Realistic Candidates for HC

[StarkVegasSteve]

So we can all throw out the unrealistic hires. You've all seen them: Vitello, Tadlock, O'Sullivan, Link Jarrett, etc.

So that brings us to this: Who REALISTICALLY could we hire? BTW this is in no particular order, just who think of first

1. Chris Pollard (Duke)- His resume is good and it looks he'll win the ACC this year. He's not as high on my list as some people have him on theirs, but he could regularly get you to the Regionals and probably could have you hosting every other year. That is kind of his track record at Duke. His conference tourney record is very impressive as well.

2. Mark Wasikowski (Oregon)- Another one that people are higher on than I am. His unfamiliarity with this part of the country is probably what gives me trepidation on him. But he has built off what George Horton laid the foundation for and has been to back to back Supers.

3. Steve Sabins (West Virginia)- Probably the guy I am most interested in, not necessarily the favorite but more want to learn more about. He's 37-5 this year, which is his first season. Had a rocky start to conference play(1-3 in his first four) but is 14-0 since with 4 straight sweeps.

4. Skylar Meade (Troy)- Really has gotten things rolling at Troy and has kicked it up even another notch this year. The one drawback to him may be his connection to Lemonis as his last year at Louisville was Dan and Chris' first year there and they went to Omaha with that group. Have always heard that Dan and Co. are close with that first team.

5. Andrew Checketts (UCSB)- Had some early success at UCSB (2 regionals and a CWS in his first 5 years) and then kind of stumbled but has recovered nicely and built a really good program in Santa Barbara. My trepidations on him are the same as Wasikowski, unfamiliarity with recruiting in this part of the country.

6. Nick Mingione(Kentucky)- I don't really think anyone needs too much info on Nick. We know him pretty well. The buyout, if the amount that is rumored is correct, will probably keep us from hiring him.

7. Dan Heefner(DBU)- He's not coming unless he backs off some of the hardline religious stuff. It won't work at a public university. He can get away with it at a private Christian bible college. Also, he IS NOT a fan of alcohol and would not be a fan of it in our stadium. BUT if he backs off some of that stuff, he's the hire no questions asked. And btw, I am not talking have bible studies or praying before games.

8. Rob Vaughn (Alabama)- He would be my hire. He's recruited well and has done really well in the portal. He also fits the addage of "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" because we've owned him since he's been at Bama. I think he'd kill it here and I think we can get him.

9. Skip Johnson (Oklahoma)- This is kind of the Selmon connection. Skip has obviously shown he can coach (CWS Runner Up 2022) but has kind of been up and down in his tenure there. I think if we pushed though, we'd get him.

10. Will Coggin(UGA HC)- I don't think Will needs an intro. Everyone knows his pros and cons at this point. He'd be higher up my list than most, but I think he knows what it takes to win here because he saw it. I would need to know what he wanted to do about the pitching though first and foremost. He has it made at UGA with Wes.

11. Josh Elander (Tennessee HC)- Josh has been with Tony every step of the way at Tennessee. So it would take a good offer to pull him from there. But he has seen how Tony has built that program from legit the ground up, and he'll have a higher starting point. The question for us is, Is it truly all Tony at Tennessee or do these assistants have that same fire and bravado as he does?

12. Erik Bakich(Clemson)- This is probably the guy I would throw the kitchen sink at. He has won everywhere and has been elite everywhere. He took Michigan to the CWS finals....MICHIGAN. In baseball.

[Cooterpoot]

The odds of pulling a proven sitting HC in a P4 is probably about 10-20%

[StarkVegasSteve]

The odds of pulling a proven sitting HC in a P4 is probably about 10-20%

You may be right. It's quite difficult to say the least, but we have done it in 2 of our last 3 HC hires. 3 of the last 4 if you want to count Polk coming from UGA.

[KOdawg1]

Ben Orloff is a name that's interesting. Young West Coast guy that's kind of in the same boat as Checketts. Currently has UC Irvine in the top 10.

Pollard is my #1. Got his master's from here, has built Duke into a consistent top 15 team, and seems to be the best all around realistic option. He loses a lot off of this years team so maybe he's ready to make the jump.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Ben Orloff is a name that's interesting. Young West Coast guy that's kind of in the same boat as Checketts. Currently has UC Irvine in the top 10.

Pollard is my #1. Got his master's from here, has built Duke into a consistent top 15 team, and seems to be the best all around realistic option. He loses a lot off of this years team so maybe he's ready to make the jump.

Orloff is definitely an interesting name. I'd have him behind Wasikowski and Checketts if I was going to go West Coast with this hire.

[shoeless joe]

don't go get a nice guy...major A-hole that knows what type of player we need and has the ability to go out and get em.

[WinningIsRelentless]

Pollard has a career 57% winning %. Lemonis is 63%. I think I?ll pass on that one.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Here is another thing to ponder, with all this legislation hanging in the balance and knowing that the former baseball coach is not the AD anymore, how much are we willing to realistically spend on baseball? In other words, what is the cap? My guess is that it's somewhere between 1 mil-1.3 mil. I mean Mizzou doesn't know where their field is and they're paying almost 700K.

[Coach34]

I'd put odds at 75% its going to be a top asst coach so that we can save money early on while all this NCAA mess is being ironed out plus the money it costs to make the change.

[Santiago]

If an assistant is hired, do we have to sit on the news until their season , if a CWS run, is over?

[Santiago]

I'd put odds at 75% its going to be a top asst coach so that we can save money early on while all this NCAA mess is being ironed out plus the money it costs to make the change.

A really good assistant, with our savings in buyout going into our baseball NIL for him, would be a big boost as well.

[Todd4State]

The odds of pulling a proven sitting HC in a P4 is probably about 10-20%

I completely disagree. If the people running the search are the ones doing the heavy lifting are the ones I heard that is.

And while baseball coaches do tend to stay there are those like Schlossnagle too.

[Todd4State]

And I will say this about Bakich- he was just recently complaining about Clemson's attendance. They draw 5K a game- about what we draw for a midweek game against Troy.

Not saying he is coming here. I'm saying there may be a crack in the door.

[wncdawg]

I do like your list, but I'm not sure any of those are truly realistic outside of the assistants. I'm not going to address the west coast guys because I know less about them. I'll say I have my doubts that any would come to State. Secondly I think it's a crap shoot with those guys coming to the SEC. I love watching the late west coast games, but those guys are dealing with very little pressure largely. They can live relatively anonymously that doesn't happen for the baseball coach in Starkville.



So we can all throw out the unrealistic hires. You've all seen them: Vitello, Tadlock, O'Sullivan, Link Jarrett, etc.

