Zach Arnett explains how he stays authentic to himself while mixing in Mike Leach philosophies

Zach Arnett is in the unique position of replacing a legendary coach, and the new Mississippi State is doing it without any preparation following Mike Leach’s sudden passing in December.

Arnett’s goal is to stay authentic to himself, while also applying the lessons and philosophies from Leach as Arnett applies his own stamp on the program.

“I feel like I’ve got to do what I believe in,” Arnett said on SiriusXM. “You try to be someone else, it’s obviously going to come through as inauthentic and the players are going to read through that right away. But I got a chance to spend 3 years under, what in my opinion, is a first-ballot Hall of Fame coach. I mean the guy’s won every year he’s been.”

Arnett recalled Leach’s ability to simplify complex situations and communicate them with everyone in the organization was second to none. Arnett said he cherished his time under Leach, and gathered plenty of wisdom from Leach, and there are lessons he learned that will stay with him for the rest of his life.

“I’m forever indebted to him for that,” Arnett said. “But we’re certainly going to do some things maybe a little differently because I believe in them and I’m a different person than Coach Leach.”

“I got a chance to spend 3 years under, what in my opinion, is a first-ballot Hall of Fame coach [in Mike Leach.]”@CoachZachArnett talks about putting his stamp on the @HailStateFB program, while still applying lessons and philosophies he learned from Mike Leach. pic.twitter.com/RS38VSJkfh

— College Sports on SiriusXM (@SXMCollege) May 11, 2023

Keith Farner

A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.