Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby has fired offensive line coach Phil Loadholt and special teams coordinator Cliff Odom, FootballScoop can confirm. Robbie Faulk first wrote about the moves this afternoon.
The moves come one day after the Bulldogs’ 41-9 loss to Auburn dropped them to 4-6 overall and 2-6 in the SEC on a six-game losing streak. They also arrive with two regular-season games still remaining (Tennessee Tech and the Egg Bowl at Ole Miss) and amid persistent questions about Lebby’s future after a 4-0 start powered by quarterback Kamario Taylor gave way to the current slide.
These firings make it clear that Lebby will return as Mississippi State’s head coach in 2027. Head coaches whose own jobs are truly in jeopardy do not typically dismiss position coaches and coordinators with games left on the schedule and begin planning for the following year. The timing is a strong indicator of job security and of Lebby’s intent to reshape the staff around a returning Taylor.
Taylor announced last week that he is coming back for the 2027 season on a major deal. In his statement, he specifically said he “can’t wait to play for Coach Lebby in 2027” and that he believes in where the program is headed under the third-year coach. The combination of Taylor’s public commitment and Lebby’s staff moves strongly suggests the university is prepared to give Lebby another season to build around the rising quarterback.
Loadholt, a former Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle who started all 89 of his NFL games, was hired by Lebby ahead of the 2025 season after coaching the offensive line at Colorado. He previously worked as an offensive analyst alongside Lebby at Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and UCF. The Bulldogs’ offensive line has been a consistent area of struggle during his time in Starkville.
Odom was among Lebby’s first hires as special teams coordinator when Lebby took the Mississippi State job in late 2023. The two overlapped on the UCF staff, and Odom played at Baylor during Lebby’s time there as an assistant.
Lebby had indicated as recently as last week that staff evaluations would take place at the end of the season. The decision to move now, with Taylor locked in and the 2027 roster picture coming into focus, points to continuity at the top of the program rather than a coaching change.
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