia and Alabama, to go to 13 consecutive bowl games.
The fact that MSU has produced high-end talent with the best programs in the sport, churning out five NFL Draft first-round picks in the past five seasons.
“All those stats he just said, other places don’t have that,” three-star tight end Jay Lindsey told The Dispatch. “I didn’t know that. Mississippi State has always competed. I’m excited to become a part of it.”
Hearing those anecdotes only confirmed to Lindsey, out of Patrician Academy in Butler, Alabama, that he made the right choice when he committed to Arnett and MSU on April 16.
“I love Coach Arnett,” Lindsey said. “He is one of the reasons Mississippi State sold me. He is a great dude and everything about this place.
“…You can tell he is comfortable. He’s been the defensive coordinator. He’s comfortable with all the kids and knows what he has (in the program). He knows it is a top-tier SEC (program). He knows what’s going on.”
Lindsey is one of six 2024 MSU football commits, joined by four-star quarterback Josh Flowers, three-star offensive lineman TJ Lockhart, three-star athlete Caleb Dozier and three-star wideout Matt Mayfield, who attended Thursday’s camp.
Four-star defensive lineman Terrance Hibbler became the sixth when he committed to MSU shortly after the workout ended.
It was a scenario that Lindsey and his fellow commits dreamed would happen, helping to sell the recruiting class to other prospects.
“If we show up and show out we are going to bring more people in,” Lindsey said.
It also provided those already committed with an opportunity to build some on-field chemistry at their future home.
“It felt good to be throwing to the players I could be playing with for the next four years,” Flowers said. “Working with coach (Kevin) Barbay and critiquing your game.”
Flowers threw multiple downfield passes to his future targets, looking smooth through most reps.
“I love the way they run routes and how open they get,” Flowers said of Lindsey and Mayfield. “Just making good catches, good throws and everything.”
The dream is to be doing the same for Arnett in a year’s time.
“Just got to work hard, keep going no matter what,” Flowers added. “We have the opportunity to just go out there and work hard.”
Justin Frommer is the Mississippi State sports reporter for The Dispatch.
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