Mississippi State likely wants a proven Power Five head coach to replace Zach Arnett

Mississippi State made the decision to part ways with coach Zach Arnett following the 2023 season, ending a pretty short tenure that followed Mike Leach‘s tragic death last last year.

Now the Bulldogs will be looking to hire a new, more permanent head coach. And Paul Jones of Maroon and White Daily believes the Bulldogs and athletics director Zac Selmon will be seeking a proven Power 5 head coach.

“This is a program that obviously you’re in the SEC, this is a program that you’re fixing to welcome Texas and Oklahoma in the SEC, and I think that’s why he kind of pulled the plug early on coach Arnett,” Jones said on the Andy Staples On3 show. “Because you can’t sit around and wait while your rival is looking at a 10-2 season and possible New Year’s Day bowl.”

Ole Miss is certainly having a lot of success under Lane Kiffin, which further underscores the sense of urgency Mississippi State finds itself operating under.

The Bulldogs simply have to get it right. While Arnett was an unlikely long-term solution, the program at least entertained things to see what he could provide.

“You’ve got Texas, Oklahoma, coming in. This is program that, of course, let’s be fair here, Zach Arnett was thrown into almost an impossible situation,” Jones said. “This could be a program where coach Leach doesn’t tragically pass away, is winding down another solid eight-, nine-win season, another solid bowl game.”

Of course, that’s not how things played out.

And now Mississippi State does find itself in the very real scenario where it is hiring a head football coach. What kind of coach the program can attract remains to be seen.

It’s a difficult place to win at a high level, as evidenced by the program’s decades of history.

Still, Jones believes Selmon will be looking for a proven coach who can step right in and steady the ship, then begin building toward a long-term winner.

“I think going in, especially the way they structured contract, that this was probably going to be a trial basis and see how it goes and if it doesn’t work out, let’s move onto something else pretty quick,” Jones said. “I think Zac knows football drives it here at Mississippi State, like it does at any SEC school and you’re going to have to get some stability. I think he wants a proven Power 5 head coach in here.”