Coleman Hutzler is Ready for his New Challenge

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State is entering a whole new era in its program's history, with former Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby taking over as head coach. The 40-year-old will be the fifth different Bulldog head coach since the 2017 season, and despite the constant rollover, MSU has not completely fallen apart.

Part of the reason State remains consistent each season despite the turnover is the defensive prowess this program is known for. Lebby runs an exciting up-tempo scheme that puts up points quickly, which has alluded Bulldog fans.

Fans can always count on a tough defense, but this year, the unit has many question marks that the offense does not. State lost a ton of production off last year's squad and will now rely on talented but very raw players this season.

Lebby's first big move was to hire a defensive coordinator, and he was adamant about landing someone with Southeastern Conference experience. Coleman Hutzler was announced as Mississippi State's new defensive coordinator on December 7th.

The hiring of Hutzler came as a surprise due to his limited experience as a playcaller, but he has vast experience in the SEC, which Lebby was searching for. The Las Vegas, Nev. native started his career in the SEC in 2010 as he served as the special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Florida and had the same responsibilities at South Carolina (2016-2019), Ole Miss (2021), and Alabama (2022-2023.)

Despite coaching in the most prestigious conference in the country for nearly a decade, the 40-year-old had limited experience as a defensive coordinator. However, in 2020, he served as the co-defensive coordinator for Texas before joining Lane Kiffins's staff in Oxford.

Being a special teams coordinator allows a coach to coach a large portion of the team. Hutzler has carried the title on several stops, and it has helped him get to where he is now.

"I think my background as a special teams coordinator really helps with the transition," Hutzler said. There is an adjustment, and it's exciting. It's a lifelong dream and something I have been wanting to do."

Training camp is approaching for Mississippi State as they open their journey toward the regular season on August 1st. Most of the State roster was in place for Spring practice, and the extra reps will make a difference on the field.

Hutzler saw growth in his unit during the spring and is excited to continue building on that with some new transfer portal and high school players.

"I was really excited with the way our guys responded to everything we are establishing," Hutzler said. "Excited to get back to the football side of things and get back on the grass with our guys."

Another learning curve for a first-time defensive or offensive coordinator is working with the entire staff on their side of the ball. The coordinator's duty is to make sure everyone is on the same page, which will ensure that each unit, from the secondary to the defensive line, is cohesive.

Lebby decided to retain a pair of coaches from the previous staff on each side of the ball to work for him. The defensive guy has a respected reputation in Starkville. Defensive line coach David Turner is a coaching veteran, and this is his third tenure here.

The former Texas A&M coach has recruited and developed some of the best defensive linemen in Mississippi State's storied history with the position: Chris Jones, Jeffrey Simmons, and Fletcher Cox. Hutzler understands the value of Turner's presence and leans on his expertise.

"Hutzler has been great. He has leaned on me for certain things, and he is trying to mesh all the coaches together," Turner said. It has been fun and unique in terms of what we are trying to do, but everyone is excited."

Although Hutzler would not reveal too specific of his plan for his defense schematically, he did say his unit would be aggressive. Every coach leading a side of the ball wants his players to have an unmistakable identity.

While Hutzler said he would not be set in any particular defense, his core values would lead to a good defense regardless of alignment.

"The three main things we talk about are Effort, Technique, and Execution," Hutzler said. "If we can play with great effort, have great technique, and go execute we got a great chance to play good defense."