Mississippi State hires Jeff Lebby as next coach

Mississippi State hires Jeff Lebby as next coach

ByPETE THAMEL

November 26, 2023, 6:39 PM

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby will be the new coach at Mississippi State, the school announced on Sunday.

Lebby has been the offensive coordinator at OU, Ole Miss and UCF, with high-tempo and prolific offenses his hallmark. Since 2019, he's been coordinator of an offense that's scored 50 or more points 14 times, leading all active offensive coordinators.

Lebby agreed to a five-year deal, according to ESPN sources. He replaces Zach Arnett, who lasted less than a full year as MSU's coach. Arnett was hired in the wake of the passing of Mike Leach.

“I am confident that Jeff is the perfect leader for the next exciting chapter of Mississippi State football,” athletic director Zac Selmon said in a statement. “He will bring an exciting brand of football, elite student-athlete development, and a winning culture to Starkville, all while doing so with high integrity.”

He'll be the fifth full-time head coach at Mississippi State since Dan Mullen left for Florida after the 2017 season. The school broke a 13-year bowl streak this year, as Mullen re-set the expectations of the program by pushing them to a No. 1 ranking in 2014.

Lebby worked at Baylor from 2008 to 2016, and he's brought tenets from Art Briles' offense with him throughout his career. He's also worked for Josh Heupel and Lane Kiffin, two of the more prolific offensive minds in the recent generation.

Oklahoma's offense in 2023 is in the Top 6 nationally in total offense, scoring offense and passing offense. Mississippi State is one of the hardest jobs in the SEC, and success there is often tied to playing a different style because it's hard to go toe-to-toe with schools like Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M.

“Being the head coach at Mississippi State is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Lebby said. “My family and I are fired up to engrain ourselves in this community, build relationships with our players, and hit the recruiting trail. This is a special place with special people and a football program with a storied tradition.”