Ad
Zach Arnett, Albuquerque native and former Lobo, cites 'personal reasons' in resigning as UNLV coordinator
Mississippi State head coach Zach Arnett claps during a 51-10 loss to Texas A&M on Nov. 11, 2023 in College Station, Texas. After he was hired as UNLV's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in December, Rebels head coach Dan Mullen announced Monday that Arnett had resigned for "personal reasons."
UNLV defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Zach Arnett has resigned for “personal reasons,” head coach Dan Mullen announced Monday via release.
Associate head coach Paul Guenther will take over the coordinator role vacated by Arnett, a 38-year-old Albuquerque native. The La Cueva High School and University of New Mexico graduate was hired in December by first-year Rebels coach Mullen after spending a year as an analyst at Ole Miss.
The UNLV release did not clarify the “personal reasons” behind Arnett's resignation.
After playing linebacker at UNM from 2005-08, Arnett launched his coaching career in 2011 under former Lobo head coach Rocky Long at San Diego State. He was promoted to defensive coordinator at SDSU in 2018, calling a defense that finished behind only Georgia in fewest points per game allowed (12.7 points) in his second year at the helm.
Arnett briefly joined Syracuse as its defensive coordinator before he was hired in the same role at Mississippi State in 2020. At the end of his third season with the Bulldogs, he was promoted to interim, then permanent head coach after Mike Leach’s unexpected death.
Mississippi State opened with a 4-6 record in Arnett’s first season in the role and he was fired in November 2023. He resurfaced as a defensive analyst with in-state rival Ole Miss in March 2024 and was poised to return as a coordinator this season with UNLV.