So that brings us to this: Who REALISTICALLY could we hire? BTW this is in no particular order, just who think of first

1. Chris Pollard (Duke)- His resume is good and it looks he'll win the ACC this year. He's not as high on my list as some people have him on theirs, but he could regularly get you to the Regionals and probably could have you hosting every other year. That is kind of his track record at Duke. His conference tourney record is very impressive as well. [/U]

2. Mark Wasikowski (Oregon)- Another one that people are higher on than I am. His unfamiliarity with this part of the country is probably what gives me trepidation on him. But he has built off what George Horton laid the foundation for and has been to back to back Supers.

3. Steve Sabins (West Virginia)- Probably the guy I am most interested in, not necessarily the favorite but more want to learn more about. He's 37-5 this year, which is his first season. Had a rocky start to conference play(1-3 in his first four) but is 14-0 since with 4 straight sweeps. This guy is really intriguing to me. First year as a head coach at WVU, but he's been with them in different capacities since 2016. Again you kick the tires, but he has been there a while now as an assistant and head coach.

4. Skylar Meade (Troy)- Really has gotten things rolling at Troy and has kicked it up even another notch this year. The one drawback to him may be his connection to Lemonis as his last year at Louisville was Dan and Chris' first year there and they went to Omaha with that group. Have always heard that Dan and Co. are close with that first team. This one to me comes down to any loyalty he has to Lemonis. I do think he could be successful here, but I'm not sure it's the home run hire some want. My concerns with him would be that he's some good years, but this is his fourth year at Troy and he's only made a regional once in his first three years. He's from Louisville as well as being an alum of the University. When Dan retires from U of L, would he bolt?

5. Andrew Checketts (UCSB)- Had some early success at UCSB (2 regionals and a CWS in his first 5 years) and then kind of stumbled but has recovered nicely and built a really good program in Santa Barbara. My trepidations on him are the same as Wasikowski, unfamiliarity with recruiting in this part of the country.

6. Nick Mingione(Kentucky)- I don't really think anyone needs too much info on Nick. We know him pretty well. The buyout, if the amount that is rumored is correct, will probably keep us from hiring him. Yes, he's been to Omaha as a head coach now. But, he was also a whisker of losing his job after the 2022 season. If they hadn't made the post season, my understanding from people connected to UK athletics is that he would have been let go. From the Cohen coaching tree, he's probably the guy I would want the least.

7. Dan Heefner(DBU)- He's not coming unless he backs off some of the hardline religious stuff. It won't work at a public university. He can get away with it at a private Christian bible college. Also, he IS NOT a fan of alcohol and would not be a fan of it in our stadium. BUT if he backs off some of that stuff, he's the hire no questions asked. And btw, I am not talking have bible studies or praying before games. No way he's coming here. Yes, I would be on board with bringing. Another guy that would likely win, but he's had plenty of opportunities to leave for a bigger job and he's always stayed.

8. Rob Vaughn (Alabama)- He would be my hire. He's recruited well and has done really well in the portal. He also fits the addage of "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" because we've owned him since he's been at Bama. I think he'd kill it here and I think we can get him. I agree I think he would win and win big here, but I don't think he leaves them for State. I don't really see State pulling a sitting SEC head coach. For a couple of reasons with the changes in college sports I don't think you want to spend the money on a buy out in a non-revenue sport.

9. Skip Johnson (Oklahoma)- This is kind of the Selmon connection. Skip has obviously shown he can coach (CWS Runner Up 2022) but has kind of been up and down in his tenure there. I think if we pushed though, we'd get him. He's 58. He most likely retires from OU. Baseball coaches just move around less. I mean heck he's been coaching since 1994, and has only coached at 3 schools.

10. Will Coggin(UGA HC)- I don't think Will needs an intro. Everyone knows his pros and cons at this point. He'd be higher up my list than most, but I think he knows what it takes to win here because he saw it. I would need to know what he wanted to do about the pitching though first and foremost. He has it made at UGA with Wes. Until someone spills the beans about why so many don't want him because of his previous tenure at State, he's my top choice from current assistants. Mississippi State guy. He pretty much saved Mingione's job with his recruiting at UK, and he has helped Wes get UGA rolling. I prefer him to an Elander. Plus if why so many people don't want him is because he doesn't play politics with boosters, well that's even better. Let's get an ass hole that just wants to win. Winning cures all.

11. Josh Elander (Tennessee HC)- Josh has been with Tony every step of the way at Tennessee. So it would take a good offer to pull him from there. But he has seen how Tony has built that program from legit the ground up, and he'll have a higher starting point. The question for us is, Is it truly all Tony at Tennessee or do these assistants have that same fire and bravado as he does? Probably the hire that makes me the most nervous. But, he's been Vitello's recruiting coordinator since they got to UT. So, he has had a hand in all those great classes they've brought in. My main concern with him is UT was in a pretty low spot with their athletics when that staff got there. Their fanbase was hungry for winners and had money to spend. Is this a case of a charismatic head coach with powerful boosters? How much have the assistants impacted that program. Someone will give him a chance, but should it be a program like State?

12. Erik Bakich(Clemson)- This is probably the guy I would throw the kitchen sink at. He has won everywhere and has been elite everywhere. He took Michigan to the CWS finals....MICHIGAN. In baseball.
I skipped ahead to the last sitting head coach. I 1000% AGREE ON THIS ONE. You have to make him say no. He's got Clemson rolling again. Clemson is a very similar program to State. Decent, but not great support. Having said that the Upstate of SC is growing like crazy. Clemson as a University is growing with great leadership in place. I'd love to get him, but even if he's willing I think it would be too much money for State right now until all this mess with the NCAA is cleaned up a bit.


I would add Lane Burroughs. He played a pretty significant role in helping Cohen turn the program around. He had a hand in the recruitment of most of the players on the 2013 team. He would bring that toughness back to the program.

Will Coggin is probably my first choice at this point. But, I believe whoever the next coach is has to bring that tough, blue collar mentality back to the program to get the job done.


Yeah, first post, and it was a novel. Oh well 17 it!


-Cleaned it up for ya - Scooba

[Cooterpoot]

If I were betting, I'd put my money on a top assistant. I'd offer those HC first and maybe you get a nibble there but I think you probably aren't going to pay huge for a baseball coach right now.

[Santiago]

And I will say this about Bakich- he was just recently complaining about Clemson's attendance. They draw 5K a game- about what we draw for a midweek game against Troy.

Not saying he is coming here. I'm saying there may be a crack in the door.

If we had a winning coach, we would continue to break our own attendance records.

[KOdawg1]

Pollard has a career 57% winning %. Lemonis is 63%. I think I?ll pass on that one.
This is lacking context.

Pollard was at some lower level schools early in his career and took over a Duke program that quite literally had done nothing before he got there. His first few years were rough but then he built it up and they've made 6 regionals in 8 years. Soon to be 7 in 9.
He took them to their first regional in 55 years. He's been to 3 super regionals, something Duke had never done before him. So his overall winning %, while not completely irrelevant, is pretty meaningless when comparing him to Lemonis.

