After a 5–7 season that ended in an awful 38–19 Egg Bowl defeat to No. 6 Ole Miss, the Mississippi State head coach has made a change in his coaching staff. Coleman Hutzler, the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator, has been fired by the program after a season in which his unit allowed 34.1 points per game, about ten points more than the next-worst team, and finished dead last in the SEC.

As per Pete Thamel, Lebby also has a replacement in mind. Mississippi State is looking to target Zach Arnett, a veteran defensive coordinator and former head coach. Arnett was the one who took over when Mike Leach passed away and led the team through one of its most chaotic periods. He was the HC for one season and was publicly praised by AD Zac Selmon for his leadership at “an unprecedented and tragic time.”

After MS State, Arnett bounced around as an analyst at Ole Miss and Florida State and even briefly held the DC position at UNLV before leaving for personal reasons. If Lebby lands him, it’ll be a homecoming and maybe the spark the Bulldogs need to stop watching the SEC race from the bottom.

Why did Mississippi State fire Coleman Hutzler?

Coleman Hutzler’s dismissal from Mississippi State was a slow-burning collapse that lasted for two full seasons. Before the 2024 season, Jeff Lebby signed Hutzler in an effort to rebuild an elite SEC-caliber defense. But with a terrible 34.1 points per game, the 2024 defense finished worst in the SEC. The pass rush hardly existed, earning only 10 total sacks throughout the season, while the run defense was a weekly nightmare, giving up 216.9 running yards per game, which was the fifth-worst in the entire nation. Nothing ever really truly settled into place despite roster upgrades.

In 2025, the Bulldogs finished last in rushing defense, allowing 189.5 yards per game on the ground, and dropped to 15th in the SEC in scoring defense with 29.2 points allowed. And things got worse when it mattered most: the last five opponents all scored more than 35 points. That exposed a unit that simply couldn’t get stops in any situation. And with Hutzler earning $1 million annually as the highest-paid assistant on staff and still having two years left on a contract that runs through January 2027, the pressure became suffocating. And it seems like Lebby had no choice but to deal with this underperformance and defensive identity crisis.

Who is stepping up as the New Defensive Coordinator Candidate for Mississippi State?

Mississippi State is straight away chasing a well-known face who once provided the Bulldogs with their defensive charm. Zach Arnett has emerged as the top target to take over the defense, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. And honestly, this is one of the rarest moves in college football, with a former head coach returning to the same university as a coordinator.

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His teams consistently ranked among the best in the SEC during his tenure as MSU’s defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022, with top-five rankings in takeaways, rushing defense, and total defense. Following Mike Leach’s tragic passing in 2022, Arnett took over as head coach. Even though his 2023 season ended unexpectedly at 4-6 with two games remaining, but even in that brief and chaotic stretch, he never lost the respect of the locker room.

What could Zach Arnett’s Return mean for Mississippi State’s Defense in 2026?

The entire tone of Mississippi State’s defense might change in a moment if Zach Arnett returns to Starkville as defensive coordinator. Between 2020 and 2022, Arnett’s defenses finished ranked No. 6, No. 9, and No. 7 in scoring defense, while also ranking in the top five in the SEC in total defense, rushing defense, and takeaways. His 3-3-5 strategy was disruptive and stingy with big plays.

During his stint there, MSU ranked in the top five for turnovers and three-and-outs, allowed the third-lowest percentage of explosive plays (11.97%), and limited teams to just 125 running yards per game. And this is the fact that fans cling to the most: Mississippi State only allowed 40 or more points three times in three seasons under Arnett. And now Arnett returning in 2026 feels like a chance to restore Mississippi State’s defense.

What is the potential impact on recruiting and game planning under new DC leadership?

Zach Arnett’s return as Mississippi State’s defensive coordinator might have a ripple effect on recruitment. High school defenders still admire his fast and fearless Starkville defenses, and his reputation spreads throughout the SEC. Lebby is aware that he needs someone who can sell a vision that feels real. And Arnett can do that because he’s done it before.

He kept the roster together through bowl preparation and the early signing period, providing prospects with stability during a period when the program was shaken to its core, even following Mike Leach’s death. On the field, Lebby is well aware of how unsettling Arnett’s defenses can be for even the most elite SEC attacks. Also, the Bulldogs will require a defense that performs well in high-stakes games.  Arnett has already proven he can build that kind of unit. His track record speaks louder than the 51-10 blowout that marked the end of his tenure. And for 2026, Lebby is betting on somebody who can rebuild an identity that’s been missing for two long years.