Why Zach Arnett taking Mississippi State in new direction would honor Mike Leach | Toppmeyer

Mississippi State gained the ReliaQuest Bowl with protection and grit, and the one manner that might shock you is in the event you weren’t following alongside this season or didn’t discover the model of ball the Bulldogs performed all through Mike Leach’s tenure.

Zach Arnett’s protection has been the cornerstone of this program for the previous three seasons.

Mississippi State performed its bowl sport as a tribute to Leach, and the Bulldogs triumphed 19-10 over Illinois by taking part in a model of ball that has Arnett’s stamp on it.

The victory served as a cathartic torch passing after the Leach period ended cruelly and prematurely when the 61-year-old coach died from coronary heart issues in December.

MSU (9-4) swiftly promoted its defensive coordinator to the coach’s chair in a low-risk transfer that supplied not solely the perfect likelihood of continuity and stability at a difficult time but additionally afforded a chance to a 36-year-old coordinator whose profession had been burgeoning.

Arnett have to be his personal man as MSU’s coach. He’ll have to do that his manner. Doing so wouldn’t be a snub to Leach. If ever anybody relished charting his personal course and doing issues his manner – to heck with the critics – it was Leach. Arnett should construct his personal workers and recruit gamers that match his imaginative and prescient even whereas offering continuity and stability for veterans in this system affected by the lack of their coach.

“It’s an emotional sport. We had loads to play for right this moment,” Arnett stated after MSU gained with a brief discipline aim within the closing seconds earlier than tacking on a landing on the ultimate play.

RELIAQUEST BOWL: What’s subsequent for Mississippi State soccer as 2023 season begins with Zach Arnett?

TOPPMEYER: A trick play in Cambodia. Recommendation over Mexican. Laughs with hyenas. That is Mike Leach

Quarterback Will Rogers needed this as badly as anybody.  Rogers began for Leach for 3 seasons, and he’s thrown for greater than 10,000 yards. He’ll return to play his senior season for Arnett.

As Rogers put it in a postgame interview with ESPN, Leach “most likely wouldn’t be too pleased with me” after he threw two interceptions in one in all his shakier performances of the season – the Illini have a strong protection, and it confirmed – however Rogers touted the crew’s toughness.

Search for toughness to proceed to be MSU’s foreign money beneath Arnett, even when he makes structural adjustments.

After the sport, reviews surfaced that Arnett plans to make some workers adjustments. Amongst them, receivers coaches Steve Spurrier Jr. and Drew Hollingshead are on their manner out, a supply accustomed to the scenario advised the Clarion Ledger.

And whereas it have to be tough to make such workers strikes so shortly after these gamers misplaced their coach, Arnett will need to have the liberty to guide this program into the long run he envisions. Making an attempt to imitate every part your predecessor did isn’t any method to lead.

Plus, an MSU offense that ranked eighth within the SEC wants a better ceiling whereas Arnett seems to rebuild a veteran protection that may lose key seniors.

Arnett will want an offensive coordinator to run that facet of the ball after Leach known as MSU’s offense for 3 seasons. That offensive coordinator seemingly will need the chance to rent a few of his personal assistants. Forcing an offensive coordinator to just accept the offensive workers he’d inherit isn’t any manner to make sure a professional applicant pool.

Arnett additionally could be smart to faucet somebody to name his protection, so he can deal with his CEO duties as a first-time coach. Arnett was a confirmed defensive coordinator. He’s an unproven coach. No must put on each hats when he can preserve his protection in place however rent or promote somebody to function it. Arnett confirmed a willingness to take action by having linebackers coach Matt Brock name the protection towards Illini.

Mississippi State gained the Egg Bowl on the again of its protection that delivered 15 tackles for loss in that rivalry triumph. The protection stood tall once more Monday, forcing a punt after Illinois gained possession in a tie sport with 4½ minutes remaining.

The cinematic ending would have been for Rogers to go the Bulldogs down the sphere in Leach’s Air Raid. As an alternative, State gashed Illinois with runs, and Simeon Worth gutted the Illini with a 28-yard run to the 2-yard line.

Worth’s 68 speeding yards have been a profession excessive for the freshman.

MSU had time for a few extra offensive performs earlier than a field-goal try. Leach was cautious of kickers, and I puzzled whether or not he’d attempt to punch it ultimately zone and keep away from the sphere aim.

No matter Leach would do, Arnett performed for the sphere aim. Rogers centered the ball, and Massimo Biscardi booted by way of the winner.

In victory, the Bulldogs paid tribute to Leach whereas marking the daybreak of a brand new period.

Blake Toppmeyer is an SEC Columnist for the USA TODAY Community. E mail him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and comply with him on Twitter @btoppmeyer.

In the event you take pleasure in Blake’s protection, take into account a digital subscription that may permit you entry to all of it. Additionally, try his podcast, SEC Soccer Unfiltered, or entry unique columns by way of the SEC Unfiltered publication.