Arnett Tabs Rising Star Kevin Barbay As Offensive Coordinator

STARKVILLE – Kevin Barbay, one of the top innovative young offensive minds in college football who has quickly earned the reputation as a masterful play-caller, has been named Mississippi State’s new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach by head coach Zach Arnett.
 
Barbay, 40, has been a highly sought-after offensive coordinator with interest from top football programs across the country after orchestrating highly productive offenses during the last two years. Barbay spent the 2022 season at Appalachian State as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, after three years at Central Michigan where he served as offensive coordinator for the 2021 season.
 
“Kevin Barbay is an innovative rising star in college football,” Arnett said. “He’s an outside-of-the-box thinker with a brilliant Xs and Os mind. His offenses have proven to be creative, efficient and explosive, and his attacking offensive philosophy will be an excellent fit for our program. We couldn’t be more excited to welcome him and his family to Starkville.”
 
According to Matrix Analytical, Barbay ranks No. 1 among active FBS offensive coordinators in career average pass game efficiency. He was one of just two Group of Five play callers in 2022 to produce an Explosive Pass Rate Percentage above 19 percent with a top 35 scoring efficiency offense.
 
Among FBS offensive coordinators since 2009, Barbay ranks per Matrix Analytical:

• Inside the Top 15 percent in Passing Touchdowns Per Attempt
• Inside the Top 20 percent in Fewest Interceptions Per Attempt
• Inside the Top 25 percent in both QB Rating and QB Efficiency
• Inside the Top 30 percent in Yards Per Attempt

“I want to thank Coach Arnett for this incredible opportunity to join an amazing staff and a program with a storied tradition,” Barbay said. “Coach Arnett and I share many of the same coaching philosophies, and I’m excited to begin this next chapter of my coaching career in the best conference in the country. My family and I are fired up to get to Starkville and join the Mississippi State family. I can’t wait to build relationships with, teach and develop our players both on and off the field.”
 
Over the last two seasons, Barbay’s offenses combined to averaged 448.01 yards per game and rank in the top 20 nationally. His offenses have consistently scored over 30 points per game,…