Lemonis on the other hand, is a guy who took over an Indiana team that had gone to the CWS before he got there and then proceeded to do nothing with them. He gets a little credit for not immediately crashing the car Cohen and Cann built for him. Kudos for that.

[Pancho]

Pollard has a career 57% winning %. Lemonis is 63%. I think I?ll pass on that one.

what has Lemo done since 21, % wise. that tells the tale

[StarkVegasSteve]

This is lacking context.

Pollard was at some lower level schools early in his career and took over a Duke program that quite literally had done nothing before he got there. His first few years were rough but then he built it up and they've made 6 regionals in 8 years. Soon to be 7 in 9.
He took them to their first regional in 55 years. He's been to 3 super regionals, something Duke had never done before him. So his overall winning %, while not completely irrelevant, is pretty meaningless when comparing him to Lemonis.

Lemonis on the other hand, is a guy who took over an Indiana team that had gone to the CWS before he got there and then proceeded to do nothing with them. He gets a little credit for not immediately crashing the car Cohen and Cann built for him. Kudos for that.

I've said before that I'm not as high as others on Pollard, but to try to say he and Lemonis are basically the same is asinine. Pollard walked into a team at Duke that had not made a tournament appearance since 1961. He had to build them from the absolute floor. Lemonis walked into a team that was coming off a 3rd place finish in Omaha and returned all but 1 starter in the field and all but one starter on the mound.

[Todd4State]

If I were betting, I'd put my money on a top assistant. I'd offer those HC first and maybe you get a nibble there but I think you probably aren't going to pay huge for a baseball coach right now.

Bakich makes close to the same as Lemonis. Just for a reference. And that's at a school that is comparable to a SEC program.

My point is most coaches that we have as candidates that are P4 head coaches are making less than what we are paying Lemonis now. Meaning for most of the candidates we can pay and give them a raise and significantly upgrade without paying huge for a baseball coach. At least relative to what we have been paying.

[Todd4State]

Also we can't say that what Lemonis has done is unacceptable and not up to our standards and then go hire a hitting coach from Tennessee. And if it's money related which I doubt it is- then keep Lemonis for another year and fire him after the house situation is settled rather than risk 3-4 more bad years if our assistant hire doesn't work out. We would all be better off with one more bad season than 3-4 bad ones and a massive rebuild on our hands.

And that's not advocating keeping Lemonis. It's me advocating getting a coach with experience.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Also we can't say that what Lemonis has done is unacceptable and not up to our standards and then go hire a hitting coach from Tennessee. And if it's money related which I doubt it is- then keep Lemonis for another year and fire him after the house situation is settled rather than risk 3-4 more bad years if our assistant hire doesn't work out. We would all be better off with one more bad season than 3-4 bad ones and a massive rebuild on our hands.

And that's not advocating keeping Lemonis. It's me advocating getting a coach with experience.

If you're saying that we need to only fire Lemonis if we're going to hire a P4 coach with experience then we're keeping Lemonis. Because you can't risk getting turned down.

But here's an add on to your scenario, what if we suck again next year, fire him, and then still can't hire a sitting P4 HC with experience and settle for an assistant? There's going to always be risks in the hiring/firing game. I'm sure Tennessee didn't know what they'd be able to get when they fired Dave Serrano. But they took a risk and got hands down the best coach in college baseball, but was anyone saying that they had hired that when they introduced Tony Vitello? I don't remember it if they were.

You have to get the best candidate you can get FOR YOUR JOB. Whether that is Chris Pollard, Mark Wasikowski, Erik Bakich, Will Coggin, Josh Elander, or the usher in section 105. You go get someone who you believe can raise the stature of the program. We all want the next Vitello, but it sometimes takes risk to find that person.

[Coach34]

We are still paying off our best stadium in the country causing baseball to lose money overall in addition to the price of everything going up. The fact that we are banging our chests about getting football NIL up to 10-11MM while its a min of 15MM to really compete with 20MM plus for top tier tells me we arent about to pay big money for a new baseball coach.

[Todd4State]

If you're saying that we need to only fire Lemonis if we're going to hire a P4 coach with experience then we're keeping Lemonis. Because you can't risk getting turned down.

But here's an add on to your scenario, what if we suck again next year, fire him, and then still can't hire a sitting P4 HC with experience and settle for an assistant? There's going to always be risks in the hiring/firing game. I'm sure Tennessee didn't know what they'd be able to get when they fired Dave Serrano. But they took a risk and got hands down the best coach in college baseball, but was anyone saying that they had hired that when they introduced Tony Vitello? I don't remember it if they were.

You have to get the best candidate you can get FOR YOUR JOB. Whether that is Chris Pollard, Mark Wasikowski, Erik Bakich, Will Coggin, Josh Elander, or the usher in section 105. You go get someone who you believe can raise the stature of the program. We all want the next Vitello, but it sometimes takes risk to find that person.

Tennessee had nothing to lose when they hired Vitello. If he didn't work out it would have just been another failed coach on their list with Todd Raleigh, Serrano, etc. It has worked out for them and that's great.

We are a blueblood program. LSU hired a guy with experience in Jay Johnson. Texas hired a guy with experience in Schlossnagle. Arkansas hired Van Horn from Nebraska. Every coach we have hired outside of Cann has had head coaching experience and we see how Cann turned out.

I'm not worried about your scenario because the only reason that scenario happens is because of money. And the house resolution will be resolved by then. Someone will take money that we can offer.

[Todd4State]

We are still paying off our best stadium in the country causing baseball to lose money overall in addition to the price of everything going up. The fact that we are banging our chests about getting football NIL up to 10-11MM while its a min of 15MM to really compete with 20MM plus for top tier tells me we arent about to pay big money for a new baseball coach.

So what was their plan if Lemonis did well enough to stay?

[Todd4State]

https://frontofficesports.com/highest-paid-college-baseball-coaches/

Only 15 baseball coaches make over a million including Lemonis. But we're so poor we can't pay someone with experience and have to settle for an assistant?

These are top paid ones and Matt Deggs is on that list at 350K

[StarkVegasSteve]

https://frontofficesports.com/highest-paid-college-baseball-coaches/

Only 15 baseball coaches make over a million including Lemonis. But we're so poor we can't pay someone with experience and have to settle for an assistant?

These are top paid ones and Matt Deggs is on that list at 350K

We're not but we also can't get into a bidding war and end up paying someone 1.3 or 1.4 when they were making 700-800K.

[Todd4State]

We're not but we also can't get into a bidding war and end up paying someone 1.3 or 1.4 when they were making 700-800K.

I mean 1.3 was what we were going to pay Lemonis anyway.

