Mississippi State hires Oklahoma OC Jeff Lebby as new coach

Mississippi State hired well-respected offensive mind Jeff Lebby as its new coach on Sunday.

Lebby has been the offensive coordinator at Oklahoma the past two seasons. He also ran the offense at Ole Miss (2020-21) for two seasons and at UCF (2018-19) for the second of his two seasons.

Lebby, 39, replaces Zach Arnett, who was fired with two games remaining in his first full season as coach. The Bulldogs went 5-7 this season.

"As we continue to invest in excellence at Mississippi State, the future of our football program is incredibly bright with the addition of Jeff Lebby at the helm," athletic director Zac Selmon said in a news release. "I am confident that Jeff is the perfect leader for the next exciting chapter of Mississippi State football.

"He will bring an exciting brand of football, elite student-athlete development, and a winning culture to Starkville, all while doing so with high integrity. He is a dynamic recruiter who will attract an elite coaching staff and the nation's top talent. There is no doubt in my mind that Jeff's leadership, vision, and resilient work ethic will take this program to incredible heights."

This season, Lebby's Oklahoma offense ranks third in scoring (43.2 points per game) and fourth in total offense (502.4 yards per game). The Sooners scored 50 or more points on five occasions, including outputs of 73, 69 and 66 points.

"Being the head coach at Mississippi State is the opportunity of a lifetime," Lebby said in the news release. "My family and I are fired up to engrain ourselves in this community, build relationships with our players, and hit the recruiting trail. This is a special place with special people and a football program with a storied tradition.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to add our dynamic offensive scheme to an NFL powerhouse with a nationally regarded history of elite defensive play."

Arnett was promoted to head coach after the tragic death of Mike Leach in December 2022.

—Field Level Media