Mississippi State coaching search: Virginia’s Brian O’Connor leads hot board.
, Miss. — Since Mississippi State made it official they were moving on from Chris Lemonis, speculation has swirled about who will be the next coach.
Nothing is really clear right now, either, and probably won’t be until some other things happen.First, the Bulldogs have to be eliminated from the NCAA Tournament. Second, in all probability whatever coach is their primary target has to be free of that, too.
The likely list of candidates that would be interested in coming to the Bulldogs is probably as large as any opening in the country. In the recently announced attendance numbers, State was third overall and second in average per. game.
Sources have indicated athletics director Zac Selmon is prepared to make a significant financial commitment to land a top-tier coach. Lemonis’s 1.325 million salary ranked among the highest in college baseball, and Mississippi State appears willing to meet or exceed that figure for the right candidate.The most prominent is Virginia’s Brian O’Connor, a coach with an impressive résumé that includes a 2015 national championship, seven College World Series appearances, and multiple ACC titles.
O’Connor’s name has been “rising to the top” of the list, with multiple sources confirming Mississippi State’s strong interest.
The feeling may be mutual and I’ve heard from people in a position to know O’Connor has been at odds with new administrative people with the Cavaliers. In other words, he might be more interested than most folks would think.
His track record at Virginia—885 career wins, 14 straight NCAA tournament appearances, and five 50-win seasons—makes him one of the most respected coaches in the country
“O’Connor is making $1.4 million a year with a $500,000 buyout,” reports indicate, suggesting that while it would take a substantial offer to lure him away from Charlottesville, Mississippi State has the resources to make a compelling pitch. As one source put it, “There’s been quite a bit of smoke that State has a chance here … the Bulldogs may legitimately be in the running to make an elite hire.
.That was exactly the way some folks saw it the day Lemonis was fired. Some have said it was their understanding there was a mutual interest immediately.
The coaching carousel has seen some top targets come off the board.
Georgia’s Wes Johnson, once considered a leading candidate due to his ties to Mississippi State and rapid success in Athens, signed a contract extension to remain at Georgia, effectively removing him from contention.
Auburn’s Butch Thompson, another former MSU assistant, is also considered unlikely to leave his current post, according to D1 Baseball’s Kendall Rogers.
Other potential candidates include Southern Miss head coach Christian Ostrander, known for his player development and in-game management along with Oklahoma’s Skip Johnson. Both would require significant financial incentives to make a move.
Several Power 4 assistant coaches, such as Will Coggin (Georgia), Max Weiner (Texas), and Nick Schnabel (Clemson), have also been mentioned, but Mississippi State’s status as a “blue blood” program makes it more likely they will pursue an established head coach.
Whoever takes over in Starkville will inherit a program with immense potential and equally high expectations
