Mississippi State assistant expected to leave for Big Ten program, per report
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College football’s offseason rolls on with programs across the country now making key coaching moves, and that leads to some poaching from one league to another.
With the SEC and Big Ten’s public rivalry growing as both leagues attempt to wrestle control over the future of the sport, coaches and players are bouncing between the conferences that are widely accepted the best in the nation.
And another example of that occurred Sunday, as CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that Maryland is expected to hire Mississippi State’s Matt Barnes to come be the program’s special teams coordinator. Barnes previously worked with the Terrapins from 2016-2018 and acted as co-defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs this past season.
Also focusing on safeties while in Starkville, Barnes has stints with Memphis and Ohio State on his résumé as well.
Barnes joins a Maryland program that is looking to break through in Mike Locksley’s seventh year at the helm. The Terrapins have recruited well in recent years and boast a strong young core to build around, but the team’s ability to win games after the month of September will be key.
Meanwhile, Jeff Lebby will now have to search for another coach to fill an opening with his team already being among the most targeted for coaches and players in the SEC.
Mississippi State’s odds to win the SEC next season are… not great at 8%. Here’s a look at the top contenders for the SEC title according to Kalshi.
Parker is currently the sports editor for the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. He's a graduate from Mizzou who has experience covering the Tiger football and basketball beats for SB Nation, and he's worked for a variety of sports news outlets in the past.
