Greg Knox reveals message to Mississippi State recruits after Zach Arnett firing
With a crack in its foundation, Mississippi State is trying to hold itself together. On Monday, interim head coach Greg Knox revealed his message to recruits amid the tumultuous times in Starkville.
“Well, we’re going to be calling every recruit that’s on our board that’s committed to us,” Knox said. “Just reaffirming their commitment to just hold tight, and let the process play out.”
The process will be substantial. On Monday, the program fired first-year head coach Zach Arnett. While Mississippi State started their season 2-0, with a victory over the Arizona Wildcats, SEC play hasn’t been kind to Arnett’s team.
Their lone conference win came in a 7-3 slugfest against the undwhelming Arkansas Razorbacks, and Mississippi State hasn’t been competitive in other games. Over the last two weeks, Mississippi State has been outscored 75-13, most recently suffering a 51-10 beatdown at the hands of Texas A&M.
Knox, who was previously an interim coach at both Mississippi State and Florida, will be the interim head coach for the rest of the season. Already stuck in a downward spiral this season, Knox and Co. can’t afford for their future to follow suit.
Mississippi State currently boasts the No. 29 recruiting class in the 2024 cycle, according to On3 Industry Rankings. The group consists of two four-star prospects and 14 three-star recruits. The players have an average NIL rating of $26,000.
Mississippi State AD sends reaffirming message
Of course, it’s never easy to hold on to recruits when they don’t know who they’re signing up to play for. Nevertheless, Mississippi State athletic director Zac Selmon believes the move will only benefit the Bulldogs in the long run.
“As part of my thorough and continued evaluation, I have determined that a change in leadership is necessary to move our football program forward and position it for the highest level of success,” Selmon said, via a press release. “I have the utmost respect for Zach Arnett and am incredibly appreciative of the effort he put forth in leading our football program. However, the progress and on-field results have not been of the standard required for Mississippi State to achieve the level of success we need and expect.
“Starkville is a special place with incredible people. Our football program is an NFL factory in a recruiting footprint that is second to none and has previously shown it can compete at the highest level in the SEC. With Mississippi State’s history, tradition, devoted fan base and facilities, while competing in the nation’s best conference, I firmly believe we will attract someone who will bring a winning culture on-and-off the field and lead our program to new heights in today’s era of college football.”