Starkville is different. If you’ve ever stood outside the Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex on a Tuesday morning, you know the vibe. It isn't just about the cowbells or the smell of charcoal in the Junction. It’s about the people inside those walls trying to figure out how to win in the most brutal division in sports. Right now, the Mississippi State football staff is undergoing a transformation that honestly feels like a "back to the future" experiment, and the local chatter is reaching a fever pitch.
Jeff Lebby just finished his second year. It was a rocky 5-8 campaign in 2025 that ended with a thud in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. But instead of playing it safe, Lebby went for the jugular this offseason. He didn't just tweak the edges; he fundamentally rewired the leadership of the program.
The Return of Zach Arnett: A Starkville Plot Twist
If you predicted Zach Arnett would be back on the Mississippi State football staff two years after being fired as the head coach, you’re either a liar or a psychic. It’s almost unheard of. Usually, when a head coach gets the axe, they disappear into the sunset or take a job at a Sun Belt school to rebuild their image.
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Arnett did the opposite. After spending time as an analyst at Ole Miss and Florida State, he’s back in the 662.
But here is the catch: he isn't the boss anymore. He’s the Defensive Coordinator. Again.
It makes a weird kind of sense. Arnett’s defenses from 2020 to 2022 were nasty. They were top-five in the SEC in almost every meaningful category. Lebby saw the 2025 defense falling apart—allowing nearly 38 points per game in conference play—and decided he needed the guy who actually knows how to stop an SEC run game. The "Arnett Reunion" is the biggest gamble of Lebby’s career. If it works, he’s a genius. If it doesn't, the awkwardness in the meeting rooms will be legendary.
Reshaping the Offense: The Bush Hamdan and Kevin Johns Era
While the defense got the headlines, the offensive side of the Mississippi State football staff saw some serious movement too. Lebby is a "points" guy. He breathes offensive schemes. But he clearly felt he needed more veteran voices in the room to help develop young star-in-the-making Kamario Taylor.
Enter Bush Hamdan.
Hamdan comes over from Kentucky, where he was the OC. At State, he’s the Associate Head Coach for offense. He’s a guy who has been everywhere—Boise State, the Atlanta Falcons, Washington. He’s the "quarterback whisperer" type that Lebby wants around Taylor.
Then you’ve got Kevin Johns. This was a late December addition that caught a lot of people off guard. Johns has 28 years of experience. He was most recently at Oklahoma State, but his resume at Duke and Memphis is what really stands out. He’s an assistant coach who basically functions as a second offensive coordinator.
Basically, Lebby has built an "Offensive Brain Trust." It’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen, sure, but when you're trying to outpace Georgia and Texas, you need every recipe you can get.
Who’s In and Who’s Out?
The coaching carousel in Starkville hasn't been kind to everyone. You’ve got to feel a little for Chad Bumphis. A literal Bulldog legend. He was the one guy everyone wanted to stay, but Lebby let him go in December 2025. Why? Recruiting. Even though the receivers put up decent numbers, the staff felt they weren't winning the "big fish" battles on the trail.
Here is a quick look at the 2026 core group:
- Jeff Lebby: Head Coach (The guy with the headset and the pressure).
- Zach Arnett: Defensive Coordinator (The return of the 3-3-5).
- Matt Brock: Co-Defensive Coordinator (Returned from UConn to pair back up with Arnett).
- Bush Hamdan: Associate Head Coach/Offense.
- Kevin Johns: Assistant Coach/Offense.
- Anthony Tucker: Assistant Head Coach/Pass Game Coordinator.
- Shaud Williams: Head Strength & Conditioning (The man responsible for making sure they don't gas out in the 4th quarter).
The Shaud Williams Factor
You can't talk about the Mississippi State football staff without mentioning the weight room. Shaud Williams is a name Alabama fans remember well—he was a star running back there. Now, he’s the guy screaming at Bulldogs at 5:00 AM.
Shaud’s philosophy isn't just "lift heavy things." He’s brought in guys like Jawarski Beckum, the "Director of Speed." They are trying to turn State into a track team that happens to wear pads. In the 2025 season, critics pointed out that the Bulldogs looked "slow" in the secondary. Williams and Beckum have been tasked with fixing that through "single-leg training" and "state-of-the-art sports science" led by Mason Walters.
Is This Enough to Compete?
Let’s be real. The SEC is a monster. You can have the best staff on paper, but if you don't have the Jimmys and Joes, you're toast.
The strategy here is clear: Lebby is surrounding himself with experience. He’s not hiring his buddies; he’s hiring guys who have called plays in the NFL and the SEC. Bringing Matt Brock back from UConn to work with Arnett shows a desire for continuity. They want to run the same system that worked under Mike Leach, just with a 2026 twist.
The biggest limitation right now is the "co-coordinator" structure. Sometimes, having a "Co-DC" and a "Defensive Coordinator" leads to confusion on the sidelines when a hurry-up offense is breathing down your neck. Who has the final say on the 3rd-and-long call? That’s the kind of stuff that usually gets ironed out in spring ball, but in the heat of a Saturday night in Death Valley, it can get messy.
Actionable Insights for Bulldog Fans
If you're following the progress of this staff, here is what you need to watch for in the coming months:
- Spring Game Personnel: Watch how Arnett and Brock interact on the sidelines. If Arnett is the primary signal-caller, the defense will likely return to that aggressive, "bend-but-don't-break" style we saw in 2022.
- Transfer Portal Targets: Since the staff reshuffle, keep an eye on defensive linemen and safeties. Lebby has been vocal about needing "SEC size" up front, and the new staff has deep ties in the portal.
- The Kamario Taylor Development: With Hamdan and Johns both in the building, Taylor’s footwork and decision-making should be the primary focus of spring camp. If he doesn't take a massive leap, all these coaching hires won't matter.
The Mississippi State football staff is effectively a "Reset Button" for the program. They are betting that a mix of old Starkville toughness (Arnett/Brock) and new-age offensive firepower (Hamdan/Johns) can finally get the Bulldogs over the 8-win hump. It's a bold move. It’s a weird move. But in Starkville, "weird" usually fits just right.