Mississippi State hires Anthony Tucker as running backs coach

The Mississippi State Bulldogs and their new head coach, Jeff Lebby, have been busy putting together their new football staff in the past week. On Friday evening, the Bulldogs announced that they have hired Anthony Tucker as their running backs coach.

Prior to joining Mississippi State, Tucker has spent time at a number of schools: Indiana, Utah State, UCF, Maryland, Arkansas State, and others.

Shortly after the news was announced on Friday, Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby issued a statement on Tucker:

“Coach Tucker has been instrumental in helping produce some of the country’s most explosive and exciting offenses. His track record speaks for itself. He is a proven winner that has elevated the careers of so many under his tutelage, and we look forward to that continuing here at Mississippi State.”

While at Utah State he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2021-2022. The Aggies posted impressive numbers under Tucker’s watch. They set eight school records, including 41 touchdown passes and 4,248 passing yards. They also became the only team in the nation with three receivers with 10-plus touchdown catches.

Later in the evening on Friday, Mississippi State announced they had hired Jon Cooper as their tight ends coach. The school also hired Matt Holeck as their quarterbacks coach.

Lebby issued a statement on Cooper after he was hired. “We’re tremendously excited for Coach Cooper to join us at Mississippi State. Over the course of his career, he’s been an integral part of coaching some of the nation’s most high-powered offensive attacks, plus he’s very familiar with our style of play. Coach Cooper’s expertise will be invaluable to us and will elevate the play of our tight ends.”

Cooper reunites with Lebby after coaching the offensive line at North Texas in 2023. He first coached with Lebby when he was the tight ends coach at Central Florida from 2018-2019. Lebby was at that time, the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Knights. Cooper also joined Lebby when he was an offensive assistant for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2022.

Jeff Lebby also issued a statement on Holeck. “Coach Holeck has had a hand in developing some of the country’s most successful quarterbacks in recent memory. His ability to mold quarterbacks along with his knowledge of and experience in our offense makes him a perfect addition to our staff at State.”

Holeck spent time with Lebby helping develop such quarterbacks as Dillon Gabriel (Oklahoma), Matt Corral (Ole Miss), and Drew Lock (Missouri). In 2022-2023, he spent time as a senior offensive analyst with the Oklahoma Sooners. Before joining Oklahoma, Holeck coached at Ole Miss from 2020-2021. And then from 2018-2019, he was an offensive assistant with the Missouri Tigers.