Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby has been hired as the new head football coach for Mississippi State, the school announced. During the 2023 regular season, Lebby led the Big 12’s top-ranked offense in his second year at Oklahoma, guiding the Sooners to a 10-2 record under second-year coach Brent Venables. ESPN reports that Lebby will be signed on a five-year deal.
Lebby, 39, will be taking over from Zach Arnett, who was dismissed on Nov. 13 after a 4-6 start in his first season as head coach. Arnett had been promoted from defensive coordinator in December 2022 following the passing of Mike Leach, who had been the coach since the 2020 season. The Bulldogs had a 1-6 record in SEC play during Arnett’s tenure.
“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,” said Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon. “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. We could not be more excited to welcome Jeff, his wife Staley, and their children Kora and Kane to the Mississippi State family. It is a great time to be a Bulldog and only going to get better.”
This will be Lebby’s first stint as a head coach. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Ole Miss, where he worked under coach Lane Kiffin from 2020-21. During his time there, the Rebels won 10 regular-season games and reached the Sugar Bowl in 2021. Lebby also worked as an assistant at UCF (2018-19) and Baylor (2008-16), where he was coached by his father-in-law, Art Briles.
Lebby’s departure comes as Oklahoma prepares to join the SEC in 2024 along with Texas. The Sooners played their final Big 12 conference game on Friday, recording a 69-45 home win against TCU, and were officially eliminated from Big 12 title contention on Saturday following Oklahoma State’s victory over BYU.
Lebby’s track record of offensive success
It’s not surprising that Mississippi State has chosen an offensive-minded coach like Lebby to replace Arnett, especially after the Bulldogs struggled on that side of the ball in 2023. Mississippi State finished last in the SEC in scoring, averaging 21.8 points per game as they ended with a 4-6 record. They scored 10 points or less in four of their final six games of the season.
Lebby is known for working with high-powered offenses that prioritize passing the ball. At Oklahoma, Lebby played a key role in the development of quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who completed his second consecutive 3,000-yard passing campaign in Lebby’s system, following their time together at UCF in 2019. Thanks to Gabriel’s success, the Sooners had the top-ranked offense in the Big 12 during the 2023 season, with an average of 502.4 yards and 43.2 points per game.
Prior to his time at Oklahoma, Lebby achieved success at Ole Miss with quarterback Matt Corral, who passed for over 3,000 yards in both 2020 and 2021 under Lebby’s guidance before being drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Lebby’s first two seasons at UCF also saw success with quarterback McKenzie Milton, and during his tenure at Baylor, the program saw the emergence of several prolific quarterbacks, most notably Heisman-winner Robert Griffin III, as the Bears consistently fielded high-powered offenses. Lebby began his coaching career at Baylor as an offensive quality control coach before taking on roles coaching running backs and eventually becoming the passing-game coordinator.
Lebby’s connection to Baylor, particularly his family ties to Briles, has led to some challenges. Lebby was part of the staff in Waco, Texas, when Briles was dismissed in May 2016 due to a sexual assault scandal that rocked the program. Earlier this year, Lebby was obliged to apologize after being seen hosting Briles on the field at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, with Briles wearing a Sooners-branded shirt, following Oklahoma’s Week 2 victory against SMU.
