STARKVILLE — Coleman Hutzler’s office overlooks the Mississippi State football practice field, but around the corner, there’s another reminder of how far the first-year defensive coordinator has come.
Through his window, Hutzler can catch a glimpse of Dudy Noble Field – the baseball team’s stadium that holds all but two of the NCAA’s top 25 all-time on-campus attendance records. For a former football and baseball player at Division III program Middlebury College, one glance away from his computer reminds him that he’s arrived in the SEC.
“It’s really fun to be able to see it, to be able to be part of it,” Hutzler told the Clarion Ledger.
Inside his office, though, are reminders of room to grow. It’s sparsely decorated with the exception of a few photos of his family – his wife Cobey, son Micah and daughter Leila.
Hutzler is clearly new to Starkville, and he’s a rookie in his role. A co-defensive coordinator stint at Texas in 2020 is the closest thing he’s had to this job, and he joins new coach Jeff Lebby’s staff after spending the last two seasons as Nick Saban’s special teams coordinator and linebackers coach at Alabama.
But Hutzler is confident about his ability to succeed with the Bulldogs. His history working with elite coaches is a significant reason why.
Coleman Hutzler’s overlap with Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh’s head coaching career started at San Diego (2004-06) where, in his final season, he added a former Division III linebacker to his staff as a defensive assistant. That was Hutzler, who followed Harbaugh to Stanford (2007-09) and saw first-hand how the new Los Angeles Chargers coach built a program.
“(Harbaugh’s) competitiveness is very important,” Hutzler said. “Instilling that in your players, obviously on the defensive side of the ball, is a critical trait. I hope that comes off from me and from our staff and into our players as we go through winter workouts and as we get into spring practice.”
The desire to win for Harbaugh wasn’t exclusive to football, either.
“Pick-up basketball at noon, or checkers, or tic-tac-toe – I mean, it is fricking shirts off, bloody nose,” Hutzler said.
Coleman Hutzler’s Nick Saban surprise
Hutzler was sitting in MSU’s defensive staff room and working on the playbook when Lebby walked in.
“You’re welcome,” Lebby said to Hutzler.
“Well, thank you,” Hutzler responded. “But I have no idea what I’m thanking you for.”
“The former boss just hung it up,” Lebby said.
Just like you, Hutzler was surprised when news broke on Jan. 10 that Saban – who Hutzler coached alongside in the Rose Bowl nine days prior – was retiring after 17 seasons with the Crimson Tide.
“I was shocked,” Hutzler said. “Anytime you get to the point that he was at, it’s a possibility. I would not have been surprised if in another five, 10 years, he was still rolling. Happy for him. Excited for him … I’m sure he’ll be playing a bunch of golf and being a grandfather.”
Hutzler got to learn from one of the sport’s greatest defensive mind, but the lessons extend away from the game.
“Everyone sees game day and the headset flying, and all that stuff, but he’s got a great personality on and off the field,” Hutzler said. “(Saban’s) relationships with players – great experience to be around for two years.”
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How Coleman Hutzler’s defense will look
Mississippi State has been home to simple labels to define systems recently. The late Mike Leach had his Air Raid offense. Zach Arnett, who was fired midseason last year and later replaced by Lebby, was a defensive coordinator under Leach and ran a 3-3-5 defense.
Hutzler tries to not be cliché and label his defense simply as, “multiple,” but it’s hard to avoid.
“In today’s football, you can’t be one thing,” Hutzler said. “That’s why that, ‘multiple’ word is so popular. If you sit in one front, you’ve got a chance to have a bad day on defense. If you sit in one coverage, one structure on the back end, you’re going to be predictable. Being predictable with today’s quarterbacks, with today’s offenses and offensive coordinators is a recipe for disaster.”
Stefan Krajisnik is the Mississippi State beat writer for the Clarion Ledger. Contact him at skrajisnik@gannett.com or follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, @skrajisnik3.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: How Nick Saban helped Mississippi State football’s Coleman Hutzler
