STARKVILLE, Miss. (WLBT) - Mississippi State fired defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Coleman Hutzler on Saturday, according to multiple reports.

The Bulldogs are now expected to target and reunite with former MSU head coach and defensive coordinator Zach Arnett as Hutzler’s replacement, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports.

In 2025, Mississippi State finished 5-7 and ended the year on a three-game losing streak. The defense allowed 38 points or more in all three of those games.

Hutzler was hired before the 2024 season, but the defense struggled both years in Starkville, ranking at or near the bottom in the SEC and the country.

In 2024, the defense was last in the SEC, allowing 34.1 points a game. That was nearly 10 points more than the next-worst team. That side of the ball slightly im

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