Unbelivable The former head coach of Mississippi State Football, Mike Leach, has officially announced his return to the team.
Additional changes to the roles include Zach Arnett, the defensive coordinator, instructing safeties; Matt Brock coaching all linebackers; Eric Mele coaching special teams; and Jason Washington coaching running backs. Additionally, offensive line coach Mason Miller adds run game coordinator to his responsibilities, while outside wide receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. adds pass game coordinator.
“We’re excited to have our 2022 coaching staff roles finalized here in Starkville,” Leach stated. “I’m excited about the direction our program is taking with this group of dedicated football coaches and exceptional recruiters who have a common goal of success.” We are eager to go back on the field for spring practices in a few months, as our athletes have already been working hard in the weight room this winter to get ready for next season.”
Hollingshead has worked with Coach Leach for the past six seasons as an offensive assistant, so he is well acquainted with the coach. Leach’s coaching tree has a new branch in Hollingshead. Dave Aranda, Sonny Cumbie, Dana Holgorsen, Seth Littrell, Art Briles, Ken Wilson, Neal Brown, Josh Heupel, Eric Morris, Sonny Dykes, Kliff Kingsbury, Ruffin McNeill, assistant coaches Wes Welker, Bill Bedenbaugh, Robert Anae, Alex Grinch, Brandon Jones, and more make up one of the best coaching trees in the game.
“Drew is one of the rising offensive minds in college football and a tremendous coach, teacher, and tactician of the game,” Leach stated. He is extremely meticulous, infuses our program with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, and has been a key component of our offensive success over the years. We are lucky to have him at Mississippi State, as he will continue to have a tremendous influence on our squad.”
Luke Faulk (WSU), Anthony Gordon (WSU), Gardner Minshew II (WSU), and most recently Will Rogers (MSU) were all Air Raid quarterbacks who Hollingshead helped develop into some of the most effective passers in college football. In addition to being in the top five nationally in passing yards per game, Faulk, Minshew II, Gordon, and Rogers have all recorded passing seasons of 4,000 yards or more. Actually, in terms of passing, Minshew II dominated the country in 2018 (367.6 ypg), and in 2019 (429.2 ypg), Gordon carried on the tradition.
Hollingshead remarked, “I’m so grateful for this opportunity.” “I would like to express my gratitude to Mississippi State and Coach Leach for believing in me. I’m thrilled to keep working with this amazing team, coaching our athletes to realize their best potential, and contributing to the development of our program.”
Rogers has received mentoring from Hollingshead for the past two seasons in Starkville. At the tender age of 20, Rogers made history in 2021 by becoming the first quarterback from MSU to lead the SEC in passing yards per game (364.5). With two quarterbacks who participated in two more games than Rogers did in their seasons, his 4,739 throwing yards rank third in SEC single-season history. The only quarterbacks in college football over the last 22 seasons to throw for 4,700+ yards and 35+ touchdowns while completing at least 73 percent of their throws are Rogers and LSU’s Joe Burrow, the 2019 Heisman Trophy winner. Rogers shattered 25 more records during his sophomore season in 2021, including Dak Prescott’s records for single-season total offense, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. In 2020, Rogers surpassed almost every freshman passing milestone in MSU history. As a fourth-year junior and a fifth-year senior, Prescott set those marks.
Hollingshead, a Rockwall, Texas, native, started working with Leach at Washington State in February 2016. Before taking on the role of quality control coach in 2018, when WSU recorded its first-ever 11-win season and shared the Pac-12 North Division championship, he started his tenure with the Cougars as an offensive graduate assistant. The Cougars finished in the top 13 in every College Football Playoff ranking, including No. 8 for four straight weeks.
Prior to coming to WSU, Hollingshead worked for three seasons at Texas A&M-Commerce. In 2013, he was the quarterbacks coach and quality control coach. The following year, he began working with the Lion quarterbacks in a more on-the-field capacity. Before joining Commerce, Hollingshead worked as a coach under Dean Campbell at Austin, Texas’ Hyde Park Baptist High School. In the spring of 2013, he interned with the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts football team.
Hollingshead played quarterback at the University of Houston, where he earned a degree in sports management in August 2012 after three years of study.
To obtain additional details on the Bulldog football program, go to HailState.com or look up “HailStateFB” on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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