By Elijah Klepczyk
Emmerich Newspapers
STARKVILLE - Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby hired former Bulldog coach Zach Arnett over the offseason to help shore up the defensive side of the ball, and players appear to be responding well to the change.
Arnett previously served as Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator from 2020–2022 under Mike Leach and was the Bulldogs’ head coach in 2023. During his time in Starkville, State consistently ranked inside the top five in defensive efficiency within the SEC and produced seven NFL draft picks, including 2023 first‑rounder Emmanuel Forbes.
Arnett has since been an analyst for Florida State before he received the opportunity to come back to Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs have struggled defensively during the past two seasons, giving up 456.4 yards per game and 34.1 points per game on average. Lebby said during the hiring announcement that he targeted Arnett because of the toughness and experience he brings to SEC defenses.
Players have already started to notice a difference, Florida State transfer and edge rusher Amaree Williams has previous experience with Arnett from their time together at Florida State. “He was a guy that I was around a lot,” Williams said. He described Arnett as “an attack guy,” adding that the bond they’ve built over the last two years has created a strong level of trust between them.
Safety Marcus Williams said he’s already seen an immediate impact from Arnett throughout fall camp. “It’s the most fun defense I have ever been a part of,” the Rice transfer said, pointing to the multiple looks the unit uses as a key reason why.
“Once you get it down, it’s picture perfect,” Williams said of the new scheme. He added that communication is essential, noting that with so many moving parts, players can’t afford to be static. Fall camp, he said, has been crucial in sharpening that aspect.
Will Whitson, who is returning from an injury last year said that the new defense is “violent.” Whitson is a defensive lineman and he said that his favorite aspect of Arnett’s new defense is the emphasis that it puts on aggression behind the line of scrimmage. “I really like it,” Whitson said.
The Bulldogs will debut Arnett’s revamped defense on Sep. 5 when they host Louisiana‑Monroe at Davis Wade Stadium for the season opener.
