Mississippi State Football Grades vs Zach Arnett's Defense Earns Another F
Arnett's Defense Continues to Struggle Under New Offensive Coordinator
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Mississippi State football grades vs Zach Arnett's defense earns another F. Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett as a former defensive coordinator loves to see an excellent defensive effort from his Bulldogs. That's exactly what he got from the defense, but the offense continues to struggle under new offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay.
In 2021, Arnett's defense ranked third in total defense (352.3) in the SEC. In 2020, they ranked fourth (380.3) after ranking 11th (419.3) in 2019 before his arrival at MSU. Arnett came to MSU in 2020 to coach under Mike Leach, who has always been known for his offensive prowess.
Arnett has kept that mentality, letting Barbay implement his own offensive system. However, the results have been far from ideal. In 2022, MSU's offense ranked 12th in the SEC in total offense (359.3) and 11th in scoring offense (24.7). They also allowed 29 sacks, which was tied for the fourth-most in the conference.
Arnett's defense has been solid, but it hasn't been enough to overcome the struggles of the offense. As a result, MSU has finished 6-6 in each of the past two seasons.
If MSU wants to improve in 2023, the offense will need to take a major step forward. Barbay will need to find a way to get more production from his players, especially quarterback Will Rogers. If he can do that, MSU could be a surprise team in the SEC West.
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