Zach Arnett fired: Contract buyout details of Mississippi State's HC explored

Zach Arnett's time as Mississippi State football head coach is up. Arnett was shown the door before completing his first season in charge of the team after a blowout loss to Texas A&M last weekend. Arnett clinched his first head coaching job, replacing the late Mike Leach as the Bulldogs' head coach. Being a first-time coach, his contract wasn't as big as what most SEC coaches signed.

Arnett signed a four-year contract with an annual salary of $3 million. With the termination of his appointment, the 37-year-old coach will not be leaving empty-handed. This is because his contract included a buy-out that will amount to 50% of the remaining amount. With over three years remaining on his contract, Mississippi State will have to pay Arnett no less than $4 million.

There's an added clause, however. In the case that Arnett gets another coaching job, the salary he gets from the job will deduct from what Mississippi State owes him.

Exploring Zach Arnett's tenure at Mississippi State

Zach Arnett's coaching sojourn at Mississippi State began on January 22, 2020, when he was appointed as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. The Bulldogs' defense was in bad shape when Arnett took over; they ranked 73rd in total defense. It had also lost seven of its starters. With his arrival, however, the situation improved, and he was being considered by marquee programs like LSU, Oregon, and Texas for the role of defensive coordinator.

He stayed back at Mississippi State, however, and was appointed interim head coach when Mike Leach was admitted to the hospital on December 11, 2022. Following Leach's demise, he was confirmed by Mississippi State as the football team's 35th substantive head coach on December 15, 2022.

Zach Arnett's appointment put him in a difficult spot, having to succeed his boss, who had just passed away. This happened while preparing the team for a bowl game. In addition, the team had to deal with players' movements on the transfer portal, with the December signing date also days away.

Arnett's first full season got off to a promising start, leading the Bulldogs to two consecutive wins in their opening games. However, the team has managed only two wins out of its past eight games. Following a 51-10 loss to the Texas A&M Aggies last weekend, Zach Arnett was relieved of his role as Mississippi State football head coach.