Starkville is a different kind of place. It’s a town where the sound of cowbells isn't just noise; it’s a heartbeat. But lately, that heartbeat has been a little erratic. If you’ve followed the program for more than five minutes, you know that the conversation around mississippi state coaches football has shifted from "offensive innovation" to "survival of the fittest" in the SEC.
Jeff Lebby is currently at the center of it all. Entering his third year in 2026, the man is basically trying to rebuild a house while a hurricane is blowing through the front door. After a 2-10 debut and a 5-8 follow-up in 2025, the honeymoon is over. People aren't just looking for points anymore. They want wins.
The Arnett Return: The Move Nobody Saw Coming
Honestly, the biggest shocker of the last few months was the return of Zach Arnett. Think about that for a second. The guy was the head coach, got fired in 2023, and now he’s back as the defensive coordinator for 2026. It's rare. Some would say it's awkward.
But Lebby needed a fix. The 2025 defense, under Coleman Hutzler, was... well, it wasn't great. Hutzler is gone to Auburn now, and Lebby reached back into the program’s recent past to find some stability. Arnett knows the building. He knows the culture. More importantly, he knows how to coach a 3-3-5 defense that actually works in this league.
He’s not alone in this "back to the future" defensive reboot. Matt Brock is back too. After a stint at UConn where he helped turn their defense into a top-tier unit, Brock is returning to coach linebackers. It’s basically a reunion tour of the staff that kept State competitive during the Mike Leach era.
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The Offensive Brain Trust
On the other side of the ball, Lebby is still the primary architect. He’s the "offensive guru," right? That’s what they paid for. But even a guru needs help when the SEC is breathing down your neck.
Enter Bush Hamdan.
Hamdan comes over with a title that sounds like a mouthful: Associate Head Coach for Offense. He’s been around—Boise State, Kentucky—and he brings a veteran presence to a room that sometimes felt a bit young in 2024. Along with Anthony Tucker (Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs), the goal is to finally make Lebby’s "Veer and Shoot" system explosive again.
The 2025 season showed flashes. They started 4-0, including a win over a ranked Arizona State team. Then the wheels fell off. One conference win. That’s it. For a guy whose offenses at Ole Miss and Oklahoma were regularly top-five in the nation, that’s a hard pill to swallow.
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2026 Mississippi State Coaching Roster
- Head Coach: Jeff Lebby (The man in the hot seat)
- Defensive Coordinator: Zach Arnett (The returning veteran)
- Associate HC (Offense): Bush Hamdan (The new stabilizer)
- Assistant HC (Running Backs): Anthony Tucker
- Linebackers: Matt Brock
- Defensive Line: David Turner (A legend in Starkville for developing NFL talent)
- Quarterbacks: Matt Holecek
Why the "Starkville Standard" Matters
There’s a misconception that Mississippi State is just a "stepping stone" job. Tell that to Jackie Sherrill or Dan Mullen. They stayed. They built.
The problem with mississippi state coaches football recently has been the lack of continuity. Since the tragic passing of Mike Leach, the program has been in a blender. You had the Arnett promotion, then the firing, then the Lebby hire, and now a massive staff turnover again.
You can’t win in the SEC West—or whatever we’re calling the divisionless SEC now—without a foundation. Lebby’s 2026 signing class, led by quarterback Brody McWhorter, is actually ranked fairly well. He’s leaning heavily on high school recruits over the transfer portal, which is a gutsy move in the current NIL landscape. He’s betting on development.
The David Turner Factor
If there is one name on the staff that fans should trust blindly, it’s David Turner. The guy has coached the defensive line at State across three different eras. He’s the guy who helped mold Chris Jones and Fletcher Cox. In a world of coaching volatility, Turner is the bedrock.
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Having him alongside Arnett gives the defense a level of "Starkville DNA" that was missing last year. They need it. The 2025 defense gave up too many big plays in the second half of games. You aren't going to beat Ole Miss or Alabama if you can't stop the run in the fourth quarter.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're looking at what this staff needs to do to survive, it's not just about X's and O's. It's about identity.
- Fix the Red Zone: In 2025, Lebby’s offense moved the ball but often stalled inside the 20. Hamdan’s influence needs to simplify those high-pressure play calls.
- Restore the 3-3-5 Aggression: Arnett’s best defenses were "positionless." He needs to find those hybrid safeties/linebackers that can disguise blitzes effectively.
- Home Field Advantage: Davis Wade Stadium has to become a house of horrors again. That starts with a coaching staff that feeds the energy of the crowd.
The 2026 season is basically a "prove it" year for the entire mississippi state coaches football group. Lebby has his guys now. No more excuses about "inheriting a roster" or "learning the ropes." The staff is a mix of old friends and new perspectives.
To really understand where this program is going, watch the first four games of the 2026 schedule. If the defense looks organized and the offense isn't just "hurry up and punt," Lebby might just justify that $4.5 million salary. If not, the cowbells might start sounding a lot more like a funeral dirge.
The next step for any serious Bulldog fan is to track the spring practice reports, specifically focusing on how Zach Arnett is reintegrating his defensive scheme with the current personnel. The chemistry between Lebby and his former predecessor-turned-assistant will determine the trajectory of the entire program for the next decade.