I'm just saying if you want to fix the baseball program then fix it. Don't take a half assed approach and hope it works out because if it doesn't then we're worse off than we would be keeping Lemonis for another season. I don't think we can afford that either.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Well......the hypotheticals just got real.


The Search is Officially ON.

[Quaoarsking]

If Florida makes the same announcement in the next few weeks, we know what we have to do...

[StarkVegasSteve]

If Florida makes the same announcement in the next few weeks, we know what we have to do...

If Florida makes the same announcement, I'll personally pay for the jet fuel to get Selmon to Gainesville.

[Coach34]

If Florida makes the same announcement in the next few weeks, we know what we have to do...

wtf? Florida is the hottest team in the SEC right now other than Texas

[State82]

If Florida makes the same announcement in the next few weeks, we know what we have to do...

Sully's on a serious roll right now.

[Coach34]

Sully's on a serious roll right now.

and they play SC this coming weekend. Should sweep unless SC gets lucky

[Quaoarsking]

wtf? Florida is the hottest team in the SEC right now other than Texas

Too little, too late most likely.

[preachermatt83]

This is lacking context.

Pollard was at some lower level schools early in his career and took over a Duke program that quite literally had done nothing before he got there. His first few years were rough but then he built it up and they've made 6 regionals in 8 years. Soon to be 7 in 9.
He took them to their first regional in 55 years. He's been to 3 super regionals, something Duke had never done before him. So his overall winning %, while not completely irrelevant, is pretty meaningless when comparing him to Lemonis.

Lemonis on the other hand, is a guy who took over an Indiana team that had gone to the CWS before he got there and then proceeded to do nothing with them. He gets a little credit for not immediately crashing the car Cohen and Cann built for him. Kudos for that.

This!!!!

[Coach34]

Too little, too late most likely.

too late for what? They gonna be in a Regional and are playing good baseball. He has never missed a Regional and was in the Final Four last year. Zero chance he gets fired

[preachermatt83]

I think butch still has it. What has Vaughn done that butch hasnt?

[StarkVegasSteve]

I think butch still has it. What has Vaughn done that butch hasnt?

Vaughn might be open to leaving. Butch isn't.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Call the guys at Clemson, NC State, if they both say no call Butch. If Butch says no call Mingey

[Quaoarsking]

too late for what? They gonna be in a Regional and are playing good baseball. He has never missed a Regional and was in the Final Four last year. Zero chance he gets fired

Anything's possible, but their remaining schedule includes road series at South Carolina and Texas and a home series against Alabama. Their RPI is good, but if I have 50-50 odds either way, I'm betting on them not making a Regional. Even if they do, it's likely his second straight year barely sneaking in with a sub-.500 SEC record.

That doesn't mean they'll fire O'Sullivan necessarily, but if they do, we should hire him.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Call the guys at Clemson, NC State, if they both say no call Butch. If Butch says no call Mingey


Not happening. Too old and not happening. Not happening. If we really want him, he'd probably come but he'll have to take a discount. Probably a lower salary.

[bulldogcountry1]

I just think it's important to hire someone who has experience with the pressure and expectations of a program like State, whether as a player, assistant, or HC. Hiring someone from out west or someone who has only been at schools who don't prioritize baseball seems like a big risk.

[preachermatt83]

My top 7 choices. And percentage that we would/could hire them. This is 100 percent my opinion. Not anything I know or would put much argument up about. And this is very very preliminary so I?m sure other names will come up that I haven?t even thought about. But as of this moment my choices in order would be ?.

Erik Bakich- Clemson Hc 40 %

David Pollard- duke hc 60 %

Mark wasikowki- Oregon Hc 50 %

Josh Elander- Tenn assistant coach 90%

Butch Thompson- auburn hc 20 %

Rob Vaughn- Alabama Hc 50 %

Skip Johnson- Oklahoma hc 70%





Other possible candidates that I don?t really have an opinion on either way
Nick Mingione
Will Coggin
Cliff Godwin
Brian O?Conner

[DawgPounder]

Vaughn is on the same level, if not lower than Lemonis. I say we shoot a big shot. Got nothing to lose, especially if we start pouring more money into baseball like we should.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Not happening. Too old and not happening. Not happening. If we really want him, he'd probably come but he'll have to take a discount. Probably a lower salary.

I guess number 5 on my list would be the guy at Alabama but I dont know how pumped id be to get to options 5 before we had a bite

[BuckyIsAB****]

Id rather have dude at Oklahoma than Vaughn

[StarkVegasSteve]

I guess number 5 on my list would be the guy at Alabama but I dont know how pumped id be to get to options 5 before we had a bite

Well those won't be option 1-4 on the actual target list because they aren't happening.

[BuckyIsAB****]

Well those won't be option 1-4 on the actual target list because they aren't happening.

Im sure we will Keenum it up

[StarkVegasSteve]

My top 7 choices. And percentage that we would/could hire them. This is 100 percent my opinion. Not anything I know or would put much argument up about. And this is very very preliminary so I?m sure other names will come up that I haven?t even thought about. But as of this moment my choices in order would be ?.

Erik Bakich- Clemson Hc 40 %

David Pollard- duke hc 60 %

Mark wasikowki- Oregon Hc 50 %

Josh Elander- Tenn assistant coach 90%

Butch Thompson- auburn hc 20 %

Rob Vaughn- Alabama Hc 50 %

Skip Johnson- Oklahoma hc 70%





Other possible candidates that I don?t really have an opinion on either way
Nick Mingione
Will Coggin
Cliff Godwin
Brian O?Conner


Lower Bakich to about 5%

Pollard is probably correct. I'd probably peg it more 50%

Wasikowski is probably at 35-40%

Elander is right

Lower Butch to 1%

Vaughn is probably right

Skip is probably 35-40%

Other candidates

Mingione-75% he'd take it. 5% chance we'd match his salary
Coggin-90%
Godwin-100% will use us for a raise and leak we offered it. 0% chance it actually happened
O'Conner-1%

[StarkVegasSteve]

Im sure we will Keenum it up

We'll see. There is a reason we went ahead and pulled the trigger though.

[StateDawg44]

We'll see. There is a reason we went ahead and pulled the trigger though.

I hope we aren't giving Parker the rest of the season as a test or something.

[sandjunky]

So we can all throw out the unrealistic hires. You've all seen them: Vitello, Tadlock, O'Sullivan, Link Jarrett, etc.

So that brings us to this: Who REALISTICALLY could we hire? BTW this is in no particular order, just who think of first

1. Chris Pollard (Duke)- His resume is good and it looks he'll win the ACC this year. He's not as high on my list as some people have him on theirs, but he could regularly get you to the Regionals and probably could have you hosting every other year. That is kind of his track record at Duke. His conference tourney record is very impressive as well.

