Oklahoma OC Lebby named Mississippi State head coach

Mississippi State hired Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby as its new head coach, the school announced Sunday.

Lebby agreed to a five-year deal, sources told ESPN's Pete Thamel.

"As we continue to invest in excellence at Mississippi State, the future of our football program is incredibly bright with the addition of Jeff Lebby at the helm," athletic director Zac Selmon said in a statement.

Mississippi State's head coaching role became vacant after the school parted ways with Zach Arnett on Nov. 13. Arnett took over in December 2022 following the death of Mike Leach.

The Bulldogs finished their 2023 season with a 5-7 record. They suffered a 17-7 loss to Ole Miss in the Egg Bowl with interim head coach Greg Knox on the sideline.

Lebby spent the last two seasons with the Sooners, who hired him as part of Brent Venables' coaching staff in 2022. Oklahoma boasted one of the nation's most productive offenses, as the team averaged 43.2 points and 502.4 total yards per game in 2023.

"Coach Lebby is one of the most innovative offensive minds in college football, and I look forward to him leading our football program to the standard our loyal Bulldog fan base wants and deserves," Selmon added.

The 39-year-old Lebby previously served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at UCF (2019) and Ole Miss (2020-21).

Mississippi State struggled offensively this season, averaging only 21.8 points per game - down from 31.6 in 2022.

UNLV head coach Barry Odom was also in the mix for the Bulldogs opening, according to The Athletic's Chris Vannini.