When Alabama football faces Mississippi State in Starkville on Saturday, there will be a key difference from last year’s game in Tuscaloosa. Zach Arnett is now the Bulldogs’ head coach, after Mike Leach passed away in December.

On Monday, Nick Saban was asked about what he would miss about coaching against Leach, who died of a heart condition

“I loved Mike Leach,” Saban said. “He was different, but in a good way. Had a great sense of humor. Obviously presented an offensive system, scheme, whatever you want to call it that was unique and very challenging, but he believed in it and did it his way.”

Leach pioneered the Air Raid offense along with former boss Hal Mumme, former head coach at Kentucky. He gained notoriety for the system during previous stops at Texas Tech and Washington State.

He started at Mississippi State in 2020. He led the Bulldogs to an 8-4 regular season in 2022, before he passed ahead of the team’s appearance in the Reliaquest (formerly Outback) Bowl.

Leach was also known for his outlandish personality. He frequently made headlines due to his quotes during press conferences, creating memorable moments that didn’t always have anything to do with football.

“Always had a tremendous amount of respect for him as a coach,” Saban said. “But really liked him as a person.”

Without Arnett now leading the team, Mississippi State has toned down the high-flying offense favored by Leach. Saban said the Bulldogs are much more balanced now, and will provide a challenge for Alabama, especially on the road.

Crimson Tide safety Malachi Moore was asked about the differences between MSU’s 2022 and 2023 offenses.

“It’s just something we gotta adjust to,” Moore said Monday. “With Mike Leach and his passing dynamic the last couple years there, I think they’re changing around a little bit. But that’s just something we’ve got to adjust and get a great game plan going in this week.”

Alabama and Mississippi State are scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. Saturday in Starkville. The game will be aired on ESPN.

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