He’s already been fired? I can’t say that’s a surprise.
Mississippi State football fans have been vocal about their desire to see changes in the coaching staff, particularly calling for a new defensive coordinator. While those changes haven’t happened yet, there has been a notable shift involving a former coordinator from the program.
Former Mississippi State offensive coordinator Kevin Barbay has been let go from his position with the Houston Cougars. The news emerged Tuesday morning, revealing that Barbay, who directed the MSU offense in 2023 under Zach Arnett, was dismissed by Houston’s first-year head coach Willie Fritz, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Houston has generally met expectations in its first season under new leadership, currently sitting at 4-7 as they head into the final week—right in line with what many anticipated. They even pulled off a significant upset against Kansas State, which is a highlight for the season.
However, things could have been much better if their offense hadn’t struggled so badly. The Cougars rank dead last in the nation in scoring, averaging just 13.6 points per game. Despite a lack of talent on the roster, such poor offensive production in 2024 is nearly inexcusable. Consequently, Kevin Barbay finds himself out of a job once again.
Bulldog fans aren’t surprised by Kevin Barbay’s quick departure. His lone season in Starkville was a disaster. Under the misguided leadership of Zach Arnett, Barbay dismantled the Air Raid offense that had been well established by the veteran roster, only to attempt a more pro-style scheme that failed significantly.
This failure played a major role in Zach Arnett’s firing less than a full season into his tenure. After enduring 12 games of a Kevin Barbay offense, it’s clear that State fans were not at all shocked to see his stint in Houston come to a swift end.
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