2. Mark Wasikowski (Oregon)- Another one that people are higher on than I am. His unfamiliarity with this part of the country is probably what gives me trepidation on him. But he has built off what George Horton laid the foundation for and has been to back to back Supers.

3. Steve Sabins (West Virginia)- Probably the guy I am most interested in, not necessarily the favorite but more want to learn more about. He's 37-5 this year, which is his first season. Had a rocky start to conference play(1-3 in his first four) but is 14-0 since with 4 straight sweeps.

4. Skylar Meade (Troy)- Really has gotten things rolling at Troy and has kicked it up even another notch this year. The one drawback to him may be his connection to Lemonis as his last year at Louisville was Dan and Chris' first year there and they went to Omaha with that group. Have always heard that Dan and Co. are close with that first team.

5. Andrew Checketts (UCSB)- Had some early success at UCSB (2 regionals and a CWS in his first 5 years) and then kind of stumbled but has recovered nicely and built a really good program in Santa Barbara. My trepidations on him are the same as Wasikowski, unfamiliarity with recruiting in this part of the country.

6. Nick Mingione(Kentucky)- I don't really think anyone needs too much info on Nick. We know him pretty well. The buyout, if the amount that is rumored is correct, will probably keep us from hiring him.

7. Dan Heefner(DBU)- He's not coming unless he backs off some of the hardline religious stuff. It won't work at a public university. He can get away with it at a private Christian bible college. Also, he IS NOT a fan of alcohol and would not be a fan of it in our stadium. BUT if he backs off some of that stuff, he's the hire no questions asked. And btw, I am not talking have bible studies or praying before games.

8. Rob Vaughn (Alabama)- He would be my hire. He's recruited well and has done really well in the portal. He also fits the addage of "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" because we've owned him since he's been at Bama. I think he'd kill it here and I think we can get him.

9. Skip Johnson (Oklahoma)- This is kind of the Selmon connection. Skip has obviously shown he can coach (CWS Runner Up 2022) but has kind of been up and down in his tenure there. I think if we pushed though, we'd get him.

10. Will Coggin(UGA HC)- I don't think Will needs an intro. Everyone knows his pros and cons at this point. He'd be higher up my list than most, but I think he knows what it takes to win here because he saw it. I would need to know what he wanted to do about the pitching though first and foremost. He has it made at UGA with Wes.

11. Josh Elander (Tennessee HC)- Josh has been with Tony every step of the way at Tennessee. So it would take a good offer to pull him from there. But he has seen how Tony has built that program from legit the ground up, and he'll have a higher starting point. The question for us is, Is it truly all Tony at Tennessee or do these assistants have that same fire and bravado as he does?

12. Erik Bakich(Clemson)- This is probably the guy I would throw the kitchen sink at. He has won everywhere and has been elite everywhere. He took Michigan to the CWS finals....MICHIGAN. In baseball.

I know what you are saying but

Who would not want their son to play for Heefner?

https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/02/dallas-baptist-university-college-baseball-season/

[Saltydog]

Butch loves his Mother. His Mother lives in Monroe County. It's time.

[Coach34]

Anything's possible, but their remaining schedule includes road series at South Carolina and Texas and a home series against Alabama. Their RPI is good, but if I have 50-50 odds either way, I'm betting on them not making a Regional. Even if they do, it's likely his second straight year barely sneaking in with a sub-.500 SEC record.

That doesn't mean they'll fire O'Sullivan necessarily, but if they do, we should hire him.

They gonna end up a 2 seed

But yeah- that would be an easy decision to make if insanity were to happen

[StarkVegasSteve]

I know what you are saying but

Who would not want their son to play for Heefner?

https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/02/dallas-baptist-university-college-baseball-season/

These parents have spent tens, and sometimes hundreds, of thousands of dollars on their kids for the sole purpose of getting them to the MLB. They don't give a crap if he's religious or not.

[WinningIsRelentless]

This is lacking context.

Pollard was at some lower level schools early in his career and took over a Duke program that quite literally had done nothing before he got there. His first few years were rough but then he built it up and they've made 6 regionals in 8 years. Soon to be 7 in 9.
He took them to their first regional in 55 years. He's been to 3 super regionals, something Duke had never done before him. So his overall winning %, while not completely irrelevant, is pretty meaningless when comparing him to Lemonis.

Lemonis on the other hand, is a guy who took over an Indiana team that had gone to the CWS before he got there and then proceeded to do nothing with them. He gets a little credit for not immediately crashing the car Cohen and Cann built for him. Kudos for that.


I've said before that I'm not as high as others on Pollard, but to try to say he and Lemonis are basically the same is asinine. Pollard walked into a team at Duke that had not made a tournament appearance since 1961. He had to build them from the absolute floor. Lemonis walked into a team that was coming off a 3rd place finish in Omaha and returned all but 1 starter in the field and all but one starter on the mound.

Let?s add more context then. Lemonis coached in the toughest conference in the country here. Before he was at UI. Duke is a private university so they have the scholarship advantage. Duke doesn?t play in the SEC. And the cherry on top is a Duke degree is worth at least mid 7 figures more than a Mississippi State degree.

With all that said I?m not saying Lemonis doesn?t deserved being fired but saying Pollard is better than Lemonis is a stretch at best.

Our best option is identify a top tier assistant that we can get for under 900k for his first HC job and take the savings to apply to baseball NIL.

We don?t have the financial resources that 95% of the sec has so we have to do it different. We have to learn how to identify up and coming coaching talent that we can get on campus and use the savings to go to players. At the end of the day Jim?s and Joe?s win the games.

[HoopsDawg]

Let?s add more context then. Lemonis coached in the toughest conference in the country here. Before he was at UI. Duke is a private university so they have the scholarship advantage. Duke doesn?t play in the SEC. And the cherry on top is a Duke degree is worth at least mid 7 figures more than a Mississippi State degree.

With all that said I?m not saying Lemonis doesn?t deserved being fired but saying Pollard is better than Lemonis is a stretch at best.

Our best option is identify a top tier assistant that we can get for under 900k for his first HC job and take the savings to apply to baseball NIL.

We don?t have the financial resources that 95% of the sec has so we have to do it different. We have to learn how to identify up and coming coaching talent that we can get on campus and use the savings to go to players. At the end of the day Jim?s and Joe?s win the games.

Duke can't take players from the portal unless they are graduate transfers or were academically eligible to Duke out of high school. Pollard is a phenomenal coach and would be a great hire. But he's already turned down A&M and Miami. He's not taking our job.

Dan Heefner is another one that would be a homerun. I would at least call him. But he too is unlikely.

I think Elander is the choice.

