Loadholt, Dancy And Rhoads Set To Join Mississippi State Coaching Staff

STARKVILLE – Head football coach Jeff Lebbyannounced Monday that he is adding Phil Loadholt (Assistant Coach/Offensive Line), Vincent Dancy (Assistant Coach/Defensive Ends & Outside Linebackers) and Paul Rhoads (Senior Defensive Analyst) to the Mississippi State staff. 

Loadholt and Dancy will come to Starkville after spending the 2024 season as assistant coaches at Colorado. The duo quickly showcased their ability to recruit top talent and develop players during their short time in Boulder. 

Colorado’s offensive line improved in several categories under Loadholt’s leadership, and his unit blocked for the Buffaloes to lead the Big 12 and rank fourth nationally in passing offense. 

Dancy’s defensive ends helped the Buffaloes lead the Big 12 in both sacks and tackles for loss, while ranking 13th and 16th nationally in those categories, respectively. Colorado’s defense also led the Big 12 and ranked 12th nationally in Coaches By The Numbers’ Defensive Mayhem rating, which accounts for sacks, tackles for loss, interceptions and fumbles gained. The Buffaloes also boasted the Big 12’s top pass-rushing grade as a team as well as the conference’s top two graded individual pass rushers in 2024 according to PFF. 

Rhoads is a well-respected veteran defensive coach with more than 30 years of experience as a head coach, defensive coordinator and position coach, including multiple stops inside the SEC. He’s developed numerous All-Conference performers and NFL Draft picks along the way, most notably Darrelle Revis – an NFL Hall of Fame cornerback, four-time All-Pro selection and the 2009 AFC Defensive Player of the Year. Revis was the 14th overall pick by the New York Jets in 2007 after playing for Rhoads when he was the defensive coordinator at Pitt.

More on Phil Loadholt (Assistant Coach/Offensive Line) 
Loadholt is no stranger to working with Lebby and his offensive scheme. The two were on staff together at Oklahoma (2022-23), Ole Miss (2020-21) and UCF (2018) where they orchestrated some of the nation’s most dynamic offenses. Loadholt grew up in Colorado and started his college career in Kansas at Garden City Community College where he was a two-time All-American from 2005-06. He enrolled at Oklahoma in 2007 and started at left tackle for two seasons. He earned All-America and All-Big 12 honors while protecting Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford. He earned the reputation as one of the most physically imposing players in OU football history. 

Loadholt was selected in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, where he had a seven-year standout career. Loadholt earned a spot on the 2009 PFWA All-Rookie Team and started 89 career games before retiring in 2015 because of a torn Achilles tendon on his left foot. He helped pave the way for some of running back Adrain Peterson’s most memorable runs in Vikings franchise history. 

Coach Lebby on Phil Loadholt (Assistant Coach/Offensive Line) 
“I’m fired up to reunite with Phil,” Lebby said. “He has great familiarity with our culture and offensive scheme and played a pivotal role in our offensive success at each of our previous stops together. His ability to connect with players because of his background at both the NFL and college levels is second to none. He is quickly becoming one of the best in the game at developing players. I’m excited to see him take our offensive line unit to new heights.” 

Phil Loadholt (Assistant Coach/Offensive Line) on joining the Mississippi State staff 
“I’m grateful to Coach Lebby for the opportunity to join his great staff,” Loadholt said. “He’s one of the most innovative and dynamic offensive minds in college football, and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him and what he is building in Starkville. I can’t wait to reconnect with him in this offensive system and develop our players.” 

More on Vincent Dancy (Assistant Coach/Defensive Ends & Outside Linebackers) 
Dancy, a Shuqualak, Mississippi, native and standout player at Noxubee County High School, joined Deion Sanders’ first staff at Colorado in 2023 as an analyst before being elevated to defensive ends coach a year later. Prior to his time in Boulder, he spent eight seasons at Mississippi Valley State including the last five (2018-22) as head coach. He served as the program’s defensive coordinator during his first three seasons (2015-17) with the Delta Devils. 

Dancy has been considered one of the rising stars in college coaching. His coaching career began at his alma mater Jackson State. He coached for five seasons (2009-13) before a one-year stint at Paine College. Dancy was an All-SWAC linebacker at Jackson State from 2002-05. 

Coach Lebby on Vincent Dancy (Assistant Coach/Defensive Ends & Outside Linebackers) 
“As a native Mississippian and long-time experienced coach inside our great state, Vincent is incredibly connected and carries a tremendous amount of respect inside our recruiting footprint,” Lebby said. “His relationships, recruiting ties and defensive coaching prowess will make an instant impact on our program, and I’m thrilled for him to become a part of the Mississippi State Family.” 

Vincent Dancy (Assistant Coach/Defensive Ends & Outside Linebackers) on joining the Mississippi State staff
“Mississippi is home,” Dancy said. “Growing up here, I’m well aware of the well-documented history of defensive excellence at Mississippi State. I couldn’t be more fired up to return to this great state – a place that means so much to me and my family. Thank you to Coach Lebby for this opportunity to join his incredible staff. I’m excited about the future in Starkville.” 

More on Paul Rhoads (Senior Defensive Analyst)
Rhoads boasts extensive experience as a head coach at Iowa State (2009-15) and a defensive coordinator at Pitt (2000-07), Arkansas (2017), Auburn (2008) and Arizona (2020). He’s also been a position coach at a number of stops, including Boston College (2023), UCLA (2018-19), Arkansas (2016) and Iowa State (1995-99). Rhoads spent the fall of 2022 as the defensive coordinator at Gulf Shores High School in Alabama, where he helped Gulf Shores to an 11-2 season, while earning Alabama 5A Assistant Coach of the Year. He was an analyst on Ohio State head coach Ryan Day’s staff in 2021. 

Rhoads has coordinated highly successful defenses that have ranked inside the Top 20 nationally in passing defense five times, inside the Top 15 nationally in both total defense and yards per play allowed three times and inside the Top 15 nationally in scoring defense twice. 

Rhoads led Iowa State to three bowl game appearances during his head coaching tenure. He recorded four wins over ranked opponents, including three on the road – half of the school’s all-time road victories over ranked teams at the time. 

Taking over a program that had gone a combined 8-27 the previous three seasons, Rhoads’ success in his first season at Iowa State was underscored by his place as the first Cyclone football coach to win seven games in his initial campaign since 1907 and the first ISU coach since 1931 to post a winning record in his initial season. His first season as head coach was highlighted by the program’s first win at Nebraska in 32 years and a victory over Minnesota in the Insight Bowl. In addition, the Cyclones registered six Big 12 road victories under Rhoads. Prior to his arrival, the Cyclones had won just nine conference road games in the previous 17 seasons. 

Coach Lebby on Paul Rhoads (Senior Defensive Analyst) 
“Paul is highly regarded in college football,” Lebby said. “He’s a ball coach with an extraordinary defensive mind who has a proven history of success over the last three decades. He’s seen it all. His knowledge of the game, ability to develop players to the next level and experience game planning and play calling in the toughest conferences in the country will make our program better.” 

Paul Rhoads (Senior Defensive Analyst) on joining the Mississippi State staff
“I’m excited and grateful for this opportunity to join Coach Lebby’s staff and the Mississippi State Family,” Rhoads said. “Throughout my career, I’ve long admired Mississippi State’s reputation for elite defensive play. I look forward to connecting with our players and helping them maximize their potential both on and off the field. My wife Vickie and I are thrilled to be a part of the Starkville community. I can’t wait to get to work.”