STARKVILLE — Mississippi State Athletics announced the hire of defensive coordinator Zach Arnett as permanent football head coach on Thursday morning.
Arnett was named interim head coach on Sunday after head coach Mike Leach was transported to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, suffering a reported heart attack.
Leach died on Monday night due to complications from a heart condition at 61.
Mississippi State has since announced that the football team, scheduled to play Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2 in Tampa, Florida, will still play, as well as Thursday’s news about Arnett’s permanent hire.
“No one can ever replace Coach Leach and the impact he had on MSU and all of college football,” Arnett said in a press release. “This team is full of strong, resilient young men and we are committed to continuing to build on the foundation Coach Leach laid and continue to honor his legacy.”
Arnett, 36, signed a four-year contract with an annual salary of $3 million and is now the youngest head coach in the SEC.
He’s been the defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs since 2020, after being at San Diego State since the 2011 season, including his final two seasons with the Aztecs (2018-2019) as the defensive coordinator.
The hire of Arnett as permanent head coach has had some in disbelief with such a quick turnaround between events, roughly a day or so after the announcement of Leach’s death.
From the school itself, it sounds like MSU wanted to keep things internal and Arnett was the person of interest who fit the bill the most.
“This is an incredibly difficult time for everyone at Mississippi State, especially for our football student-athletes and staff,” interim athletic director Bracky Brett said in a press release. “As we continue to help each individual work through the sorrow that they are feeling following the passing of Coach Leach, we felt that it was crucial to provide the team with a proven leader who will be able to help them continue to navigate through these trying times and into the future.
“That leader is Zach Arnett. He has been a pillar of support for everyone within the program through this difficult time and during his time in Starkville. He is a tremendous, young coach who understands the culture of Mississippi State and will continue to elevate it in this new role.”
As for a resume, while not in the coaching game for that long, Arnett is a two-time Broyles Award nominee, given out to the top assistant coach in the nation.
MSU has had three consecutive seasons with a top-five total defense in the SEC under Arnett, and as the DC for San Diego State, the Aztecs had two-straight top-25 defenses in the country, ranking fifth in total defense in 2019.
Defense was one of the main factors for MSU’s 8-4 record this season, including two wins against ranked opponents, one of which, a 24-22 Egg Bowl victory over Ole Miss.
“I have tremendous confidence in Zach Arnett’s leadership and believe he is uniquely positioned to continue the progress Coach Leach brought to our program,” Mississippi State President Mark Keenum said in a press release. “He brings great drive and intensity to the task.”
Arnett won’t have to wait long before his first game as head coach, with the ReliaQuest Bowl just over two weeks away.
Jan. 2 will undoubtedly be an emotional game for the Bulldogs at Raymond James Stadium, but there hopes to be a sense of normalcy with a familiar face in a new position.
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