[BeardoMSU]

Im sure we will Keenum it up

Keenum won't be able to contain his cream when Parker takes 2/3 from OM, and will remove the interim tag immediately. ***

[StarkVegasSteve]

Keenum won't be able to contain his cream when Parker takes 2/3 from OM, and will remove the interim tag immediately. ***

The really sad thing is that you're not wrong. And he's not alone. We'd have a large portion, 35-40%, that would want to give Parker the job solely off that fact.

[Coursesuper]

The really sad thing is that you're not wrong. And he's not alone. We'd have a large portion, 35-40%, that would want to give Parker the job solely off that fact.

Thankfully they aren’t the ones funding this change.

[Todd4State]

Duke can't take players from the portal unless they are graduate transfers or were academically eligible to Duke out of high school. Pollard is a phenomenal coach and would be a great hire. But he's already turned down A&M and Miami. He's not taking our job.

Dan Heefner is another one that would be a homerun. I would at least call him. But he too is unlikely.

I think Elander is the choice.

I don't know why so many are hung up on Elander. I think it's a huge risk and we need someone with head coaching experience.

[Todd4State]

Thankfully they aren’t the ones funding this change.

And the ones that are will settle for a hitting coach from Tennessee? That doesn't make sense to me.

[HoopsDawg]

And the ones that are will settle for a hitting coach from Tennessee? That doesn't make sense to me.

If we hire Elander, 6 months from now you will be hyping him as the best coach in America.

[Todd4State]

If we hire Elander, 6 months from now you will be hyping him as the best coach in America.

Well tell me why he is so good at least so I can start?

Otherwise it looks really risky to me.

[HoopsDawg]

I don't know why so many are hung up on Elander. I think it's a huge risk and we need someone with head coaching experience.

No risk, no reward. Wes Johnson didn't have head coaching experience. Lemonis did.

There is less risk with Elander than all of these West Coast head coaches being named. Less risk than mid major coaches being named. SEC experience matters. Recruiting prowess matters. He's learned from the best program builder and premier coach in the country.

I would make a run at Backich and Heefner first. Then I would hire Elander. All other names are unrealistic or mid. And just remember, all head coaching hires are a risk.

[Todd4State]

No risk, no reward. Wes Johnson didn't have head coaching experience. Lemonis did.

There is less risk with Elander than all of these West Coast head coaches being named. Less risk than mid major coaches being named. SEC experience matters. Recruiting prowess matters. He's learned from the best program builder and premier coach in the country.

I would make a run at Backich and Heefner first. Then I would hire Elander. All other names are unrealistic or mid. And just remember, all head coaching hires are a risk.

Can he manage a team? Can be manage a pitching staff? How does he handle our fan base? I think he needs more experience. Give me Sabins at West Virginia over him.

There is no reward without risk but we can get reward while mitigating as much risk as possible.

[BeardoMSU]

The really sad thing is that you're not wrong. And he's not alone. We'd have a large portion, 35-40%, that would want to give Parker the job solely off that fact.

God help us, lol.

[Randolph Dupree]

All I know is that the next head coach will have head coaching experience and will have been to Omaha multiple times***

On a more serious note, I don't mind an assistant taking the reins so long as they have the Rolodex and are a fit. I like the guy at Oregon but the west coast hires seem to be risky coming into the SEC.

[Cooterpoot]

Give me Wasikowski. He's good, he's cheap, he's in a lessor baseball conference that's a dam. long, cold haul across country.
Wes is too expensive to get or he'd be the guy.
Heefner is a big no for me but we could do worse.
Bakich would be ok.
I'd settle for Pollard or Elander.

[Todd4State]

Give me Wasikowski. He's good, he's cheap, he's in a lessor baseball conference that's a dam. long, cold haul across country.
Wes is too expensive to get or he'd be the guy.
Heefner is a big no for me but we could do worse.
Bakich would be ok.

Wes Johnson? The guy whose wife wouldn't move here?

[Coursesuper]

And the ones that are will settle for a hitting coach from Tennessee? That doesn't make sense to me.

I’m not sure you know who is actually funding this. The list that was around a month or so ago may not be the final answer. When the right guys are on board, of which I think they may be now due to this timing, they are all baseball guys, mlb etc.

[Cooterpoot]

Wes Johnson? The guy whose wife wouldn't move here?

Well, he's not an option anyway Todd, that's the whole damn point

[Coach34]

With our MLB Bulldogs chiming in alot could we be looking at someone coaching in the minors right now? I've been hearing for a month now the MLB Bulldogs have been barking

[HoopsDawg]

Give me Wasikowski. He's good, he's cheap, he's in a lessor baseball conference that's a dam. long, cold haul across country.
Wes is too expensive to get or he'd be the guy.
Heefner is a big no for me but we could do worse.
Bakich would be ok.
I'd settle for Pollard or Elander.

Heefner is the best hitting coach in the country. It's amazing what he's done at DBU. I doubt we can get him but why on earth would he be a no for you?

If I could have any coach in the country, I would pick Tony V. But Heefner would be my number 2.

[HoopsDawg]

With our MLB Bulldogs chiming in alot could we be looking at someone coaching in the minors right now? I've been hearing for a month now the MLB Bulldogs have been barking

I could see that. Mangrum has saved Bianco's ass.

[Coursesuper]

With our MLB Bulldogs chiming in alot could we be looking at someone coaching in the minors right now? I've been hearing for a month now the MLB Bulldogs have been barking

They need to listen to these guys, I hope they do, but I don’t know that they will.

[Cooterpoot]

Heefner is the best hitting coach in the country. It's amazing what he's done at DBU. I doubt we can get him but why on earth would he be a no for you?

If I could have any coach in the country, I would pick Tony V. But Heefner would be my number 2.

He's a bit odd and chosen to stay there because schools won't allow sone of his stuff. Vitello sure! But he's not an option. Heefner would be my lower end option but like I said, we could do worse.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Heefner is the best hitting coach in the country. It's amazing what he's done at DBU. I doubt we can get him but why on earth would he be a no for you?

If I could have any coach in the country, I would pick Tony V. But Heefner would be my number 2.

Not Cooter but my reservations in Heefner stem from him never being in a power conference and all the things that come with that. How would he handle the portal? How would he handle NIL? How would he handle boosters?

There is also the fact that he is currently recruiting at a private Christian SOUTHERN BAPTIST Bible college, and a strict one at that. How would he handle recruiting at the high school level? Would he not recruit a kid because their parents have beer in the household? Would he be open to recruiting catholic kids because they have drank wine before? Would he recruit kids from families that do not put religion on the forefront? Would he try to push his religion on players?

[HoopsDawg]

Not Cooter but my reservations in Heefner stem from him never being in a power conference and all the things that come with that. How would he handle the portal? How would he handle NIL? How would he handle boosters?

