Mississippi State inks defensive coordinator Zach Arnett to extension
One day before signing day, Mississippi State has already gotten agreements that go a long way towards securing MSU's future.
Cowbell Corner has confirmed that the Bulldogs have agreed to contract extensions with both defensive coordinator Zach Arnett and strength coach Tyson Brown. Terms of the agreements have not been revealed. The news was first reported by 247Sports.
The status of Arnett's future has quickly became a topic of discussion in Starkville this season as the first-year State assistant has far exceeded most expectations with his group. MSU's rush defense is ranked fourth in the Southeastern Conference this season. The Bulldogs have allowed only seven rushing touchdowns all year – the second-best mark in the SEC. State is fourth in the conference in total defense, all despite boasting a young roster that has also been severely hampered by injuries, COVID-19 and other issues that have impacted depth.
Arnett's success surely caught the eye of others around the country, however for now, it appears he'll be staying in Starkville – a place he expressed last week how much he enjoys.
"I absolutely love it here," Arnett said. "First of all, I get to work with a fantastic head coach who’s a future Hall of Famer obviously. For a young coach to get to learn from him and the other guys on the staff who’ve got a lot more years experience and a lot more knowledge, the opportunity to learn from those guys is incredibly invaluable. There are great players in this program. Obviously there’s really good football players, but they’re even better guys. I’ve absolutely loved it here. And I’m married with two young kids and I don’t think there’s a better place to raise a family. I’ve got incredible neighbors. I’m going to give them a name drop here – David and Trish Jones, Trent and Bessie Smith – shoot they get me (unstuck) out of my front yard every time my zero-turn lawnmower gets stuck in the summer. So, yeah. They’ve kind of taken me under their wing and showed me some true southern hospitality."
As for Brown, he has been working under current State head coach Mike Leach since 2014. Brown was with Leach for Leach's final six years at Washington State before joining Leach at Mississippi State this year.
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