Jeff Lebby discusses coaching against Zach Arnett before hiring him at Mississippi State
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
If time is a flat circle, Zach Arnett is proof. After joining Mike Leach’s staff at Mississippi State in 2020 as defensive coordinator, Arnett was suddenly promoted to head coach after Leach’s death in Dec. 2022. But he was fired 10 games into the 2023 season after posting a 4-6 record.
Now, Arnett is back in Starkville, and back as the Bulldogs’ DC. This time, he’s working under Jeff Lebby, who coached against Arnett as Ole Miss’s offensive coordinator in 2020 and 2021.
“(I) didn’t enjoy going against him. He made it really, really hard. And that, for me, was just another great stamp and a check-the-box situation where I knew what I was getting,” Lebby said at SEC Media Days on Thursday.
Arnett has work to do to improve the Bulldogs’ defensive fortunes. In 2025, Mississippi State finished second-to-last in the SEC in points allowed per game (30.2) and total yardage allowed (409.3). Its 186.3 rushing yards allowed per game were last in the conference.
But if anyone can turn things around, Lebby believes Arnett can. It’ll need to happen, with Lebby firmly on the hot seat heading into the 2026 season.
“I’ve talked a ton about being the aggressor, being able to affect the quarterback, creating negative plays. He’s done that,” Lebby said. “And he has been awesome in the building.
“He’s been great from a leadership standpoint on that side of the ball for us. I feel like it does free me up in a great way, which has been awesome.”
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