There is also the fact that he is currently recruiting at a private Christian SOUTHERN BAPTIST Bible college, and a strict one at that. How would he handle recruiting at the high school level? Would he not recruit a kid because their parents have beer in the household? Would he be open to recruiting catholic kids because they have drank wine before? Would he recruit kids from families that do not put religion on the forefront? Would he try to push his religion on players?

lol. He's a strong Christian for sure but you have a pretty big misperception about him. I know kids that have played for him.

[Coach34]

Heefner is basically a pastor as HC and that's not happening at most schools especially considering the liberalism that has infiltrated even conservative southern schools. He is going to finish his career where he is.

[StarkVegasSteve]

lol. He's a strong Christian for sure but you have a pretty big misperception about him. I know kids that have played for him.

I do not have any preconceived notions on him other than what has been told to me from people out in Dallas and people who went to DBU. His stances are extremely hardline and it works because of the hardline rules that DBU has.

[BeardoMSU]

Heefner is basically a pastor as HC and that's not happening at most schools especially considering the liberalism that has infiltrated even conservative southern schools. He is going to finish his career where he is.

It has nothing to do with infiltrated "liberalism", lol. And I can assure you he would detest your (and all of ours') affinity for tits, beer, bourbon, and BJs....so that's RICH coming from you, of all people, lol.

It's definitely about him being pastor as HC. Brother Hugh talked the talk, but obviously was using that ruse for image and recruiting purposes. This guy is not that.

[sandjunky]

Delete nvm

[BeardoMSU]

Delete nvm

I read it, and I'm curious how you think it diffuses his concerns.

[sandjunky]

I really hope state doesn?t poach him

DBU is my sons number 1 choice and has been for a long while

[BeardoMSU]

I do not have any preconceived notions on him other than what has been told to me from people out in Dallas and people who went to DBU. His stances are extremely hardline and it works because of the hardline rules that DBU has.

So they think, lol. Obviously valid among alumni and admin, but I'd bet money those kids are just as (if not more) rebellious as the average State kid...

[sandjunky]

I read it, and I'm curious how you think it diffuses his concerns.

Well how I read it was - yes he?s a Christian and uses his platform for Christ however he doesn?t do it in a way that is fire and brim stone

Speak truth
Speak wisdom
Speak love
Speak life

And if that brings someone to Christ that?s bigger than anything on the field

Oh and while we?re at we?ll play quality baseball and crush

His baseball reputation speaks for itself and if you think his values wouldn?t play well in MS/AL/LA - well that speaks more about society than it does him

[BeardoMSU]

Well how I read it was - yes he?s a Christian and uses his platform for Christ however he doesn?t do it in a way that is fire and brim stone

Speak truth
Speak wisdom
Speak love
Speak life

And if that brings someone to Christ that?s bigger than anything on the field

Oh and while we?re at we?ll play quality baseball and crush

His baseball reputation speaks for itself and if you think his values wouldn?t play well in MS/AL/LA - well that speaks more about society than it does him

All that is fine and good. And I'm glad that you like and respect him for those qualities. Seriously.

That being said, and no disrespect to him, I want a HC that prioritizes winning over proselytizing. Our next HC's only job is to win baseball games for MSU. Period.

As others have said, he's at the perfect place for his priorities and skills.

[Coursesuper]

Holy Shit, this thread is going off the tracks.

[Todd4State]

Well how I read it was - yes he?s a Christian and uses his platform for Christ however he doesn?t do it in a way that is fire and brim stone

Speak truth
Speak wisdom
Speak love
Speak life

And if that brings someone to Christ that?s bigger than anything on the field

Oh and while we?re at we?ll play quality baseball and crush

His baseball reputation speaks for itself and if you think his values wouldn?t play well in MS/AL/LA - well that speaks more about society than it does him

I would love it if he was our coach and I would hire him in a heartbeat.

[Cooterpoot]

I have no problem with Heefner's Christian approach, but he's required Bible study etc and that's cost him opportunities. Good for him he doesn't care and continues to do his thing. I just can't see a P4 program taking that risk from a lawsuit standpoint. We could do worse than him without a doubt. If we hired him, I'd be fine with it. I just don't think he falls into the realistic category.

[Coach34]

I have no problem with Heefner's Christian approach, but he's required Bible study etc and that's cost him opportunities. Good for him he doesn't care and continues to do his thing. I just can't see a P4 program taking that risk from a lawsuit standpoint. We could do worse than him without a doubt. If we hired him, I'd be fine with it. I just don't think he falls into the realistic category.

This

[BeardoMSU]

but he's required Bible study etc..

I hear that's how Tony V built Tennessee into a monster***

[sandjunky]

All that is fine and good. And I'm glad that you like and respect him for those qualities. Seriously.

That being said, and no disrespect to him, I want a HC that prioritizes winning over proselytizing. His job is to win baseballs games for MSU. Period.

As others have said, he's at the perfect place for his priorities and skills.

I know and agree with you that at the end of the day in big boy sports winning is numero 1

I just happen to think it could be both and done on the biggest stage

I just happen to view how he does things similar to what Saban talked about

There is a standard set by the coach
They practice and prepare to that standard
If all the guys buy in and do that,l and then play to that standard they have success - those that don?t weed themselves out

[HoopsDawg]

I hear that's how Tony V built Tennessee into a monster***

Tony V is a relentless recruiter who is married to baseball and is obsessed with winning. He's the Nick Saban of college baseball. Elander could be the Kirby Smart or he could be the Jeremy Pruitt.

[sandjunky]

Any way he?s not coming here - Bert has spoken

[BeardoMSU]

I know and agree with you that at the end of the day in big boy sports winning is numero 1

I just happen to think it could be both and done on the biggest stage

I just happen to view how he does things similar to what Saban talked about

There is a standard set by the coach
They practice and prepare to that standard
If all the guys buy in and do that,l and then play to that standard they have success - those that don?t weed themselves out

And thats fair.

[Cooterpoot]

Here's my opinion:
Unrealistic:
Do I need to include Vitello? LOL obviously
Johnson- No interest/cost
Ming- Cost
Bakich- Cost
Heefner- Covered already

Realistic:
Pollard (maybe)
Wasikowski
Elander

Going to be more names

[HoopsDawg]

Here's my opinion:
Unrealistic:
Do I need to include Vitello? LOL obviously
Johnson- No interest/cost
Ming- Cost
Bakich- Cost
Heefner- Covered already

Realistic:
Pollard (maybe)
Wasikowski
Elander

Going to be more names

I would be pretty disappointed if it was Wasikowski. Fit is important. Pollard isn't realistic. So that leaves Elander.

[maroonmania]

We should just go try to rehire Cohen again. He sucks as an AD anyway and was much better as a baseball coach.

[StarkVegasSteve]

We should just go try to rehire Cohen again. He sucks as an AD anyway and was much better as a baseball coach.

