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Mississippi State football coach hot board: 8 replacements for Zach Arnett

By Ethan Lee

STARKVILLE, MS - OCTOBER 04: General view of Davis Wade Stadium during the third quarter of a game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Texas A&M Aggies on October 4, 2014 in Starkville, Mississippi. Mississippi State won the game 48-31. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS - OCTOBER 04: General view of Davis Wade Stadium during the third quarter of a game between the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Texas A&M Aggies on October 4, 2014 in Starkville, Mississippi. Mississippi State won the game 48-31. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Head coach Tom Herman of the Florida Atlantic Owls
CLEMSON, SOUTH CAROLINA – SEPTEMBER 16: Head coach Tom Herman of the Florida Atlantic Owls stands on the sidelines against the Clemson Tigers in the first quarter at Memorial Stadium on September 16, 2023 in Clemson, South Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images) /

Tom Herman

Could Tom Herman be the answer for the Mississippi State Bulldogs?

With the firing of head coach Zach Arnett, the Mississippi State Bulldogs are back to searching for a new head coach. As MSU looks for a new leader in Starkville, some MSU fans have found themselves thinking about Tom Herman, the current head coach of the Florida Atlantic Owls.

Given his resume, it’s worth wondering if Herman is a good fit to reignite things in Starkville and get the Bulldogs moving in the right direction.

Herman found success as the head coach of the Houston Cougars, leading UH to a 13-1 record in his first season thanks largely to a fascinating offense and a strong defense. Herman got big wins over Florida State, Oklahoma, and Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson.

He’s shown the ability to beat some tough teams.

And that led to Herman ended up at Texas, where he found success and win 64 percent of his games, but he didn’t meet the lofty expectations in Austin. Herman brought stability to UT, winning four bowl games in four years (including a Sugar Bowl).

But that wasn’t enough and UT made the move to move on. Now at Florida Atlantic, Herman is trying to improve upon his shortcomings from Austin. In year one, he hasn’t exactly shown great potential just yet.

Pros:

  • Offensive innovator
  • Excellent recruiter
  • Strong coaching pedigree

Cons:

  • Lack of SEC experience
  • Would he fit in Starkville?
  • Didn’t break through at Texas

Herman has shown he can be a good recruiter and has helped field potent offenses. Given how the Bulldogs have struggled to move the ball since Leach’s death, Herman’s history of lighting up scoreboards could be fun to watch.

His tenure at Texas still represents a question mark and it’s also a huge question if Herman would be a great fit in Starkville. But he’s a big name and could prove an injection of energy and stability into a program that needs it.

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