STARKVILLE — Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby had a much bigger smile than expected on Wednesday, especially for someone who doesn’t like mayonnaise.

His Bulldogs began preparation this week for a matchup with Wake Forest on Jan. 2, 2026, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, a postseason game that has become infamous for the cooler full of the condiment that gets dumped onto the winning team’s head coach after the final whistle.

“I do not,” Lebby said when asked if he likes mayo, “but I’ve never been more excited about having the opportunity to get it dumped on me.”

Bowl prep

The Bulldogs were not expecting to be selected for a bowl game, even in the case that some 5-7 teams qualified, so the call on Sunday was a surprise for Lebby.

The second-year head coach had set bowl eligibility as one of his team’s goals for the 2025 campaign, and welcomed the opportunity to give his team another runout despite one problem; he was in the process of a pretty drastic personnel shakeup.

Lebby had already dismissed defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler and replaced him with former MSU head coach Zach Arnett on Sunday morning.

Arnett, who is staying in Starkville to begin the transition back as the head of the defense, has already begun work at the Leo Seal Complex, but will not call the defense for the Mayo Bowl.

“The evaluation of our current roster is a huge advantage for us,” Lebby said of the transition. “(Arnett) having the ability to be in the building and know exactly what holes we have from a roster standpoint, instead of just talking about it and having to watch the game tape. I mean, Zach gets to be on the grass with us. Today he’s out there right in the middle of the scout team, and being able to get those guys ready to roll.”

Matt Barnes, who was co-defensive coordinator this season alongside Hutzler, will continue to coach the defense.

Quarterback changes

As expected, Kamario Taylor will remain QB1 after his two-touchdown performance in the Egg Bowl, and Luke Kromenhoek has been elevated to QB2 after a year on the sideline. Kromenhoek saw no action in SEC play this season, but appeared in three of MSU’s nonconference games. His redshirt eligibility will not be impacted by playing in a bowl game.

Blake Shapen, who started all 11 games leading up to the Egg Bowl, is no longer practicing with the team. Lebby informed the media that Shapen returned home to continue training and preparation for postseason senior and all-star game opportunities leading up to the NFL Draft.

Lebby confirmed to media after the Egg Bowl that Shapen had a hard time with the decision to start Taylor in the final game of the season, on Senior Day, but both he and Taylor praised Shapen’s efforts in the two weeks leading up to the game, as Shapen continued mentoring the true freshman under center.

One of Lebby’s biggest positives about accepting a bowl invite despite the 5-7 record is the chance to see Taylor handle the top job for another month of the season, and go play against a Power 4 opponent.

“Unbelievable opportunity for (Taylor) to get all of these reps and be able to go play in another game before we go kick it off next year,” Lebby said. “There’s a ton of positives, I think more than anything the time we get to spend together instead of them being gone from finals on Wednesday or Thursday, and us not getting them back on campus ‘til January 14.”

Staff changes

Lebby also confirmed on Wednesday the addition of two more assistants, announcing the return of Matt Brock to work alongside Arnett as co-defensive coordinator.

Brock served as a defensive assistant and special teams coach under Arnett and Mike Leach before moving to defensive coordinator in 2023. For the past two years, he’s held the same position at UCONN.

“We’re fired up to bring Matt back to Mississippi State,” Lebby said. “He’s an elite teacher and a rigorous game planner who is as detailed and thorough as anybody in this profession. Matt is a relentless recruiter, he develops players at a high level and he understands exactly how Zach wants to attack on defense. His experience, energy and preparation make him a huge addition for our program.”

The Bulldogs also brought in Bush Hamdan to be the associate head coach of the offense under Lebby. Hamdan was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Kentucky in 2024 and 2025, and held the same roles at Boise State in 2023. He has worked as an offensive assistant at Washington, Missouri and Florida, among other FBS programs, and was the quarterbacks coach for the Atlanta Falcons in 2017.

“We’re excited to welcome Bush and his family to Mississippi State,” Lebby said. “He is a veteran coach and elite offensive mind with nearly two decades of experience across the SEC, Power 4 and the NFL. He’s proven he can teach, connect and help players improve at every level. He has worked with quarterbacks and wideouts in some of the best leagues in football, and that experience will be a real strength for us offensively. He will be a great resource for our staff and our players.”