Mississippi State was working to finalize a four-year contract with the 36-year-old Zach Arnett. Check out his coaching record and salary.
Zach Arnett : Coaching record | Salary | Head coach
Zachary Arnett is an American football coach who is the head coach at Mississippi State.
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | Mississippi State |
| Conference | SEC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | September 10, 1986 Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Arnett attended La Cueva High School and was a two-sport athlete in football and baseball.
He originally accepted an offer to play for the New Mexico Lobos baseball team, but he earned a scholarship to the football team in the summer of 2005.
He excelled on the field and in the classroom during his college career, earning six forced fumbles and was a first-team Academic All-American in 2008.
Zach Arnett coaching record
After being away from football for two years, he became a graduate assistant at San Diego State under his New Mexico head coach Rocky Long. Within three years, he was promoted to linebackers coach.
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
|---|---|
| 2011–2013 | San Diego State (GA) |
| 2014–2017 | San Diego State (LB) |
| 2018–2019 | San Diego State (DC/LB) |
| 2020–2022 | Mississippi State (DC/LB) |
| 2022–present | Mississippi State |
His linebacker unit produced five different All-Mountain West selections, including 3-time All-Mountain West selection Calvin Munson.
In 2018, he was promoted again, this time to defensive coordinator. Under him, San Diego State ranked 32nd in total defense in 2018 and 2nd in 2019, which was a 30-place gain from the year before.
On January 11, 2020, he was named the new defensive coordinator at Syracuse. However, the stint with Syracuse was short-lived, as Mississippi State matched Syracuse’s offer on January 22.
Arnett was named interim head coach at Mississippi State after Mike Leach was hospitalized on December 11, 2022.
After Leach’s death, Arnett was named full-time head coach on December 14, 2022.
Zach Arnett salary
Arnett agreed to a four-year contract – the maximum length allowed under Mississippi’s state law – that will pay $3 million annually, plus performance-based incentives.
This 4-year deal is set for $3 million/year. Head coach, Zach Arnett will have a starting salary that is higher than the 33rd head coach, Joe Moorhead. Moorhead’s original hiring salary was $2.75 million/year.
Zach Arnett led the Mississippi State Bulldogs defense this year and was the reason behind winning many, if not, most of their games in the 2022 Mississippi State football season.
Zach Arnett was recruited by Mike Leach in 2020 to be the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State and looks to be one of Mike Leach’s best hires.
Head coach
Mississippi State football has promoted defensive coordinator and interim head coach Zach Arnett to permanent head coach, MSU announced Thursday.
Arnett has signed a four-year contract with an annual salary of $3 million with performance-based incentives.
Zach Arnett has been MSU’s defensive coordinator since 2020, when he was hired by Mike Leach. Arnett was given the interim title Sunday when Leach was airlifted to a Jackson hospital following a medical emergency.
Leach died on Monday night after complications stemming from a heart condition, MSU announced.
“I’m honored that (interim AD) Bracky Brett and (MSU president Mark) Keenum have the faith in me to lead our program,” Arnett said in a press release. “This is an extremely challenging time for both me and everyone associated with Mississippi State football. No one can ever replace Coach Leach and the impact he had on MSU and all of college football. This team is full of strong, resilient young men and we are committed to continuing to build on the foundation Coach Leach laid and continue to honor his legacy.”
Arnett’s promotion comes amidst what Keenum referred to as a “complicated” situation for the athletics department.
Along with the sudden death of Leach, Mississippi State is currently without a full-time athletics director following the departure of John Cohen for Auburn at the end of October.
“Our football program has dealt with a stunning blow at the untimely passing of Coach Mike Leach,” Keenum said. “It is imperative that we bring stability and continuity to our team and our coaching staff as we move forward from this tragic event. I have tremendous confidence in Zach Arnett’s leadership and believe he is uniquely positioned to continue the progress Coach Leach brought to our program. He brings great drive and intensity to the task.”