Mississippi State reportedly hiring OL coach from ACC program, per report

Mississippi State is reportedly adding an offensive line coach to Zach Arnett’s staff.

MSU is expected to hire Mike Schmidt from Syracuse, according to Matt Zenitz of On3.

Mississippi State is expected to hire Syracuse’s Mike Schmidt as offensive line coach, sources tell @on3sports.

Schmidt’s Syracuse offensive line group helped Sean Tucker rank No. 1 in the ACC in rushing in 2021 and second this season.https://t.co/KExR6Cs0z3

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 20, 2023

Arnett and Schmidt were on staff together as assistants at San Diego State from 2011-19. Schmidt played at San Diego State from 2005-08 and then got into coaching as a graduate assistant in 2009, a position he held through 2011 before becoming offensive line coach in 2012. Arnett was a San Diego State GA from 2011-13 before moving up to linebackers coach in 2014 and becoming defensive coordinator in 2018.

Schmidt joined Dino Babers’ Syracuse staff in 2021. Ahead of the 2022 season, Schmidt added run game coordinator to his title with the Orange. As Zenitz’s report notes, the Orange have had an elite ground game running behind Schmidt’s linemen.

On Jan. 6, Mississippi State hired veteran SEC offensive line coach Will Friend to Arnett’s coaching staff. MSU’s announcement for Friend’s hiring noted his position would be named at a later date.