Mississippi State has agreed to terms with Mike Leach’s successor: report

Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett will reportedly become the Bulldogs’ new head coach after the death of Mike Leach. 

The parties agreed to terms on a four-year contract, though it has not been signed yet by Arnett, according to ESPN. 

This decision comes as Mississippi State and the college football community mourn the loss of Leach, who died Monday night at the age of 61. 

Arnett was placed in charge of the program following Leach’s hospitalization, and he will reportedly be the head coach for seasons to come. 

“The school wants to give the players a strong leader to help them through the grieving process and give them stability,” a source told ESPN. “Zach is the guy for that. Zach embodies MSU and understands it, and he’s going to build on the foundation that coach Leach set.”

This news comes on the heels of a report that Mississippi State will continue its preparation for a bowl game against Illinois Jan. 2 at Raymond James Stadium, the home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Leach led the Bulldogs to an 8-4 record this season, leading to the bowl appearance. 

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“The players are 100% behind playing this bowl game and doing what coach Leach would expect them to do,” interim athletic director Bracky Brett told ESPN. “We all know that’s what coach Leach would want, and it’s what we should do.”

Leach died following complications from a heart condition, which came as a tremendous shock to many. 

“Coach Mike Leach cast a tremendous shadow not just over Mississippi State University, but over the entire college football landscape,” school President Mark E. Keenum said in a statement. “His innovative ‘Air Raid’ offense changed the game. Mike’s keen intellect and unvarnished candor made him one of the nation’s true coaching legends. 

“His passing brings great sadness to our university, to the Southeastern Conference and to all who loved college football. I will miss Mike’s profound curiosity, his honesty and his wide-open approach to pursuing excellence in all things.”

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Leach began his head coaching career at Texas Tech in 2000. His Air Raid offense was innovative at the time and has become a system used on the college and professional levels. Kliff Kingsbury, the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, uses it after playing under Leach as a Red Raider in college. 

Leach moved on to Washington State, where he spent eight years before heading to Starkville in 2020 to lead the Bulldogs. 

Leach had a career record of 158-107.