Zach Arnett fired by Mississippi State less than 1 year into his tenure as head coach

Zach Arnett’s first year as head coach of the Mississippi State Bulldogs certainly hasn’t gone according to plan. After taking over the job following the tragic death of Mike Leach, Arnett rallied the Bulldogs to win their bowl game last year.

But 2023 hasn’t gone according to plan. The Bulldogs currently sport a disappointing 4-6 overall record and a 1-6 mark in SEC action.

They just got crushed 51-10 by Texas A&M on Saturday, and that was apparently the last straw, as the Bulldogs announced a change in leadership on Monday morning:

Mississippi State Announces Change In Football Leadershiphttps://t.co/H2MaJ4O8YU

— Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) November 13, 2023

Greg Knox will take over as head coach. The Bulldogs will owe Arnett between $4-5 million in buyout money, but his contract has offset language if he gets another job, per Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger:

Arnett is dismissed 10 games into his tenure. He was 4-6. He got the job after the sudden passing of coach Mike Leach. The school owes him around half of his remaining salary, roughly $4-4.5 million but has offset language if he gets another job.

Greg Knox is the interim coach.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 13, 2023

Arnett joined Leach’s staff at Mississippi State as defensive coordinator in 2020. He previously worked on San Diego State’s coaching staff from 2011 to 2019. This was his first head coaching experience.

Who the Bulldogs hire as their next full-time head coach remains to be seen.