Zach Arnett describes what it meant to end Mississippi State season with a win

Mississippi State earned a ReliaQuest Bowl victory under Zach Arnett, following the passing of former head coach Mike Leach.

Arnett made it clear that the win for the Bulldogs was all about the players and not himself, the new head coach. He even made sure to say Leach was out there on that field with them in spirit, as the Bulldogs took down Illinois 19-10 to end the season with a win.

But if there was the right man to step up within the program, it was Arnett going from defensive coordinator to head coach.

“First and foremost games are all players,” Arnett said. “Players win games. Coaches are overrated in this sport. So, the players went out, they won this game, they executed and obviously, Coach Leach. Michael has been in this program for three years. He was out there leading us today.”

A look to 2023

Mississippi State promoted Matt Brock to defensive coordinator after his play calling performance in the bowl game against the Fighting Illini. Brock served as the linebackers coach in 2022 and was hired by Leach ahead of the 2020 season.

Matt Brock played at the collegiate level for Baker University, an NAIA program in Kansas where he was a two-time all-conference selection and two-time Academic All-American. He ended his playing career with 277 career tackles and seven interceptions, then joined the coaching staff for two seasons as a graduate assistant.

Brock’s next stop was Texas Tech, where he was in a defensive quality control position before being promoted to inside linebackers coach. He then spent time at Bowling Green and Washington State as a linebackers and special teams coach before being hired in the same role at Mississippi State. He’s been nominated for the Broyles Award, given to the top assistant coach in the country, and selected to the AFCA’s 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute.

His special team units have been consistent and productive, and in his defensive play-calling debut so was his defense. In the ReliaQuest Bowl Brock helped lead a defense that held Illinois’ effective rushing attack to just 35 total yards on the ground, the first time they’d been held to under 100 rushing yards all season in a game. The Bulldogs lived in the backfield all day, recording 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks, which is a season high and an MSU bowl record.

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Brock will remain on the staff with Arnett, who was hired on December 15 signing a four-year, $12 million contract. It will be both of the young coach’s first times in their expanded roles, as they look to now lead a new era and legacy in Starkville.

Kaiden Smith contributed to this report