Arnett: Not trying to ‘replicate’ Leach at Miss
STARKVILLE, Ms.– Zach Arnett is a 36-year-old, newbie head coach changing an icon at Mississippi State, however he’s currently shown a determination to alter instructions and make the program his own.Arnett was Mike Leach’s protective coordinator from 2020 to 2022. In December, he was promoted to head coach quickly after Leach passed away due to issues from a heart condition.Leach, 61, was a pioneer in training. He assisted to promote the now ubiquitous Air Raid offense– a pass-happy design of play that spread the field with several receivers.
“Who’s going to duplicate Mike Leach?” Arnett informed ESPN on Monday. “There’s no possibility in hell.”
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1 Related Arnett, thus lots of in the coaching profession, revered Leach for his football acumen, his determination to push limits and his commitment to his craft.Leach was 158-107
in his 3 head-coaching stops, consisting of Washington State and Texas Tech. He won AFCA national coach of the year in 2018 at Washington State. He was 19-17 in three seasons at Mississippi State.Arnett stated to even attempt to imitate Leach would run the risk of
stumbling upon as fake.While pieces of Leach’s offense remain, the Air Raid as Mississippi State understood it is gone under Arnett, who is currently 1-0 after leading the Bulldogs to a 19-10 win over Illinois in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Jan. 2. The entire offending staff has altered from a season back
, led by former Appalachian State and Central Michigan offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay, who includes a more vertical death game and more conventional run concepts.” We’re not running the pure Air Raid that we ran then,”Arnett stated.”And I don’t think [Leach] would necessarily have an issue with that because he would desire me to run a program that’s in the vision that I view as finest fit for its future.”Bracky Brett, Mississippi State senior deputy sports director, said the administration took a hands-off method when they used Arnett a four-year,$12 million deal in December.Brett stated Arnett was told there would be no interference and,”Overall control of the program is on you. “”And I believe he understood he was going to have to make some changes,”Brett stated.”He knew as a defensive coach and from being in the conference for three years that possibly [the Air Raid] wasn’t the best method for Mississippi State to do it. “Aiding Arnett and the offending shift under Barbay is the return of beginning quarterback Will Rogers.A veteran with 33 career begins, Rogers already holds the SEC record for profession conclusions (1,159 )and the school record for profession passing backyards( 10,689 )and profession passing touchdowns( 82).
Mississippi State opens the season Sept. 2 in your home versus Southeastern Louisiana.