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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 Rhett Lashlee of the SMU Mustangs talks with head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA – SEPTEMBER 9: Head coach Rhett Lashlee of the SMU Mustangs talks with head coach Brent Venables of the Oklahoma Sooners before their game at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on September 9, 2023 in Norman, Oklahoma. Oklahoma won 28-11. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /

Rhett Lashlee

Like Sumrall, Rhett Lashlee will probably be a head coach in the Southeastern Conference pretty soon. His pedigree is impressive and he’s someone who can definitely thrive thanks to his offense (and willingness to adapt and let his defense succeed).

Lashlee’s fast-paced, high-flying offense would bring an exciting brand of football to Starkville. With SMU at 8-2 on the season, the Mustangs are averaging 40.5 points per game (No. 7 in the country) and 473.2 total yards of offense per game (that’s a lot!).

But his offense isn’t the only thing to write home about.

While some coaches like to interfere and limit what happens on the other side of the ball, Lashlee’s defense is thriving all while he boasts one of the best offenses in the country.

SMU is holding foes to 16.4 points per game (No. 9 in the country) and limiting opposing offenses to 290.8 yards per game. That’s incredible.

Historically speaking, defense has been the Bulldogs’ calling card in recent years and it’s something that is easier to recruit for in Mississippi. So it’s safe to assume that defense is the side of the ball that will consistently be steady for the Bulldogs. Which would make a hire like Lashlee encouraging given how he adapts and can still field a dominant defense in the process.

Plus, Lashlee has experience in the SEC, has incredible offensive credentials, and now has recruiting ties to Texas, which would be a valuable talent pipeline for a middle class SEC team to start developing.

Pros

  • Successful head coaching experience at SMU
  • Familiarity with the SEC
  • Recruiting ties to Texas

Cons

  • Only been a HC for 2 seasons
  • Likely a highly sought after coach
  • Would he leave SMU as the Mustangs move to the ACC?

Lashlee is the type of up-and-coming coach who seems likely to thrive in the SEC and he seems like he could be a great fit for a program like Mississippi State. It’d be fun to hire a coach who can inspire fans and score points with ease.

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