Maroon and White Nation
Fansided

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 9
Next
Head coach Lance Leipold of the Kansas Jayhawks
AMES, IA – NOVEMBER 4: Head coach Lance Leipold of the Kansas Jayhawks argues a call with an official in the first half of play at Jack Trice Stadium on November 4, 2023 in Ames, Iowa. The Kansas Jayhawks won 28-21 over the Iowa State Cyclones. (Photo by David K Purdy/Getty Images) /

Lance Leipold

Speaking of the Midwest and innovative coaches who just flat out win games, let’s talk about Lance Leipold. As Mississippi State searches for a new head coach, Zac Selmon and the Mississippi State football program should keep Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lane Leipold in mind.

Leipold has a great track record as a program builder and innovator who can quickly turn a program around in a hurry.

That’d make him an ideal candidate for Mississippi State.

In Lawrence, Kansas, Leipold has taken on arguably the hardest Power 5 job in the country and very quickly turned the Jayhawks into a respectable program. He secured the program’s first bowl berth since 2008 and has notched wins over the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Houston, and West Virginia.

He can build up a bad team in a hurry.

Prior to Kansas, Leipold spent several seasons getting a bad Buffalo program to become a truly solid team. He’s shown that he can get teams back on their feet in a hurry and he’s done it at multiple stops.

His numerous seasons at Wisconsin-Whitewater included a ton of stunning success as well. The man just flat out wins and it doesn’t matter where he is. He can identify and develop talent, no matter the location. And that could benefit Mississippi State.

Pros

  • Proven winner
  • Program builder
  • Player developer

Cons

  • No SEC experience
  • Doesn’t have a ton of recruiting ties to the South
  • Just signed a new contract at Kansas

With Arnett lasting just one season in Starkville, the Bulldogs would benefit by hiring a guy who can stabilize the program. Leipold could deliver that. He’s won everywhere he’s been and has shown he can elevate underdogs into solid teams to face.

Home/Mississippi State Football