Zach Arnett

Zach Arnett
Current position
TitleDefensive Coordinator
TeamUNLV
ConferenceMWC
Biographical details
Born (1986-09-10) September 10, 1986 (age 38)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Playing career
2005–2008New Mexico
Position(s)Linebacker
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2011–2013San Diego State (GA)
2014–2017San Diego State (LB)
2018–2019San Diego State (DC/LB)
2020Mississippi State (DC/LB)
2021–2022Mississippi State (DC/S)
2022–2023Mississippi State
2024Ole Miss (analyst)
2025-presentUNLV (DC)
Head coaching record
Overall5–6
Bowls1–0

Zachary Arnett (born September 10, 1986) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the UNLV Rebels. He previously served as the head coach at Mississippi State University in 2023 and as the defensive coordinator and as position coach at Mississippi State from 2020 to 2022.

Arnett played college football at the University of New Mexico as a linebacker from 2005 to 2008. Prior to his tenure at Mississippi State, he held various assistant coaching positions at San Diego State University from 2011 to 2019.

Playing career

Arnett attended La Cueva High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico and was a two-sport athlete in football and baseball.[1][2] He originally accepted an offer to play for the New Mexico Lobos baseball team, but he earned a scholarship to the football team in the summer of 2005. He excelled on the field and in the classroom during his college career, earning six forced fumbles and was a first-team Academic All-American in 2008.[3]

Coaching career

San Diego State

After being away from football for two years, he became a graduate assistant at San Diego State under his New Mexico head coach Rocky Long. Within three years, he was promoted to linebackers coach. His linebacker unit produced five different All-Mountain West selections, including 3-time All-Mountain West selection Calvin Munson.[4] In 2018, he was promoted again, this time to defensive coordinator. Under him, San Diego State ranked 32nd in total defense in 2018 and 2nd in 2019, which was a 30-place gain from the year before.[5][6]

Mississippi State

On January 11, 2020, Arnett was named the new defensive coordinator at Syracuse. However, the stint with Syracuse was short-lived, as he was hired as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach by Mississippi State on January 22, 2020.[7]

Arnett was named interim head coach at Mississippi State after Mike Leach was hospitalized on December 11, 2022.[8][9] After Leach's death, Mississippi State removed the interim tag from Arnett's title and named him the 35th full-time head coach in school history on December 15, 2022.[10] Mississippi State fired Arnett on November 13, 2023, with two games left in the regular season.[11]

Personal life

Arnett is married with two children.[12]

Head coaching record

College

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Mississippi State Bulldogs (Southeastern Conference) (2022–2023)
2022 Mississippi State 1–0 0–0 W ReliaQuest[a] 19 20
2023 Mississippi State 4–6[b] 1–6
Mississippi State: 5–6 1–6
Total: 5–6
  1. ^ Arnett coached the Bulldogs in the ReliaQuest Bowl following the death of head coach Mike Leach on December 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Mississippi State fired Arnett with two games remaining.

References

  1. ^ "Mississippi State promotes La Cueva alum, former Lobo Arnett to head coach". Albuquerque Journal. Associated Press. December 14, 2022. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  2. ^ Benson, Bradley (December 15, 2022). "Former La Cueva, Lobo linebacker named head coach at Mississippi State". KRQE NEWS 13. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Wilmes, Collin (January 23, 2020). "Get to Know New Defensive Coordinator Zach Arnett". SB Nation: For Whom the Cowbell Tolls. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  4. ^ "Zach Arnett". SDSU Athletics.
  5. ^ "2019 College Football Team Defense". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "2018 College Football Team Defense". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "Zach Arnett". Mississippi State Athletics.
  8. ^ Sallee, Barrett (December 12, 2022). "Mississippi State coach Mike Leach hospitalized in 'critical condition' with 'personal health issue'". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  9. ^ Low, Chris (December 12, 2022). "Mississippi State football coach Mike Leach still in critical condition". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
  10. ^ "Zach Arnett Named Mississippi State's 35th Head Football Coach". HailState.com. December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  11. ^ Low, Chris (November 13, 2023). "Mississippi State fires Arnett after 11 games". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  12. ^ "Zach Arnett – Mississippi State profile". Mississippi State Bulldogs. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
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