College football insider refutes report Mike Bobo targeted as next Mississippi State offensive coordinator

It turns out Mike Bobo might not be heading to Mississippi State after all. Following a report Friday saying Bobo was the target to become the Bulldogs’ new offensive coordinator, The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman said it was “not accurate.”

Football Scoop’s John Brice reported Bobo, currently an analyst at Georgia, was in talks to leave and take over Mississippi State’s offense under new head coach Zach Arnett. Feldman said that’s “not happening, and never was” as Georgia prepares for Monday’s College Football Playoff national championship against TCU. Georgia got to Los Angeles Friday and Bobo is with the team, The Athletic’s Seth Emerson reported.

Bobo has served as an offensive coordinator in the SEC before, holding the role at Georgia from 2007-14, South Carolina in 2020 and at Auburn in 2021. He headed back to Athens as an analyst prior to the 2022 season after Auburn fired him at the conclusion of the 2021 campaign. He also has head coaching experience at Colorado State, where he totaled a 28-35 record from 2015-19, and spent three games as the interim head coach at South Carolina in 2020.

Mississippi State, Zach Arnett release statement on addition of Will Friend to staff

Mississippi State announced a high-profile addition to Arnett’s staff on Friday as Will Friend is coming in to a “position to be named later,” the program said in a press release. Friend spent this past season at Auburn after previously working at Tennessee.

“We’re excited to welcome Will Friend back to his home state,” Arnett said in a statement. “Will is an outstanding coach with a proven record of recruiting and developing players on the offensive side of the ball in the toughest conference in the sport. He knows the SEC inside and out from being a player and a coach and will be another great addition to the staff.”

Friend also released a statement about his hiring, saying he’s looking forward to getting to work in Starkville.

“My family and I couldn’t be more excited to join the Mississippi State family,” Friend said. “I want to thank Coach Arnett for this incredible opportunity. The state of Mississippi is home for me, and the talent it produces is second to none. I can’t wait to develop relationships with our players and get right to work.”