Last December, Mississippi State defensive coordinator Zach Arnett had no idea how his world was about to change. He was preparing for the ReliaQuest Bowl when his boss Mike Leach died unexpectedly on December 12th of a heart condition. Three days later, Arnett was promoted to head coach and he led the Bulldogs to a win over Illinois.
The bowl win capped a 9-4 season for the Bulldogs who, running Leach’s pass-happy offense, averaged nearly 32 points per game. Kevin Barbay was hired from Appalachian State as the new offensive coordinator, and with Will Rogers back at quarterback, along with five receivers who had at least 30 receptions each, throwing the football should remain the thing in Starkville, though Arnett plans to incorporate more RPOs and called runs into the gameplan.
RETURNING STAT LEADERS (2022 STATS)
Points Scored…………………………………………………………………………… RB Jo’quavious Marks (54)
Touchdowns………………………………………………………………………………. RB Jo’quavious Marks (9)
Rushing Yards………………………………………………………………………….RB Jo’quavious Marks (582)
Rushing Touchdowns…………………………………………………………………… RB Jo’quavious Marks (9)
Receiving Yards…………………………………………………………………………….. WR Rufus Harvey (505)
Receiving Touchdowns……………………………………………………………………WR Lideatrick Griffin (4)
Passing Yards………………………………………………………………………………….QB Will Rogers (3974)
Passing Touchdowns……………………………………………………………………………QB Will Rogers (35)
Tackles…………………………………………………………………………………………. LB Jett Johnson (115)
Tackles For Loss……………………………………………………………………….LB Nathaniel Watson (12.0)
Sacks……………………………………………………………………………………….LB Nathaniel Watson (6.0)
Interceptions……………………………………………………LB Nathaniel Watson & Shawn Preston Jr. (1)
Starters Returning From 2022
Offense (7)
QB – Will Rogers (13 starts)
RB – Jo’quavious Marks (7 starts)
WR – Jaden Walley (7 starts)
OL – Cole Smith (13 starts at right guard)
OL – Nick Jones (8 starts at left tackle; 4 starts at left guard)
OL – Kameron Jones (12 starts at Right guard)
OL – Steven Losoya III (8 starts at left guard; 1 start at center)
Defense (5)
DE – Nathan Pickering (8 starts)
DT – Jaden Crumedy (5 starts)
LB – Nathaniel Watson (12 starts)
LB – Jett Johnson (13 starts)
CB – Decamerion Richardson (13 starts)
Specialists (3)
KR – Lideatrick Griffin
PR – Zavion Thomas
LS – Hayes Hammond
Zach Arnett at SEC Media Days
Mississippi State 2023 Schedule
Sept. 2 SE LOUISIANA
Sept. 9 ARIZONA
Sept. 16 LSU*
Sept. 23 at South Carolina*
Sept. 30 ALABAMA*
Oct. 7 WESTERN MICHIGAN
Oct. 21 at Arkansas*
Oct. 28 at Auburn*
Nov. 4 KENTUCKY*
Nov. 11 at Texas A&M*
Nov. 18 SOUTHERN MISS
Nov. 23 OLE MISS*
2022 Results
9-4 Overall • 4-4 SEC
Home: 4-3 Away: 3-2 Neutral: 0-1 vs. Top 25: 3-2
Sept. 3 [RV/RV] MEMPHIS W, 49-23 54,360
Sept. 10 [RV/RV] at Arizona (-/rv) W, 39-17 46,275
Sept. 17 [RV/RV] at LSU* L, 16-31 98,250
Sept. 24 [-/RV] BOWLING GREEN W, 45-14 48,376
Oct. 1 [-/RV] Texas A&M* (17/17) W, 42-24 51,930
Oct. 8 [23/23] ARKANSAS* (rv/25) W, 40-17 57,849
Oct. 15 [16/17] at Kentucky* (22/22) L, 17-27 61,451
Oct. 22 [24/24] at Alabama* (6/6) L, 6-30 100,077
Nov. 5 [RV/RV] AUBURN* W, 39-33 (OT) 57,769
Nov. 12 [RV/RV] GEORGIA* (1/1) L, 19-45 60,352
Nov. 19 EAST TENNESSEE STATE W, 56-7 49,117
Nov. 24 [RV/RV] at Ole Miss (20/19)* W, 24-22 62,487
Jan. 2 [24/23] vs. Illinois (rv/rv) W, 19-10 35,797
ReliaQuest Bowl • Tampa, Florida
