Will Sammon

The Clarion-Ledger

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State is expected to soon name a new tight ends coach who has ties to the school and Magnolia State, a source told The Clarion-Ledger.

D.J. Looney, who spent 2016 as a graduate assistant for the offense at Georgia, will be named as the Bulldogs’ new tight ends coach, a source said.

Scott Sallach, who previously coached the position for MSU, is expected to move to an off-the-field job with the program. It is unclear what that role will officially be.

Looney was an offensive lineman at MSU and then in 2011 was a graduate assistant for the Bulldogs. Looney is another familiar name that is expected to be added to MSU’s staff. Brett Elliott, who was a former graduate assistant for the Bulldogs, is also headed back to Starkville to be the team’s quarterbacks coach.

Looney was hired in 2013 as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at East Mississippi Community College, so he has more ties to the state and that should be particularly helpful with recruiting.

After his stint with EMCC, Looney coached tackles and tight ends at the University of Central Arkansas.

FOX Sports first reported Looney would join MSU as an assistant to help with tight ends and offensive tackles, but a source clarified Looney's role as tight ends coach.

This story will be updated.

Contact Will Sammon at 601-961-7091 or wsammon@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter .