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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 Jon Sumrall of the Troy Trojans
TROY, ALABAMA – NOVEMBER 02: Head coach Jon Sumrall of the Troy Trojans thanks the fans after a victory over the South Alabama Jaguars at Veterans Memorial Stadium on November 2, 2023 in Troy, Alabama. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images) /

Jon Sumrall

With the recent firing of Zach Arnett, Zac Selmon, Mississippi State’s athletics director, gets to go out and find his own head coach. Will he search for the new leader of the Mississippi State football program by looking over at Troy head coach Jon Sumrall?

Sumrall just is in the midst of his second season at Troy and is off to a stellar start as the head coach of the Trojans. Right now, in less than two seasons of work, Sumrall has recorded a 20-4 overall record, a Sun Belt Conference Championship, and a bowl win.

That’s a great resume for a young head coach who has a solid SEC pedigree. Sumrall’s path to Troy is an interesting one. The 41-year-old coach from Huntsville, Alabama spent his playing career with the Kentucky Wildcats, which is where he got his feet wet with coaching.

After a sting in San Diego, Sumrall made a stop at Tulane, and then spent a few years at Troy from 2015-2017 as an assistant. From there, Sumrall left to help Ole Miss during the 2018 season, and then made his way back to Kentucky from 2019 to 2021.

And now, he’s back at Troy.

Throughout his career, Sumrall has shown he can build an elite defense. That’s definitely been evident in two seasons with the Trojans. And while his offense deserved criticism during his first year as a head coach, it’s been much more enjoyable to watch this season.

It’s encouraging that Sumrall was able to adapt and partner his already solid defense with a good offense. He hasn’t done that at the SEC level, but it’s something to be hopeful about.

Pros

  • Immediately successful at Troy
  • Demonstrated ability to adapt and compliment his defense with a good offense
  • Familiarity with the region and the SEC

Cons

  • Not a ton of head coaching experience
  • Will a defense-first head coach work at MSU?
  • His offensive identity is still a little unknown

Can Sumrall recruit at a high level in Starkville and replicate the sort of success he’s having at Troy? Is his model of winning sustainable? If it’s not, will he be willing to adapt and ensure that he finds a model that is sustainable?

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