JONESBORO, Ark. (1/12/26) – Arkansas State football head coach Butch Jones announced Monday that Kody Schexnayder has been named the special teams coordinator. 
 
Schexnayder joins the A-State staff after serving in a special teams analyst role at Ole Miss the last three seasons. Schexnayder returns to the Red Wolves after previously being a special teams quality control coach for the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He began his coaching career as an intern in recruiting at Mississippi State in the spring of 2020 and became a special teams graduate assistant at Austin Peay for the 2020 season.  
 
“We are excited to welcome back Kody to the staff,” said Jones. “Coach Schexnayder has an outstanding track record with special teams and has been instrumental in developing multiple national award winners. He brings the attention to detail and relentless work ethic we strive for as we continue to elevate our program.” 
 
Schexnayder played a vital role in Ole Miss being ranked the top special teams unit in the country according to the SP+ rankings via ESPN. The unit featured a Lou Groza Award Semifinalist and a First Team All-America punter as Ole Miss advanced to the College Football Playoff Semifinals. In 2024, the special teams unit ranked second according to ESPN’s SP+ data and had an All-America kickoff specialist, Lou Groza Award semifinalist and Ray Guy Award semifinalist. In his first season in Oxford, the special teams group blocked three kicks and returned a punt for a touchdown. 
 
In his first stint with A-State, Schexnayder helped the Red Wolves rank 35th nationally in kickoff returns, 34th in kickoff return defense. He mentored Lou Groza Award semifinalist and Freshman All-American Dominic Zvada who broke the Sun Belt Conference single-season record by a true freshman with 81 points kicking. In 2021, the specialists group consisted of Third Team All-American kick returner Alan Lamar, Second Team All-Sun Belt kicker Blake Grupe and Third Team All-Sun Belt punter Ryan Hanson. 
 
Beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Austin Peay in 2020, Schexnayder ran all scout special teams, broke down game film and made practice scripts for kickers, punters and long snappers. 
 
A decorated football student-athlete at Mississippi State, Schexnayder completed a five-month internship working in the program’s recruiting department during the spring of 2020.  He took on the internship following his playing career for the Bulldogs, which saw him earn SEC Honor Roll, Bulldog Honor Roll and Dean’s List recognition. He also received the Mississippi State University Community Service Award and was tabbed to the SEC All-Community Service Team.
 
Highly involved in leadership roles while playing for Mississippi State, he was president of the athletics department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) while also serving on the SEC Leadership Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and SEC Joint Student-Athlete Leadership Council.
 
Schexnayder was named the football program’s overall team captain his senior season and served as special teams captain as a junior. He was the school’s M-Club Vice President and a member of the university’s Athletic Council. He earned his bachelor’s degree in human development and family science from Mississippi State University in May of 2020.
 
 
The Schexnayder File
Hometown: River Ridge, La.
High School: John Curtis HS
College: Mississippi State (2020)
 
Playing Experience
2016-19 | Mississippi State (Punter)

Coaching Career
2020 | Mississippi State – Recruiting Intern
2020 | Austin Peay – Special Teams Graduate Assistant
2021-22 | Arkansas State – Special Teams Quality Control
2022-25 | Ole Miss – Special Teams Analyst