Zach Arnett

Zachary Arnett (born September 10, 1986) is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State. He played linebacker from 2005-2008 at New Mexico and began his coaching career in 2011.

Zach Arnett
Current position
TitleDefensive coordinator
TeamMississippi State
ConferenceSEC
Biographical details
Born (1986-09-10) September 10, 1986
Albuquerque, New Mexico
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)
2020–presentMississippi State (DC/LB)

Playing career

Arnett attended La Cueva High School[1] and was a two-sport athlete in football and baseball. 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.[2]

Coaching career

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.[3] 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.[4][5]

On January 11th, 2020, he was named the new defensive coordinator at Syracuse. The stint with Syracuse was short-lived though, as Mississippi State matched Syracuse’s offer on January 22nd.[6] He will inherit a defense that ranked 73rd in total defense and is losing seven starters. Before the 2021 season, Arnett interviewed with big programs like Oregon, LSU , and Texas for their DC vacancies, but Arnett decided to stay at Mississippi State.

References
  1. Sickenger, Ken. "Success Has Been A Constant Companion of La Cueva's Zach Arnett". Albuquerque Journal.
  2. Wilmes, Collin. "Get to Know New Defensive Coordinator Zach Arnett". SB Nation: For Whom the Cowbell Tolls.
  3. "Zach Arnett". SDSU Athletics.
  4. "2019 College Football Team Defense".
  5. "2018 College Football Team Defense".
  6. "Zach Arnett". Mississippi State Athletics.
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