On one condition, he becomes 2008-2013 John Cohen again. Complete asshole to players and fans alike and just grinds 24/7/365.

[Cooterpoot]

Going to be a couple more top assistant names and HC names. I'll go ahead and say I don't believe Coggin, Burroughs, Godwin(but watch this one), Ostrander will be on the list since they come up a lot.
I think we've got our shit in order and will make a great hire. Watch list O'Connor, maybe Godwin but that's big maybe with other rumors there. Going to be some big names but will we get them/will they come?

[HoopsDawg]

Going to be a couple more top assistant names and HC names. I'll go ahead and say I don't believe Coggin, Burroughs, Godwin, Ostrander will be on the list since they come up a lot.
I think we've got our shit in order and will make a great hire.

Gotta feel like there were some talks before making the move today.

[Cooterpoot]

Gotta feel like there were some talks before making the move today.

I don't think we fire someone midseason if we haven't

[KOdawg1]

This is 100% Kendall Rogers trying to get him a raise and drive up clicks, but he says Brian O'Conner is a possibility. Said he almost left for A&M last year.

Again, it won't happen. But... could you imagine??

[Cooterpoot]

This is 100% Kendall Rogers trying to get him a raise and drive up clicks, but he says Brian O'Conner is a possibility. Said he almost left for A&M last year.

Again, it won't happen. But... could you imagine??

He and Godwin are in the same boat IMO- Innuendo and wishful thinking

[StarkVegasSteve]

This is 100% Kendall Rogers trying to get him a raise and drive up clicks, but he says Brian O'Conner is a possibility. Said he almost left for A&M last year.

Again, it won't happen. But... could you imagine??

The fact that he is only 53 is shocking. But you are right, Kendall Rodgers is going to do what he usually does in these searches, get coaches raises because he spouts exactly what these agents tell him to say.

[KOdawg1]

He and Godwin are in the same boat IMO- Innuendo and wishful thinking

I've already penciled in Godwin at Ole Miss when Bianco retires

[Cooterpoot]

I've already penciled in Godwin at Ole Miss when Bianco retires

Me too and that's real soon

[HoopsDawg]

This is 100% Kendall Rogers trying to get him a raise and drive up clicks, but he says Brian O'Conner is a possibility. Said he almost left for A&M last year.

Again, it won't happen. But... could you imagine??

It's not BS on O'Conner. I mentioned him on this board a couple of months ago. He's not happy with the UVA NIL situation. They are having a rough year this year. He was going to take the Ole Miss job if Bianco was fired. The funny thing is, I'm not sure if I even want him.

[Cooterpoot]

It's not BS on O'Conner. I mentioned him on this board a couple of months ago. He's not happy with the UVA NIL situation. They are having a rough year this year. He was going to take the Ole Miss job if Bianco was fired. The funny thing is, I'm not sure if I even want him.

I think he's great, but also can't win the big one

[HoopsDawg]

I think he's great, but also can't win the big one

He probably thinks he can win the big one at MSU though.

[Cooterpoot]

He probably thinks he can win the big one at MSU though.

Probably so, & he might. But his assistant is a big part of it and he's probably getting that job if O'Connor leaves

[DownwardDawg]

Holy Shit, this thread is going off the tracks.

It's what we do.

[Cowbell]

The odds of pulling a proven sitting HC in a P4 is probably about 10-20%

More like 50-60%

[Cowbell]

Selmon has been having conversations since before this season began. He is no idiot. And Cohen better never get. Job here again in any capacity. He would suck as a coach in the portal era.

[Todd4State]

I think he's great, but also can't win the big one

O'Conner? He literally has the ACC's only NC since the 1950's.

[HoopsDawg]

Dan Fitzgerald is a very interesting name.

[Turfdawg67]

Tony V is a relentless recruiter who is married to baseball and is obsessed with winning. He's the Nick Saban of college baseball. Elander could be the Kirby Smart or he could be the Jeremy Pruitt.

Lol, yep! You?re on a roll.

[DownwardDawg]

My bet is Butch.

[Todd4State]

Dan Fitzgerald is a very interesting name.

He is. Winning at Kansas isn't easy. He has done it with mostly JUCO players and guys out of the portal.

[Santiago]

The fact that he is only 53 is shocking. But you are right, Kendall Rodgers is going to do what he usually does in these searches, get coaches raises because he spouts exactly what these agents tell him to say.

Only if Grisham is in the package deal ***

[bulldogcountry1]

Butch has a good resume, but he has missed the postseason 2 of the previous 4 seasons. He meets my main qualification of having experience with high pressure baseball programs, but his inconsistency in the portal era is a bit concerning.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Butch has a good resume, but he has missed the postseason 2 of the previous 4 seasons. He meets my main qualification of having experience with high pressure baseball programs, but his inconsistency in the portal era is a bit concerning.

Well you will not have to worry because it will not be Butch. We are not going to be willing to up his salary and we are not paying that buyout.

[Cooterpoot]

My bet is Butch.

You're going to lose your bet

[Quaoarsking]

If O'Connor really is the guy, we can probably announce him before the Regionals even start, getting a head start on the recruiting/portal process.

[StarkVegasSteve]

If O'Connor really is the guy, we can probably announce him before the Regionals even start, getting a head start on the recruiting/portal process.

It will not be Brian O’Conner. Would be a good to great hire but it will not be him.

[Bothrops]

No way it's Butch unless they don't want to search for a coach.

[bulldogcountry1]

Kind of hope we go after someone younger than Butch or O'Conner. I'd like to see us appraoch this as the hire that could stay here for the next 10-15 years.

[Really Clark?]

Kind of hope we go after someone younger than Butch or O'Conner. I'd like to see us appraoch this as the hire that could stay here for the next 10-15 years.

They would only be in their mid 60's if they stay 10+ years. It's not like they are already 67

[CaptainObvious]

Tyler Gillum is the guy WE want!!!

[StarkVegasSteve]

They would only be in their mid 60's if they stay 10+ years. It's not like they are already 67

We're not paying the money it would cost to 1. get them to leave where they are and 2. pay the buyouts.

[Really Clark?]

We're not paying the money it would cost to 1. get them to leave where they are and 2. pay the buyouts.

Not saying we would just referencing the OP's age comment.

[Cooterpoot]

I don't have a problem with O'Connor at all. He's got to be near the top of the interest is real. I talked to my VA peeps and they said hes definitely not happy with the AD there but they stopped short of saying he wanted out. Said it's definitely something to watch.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I don't have a problem with O'Connor at all. He's got to be near the top of the interest is real. I talked to my VA peeps and they said hes definitely not happy with the AD there but they stopped short of saying he wanted out. Said it's definitely something to watch.

He was unhappy in 2019 and turned us down so I doubt much has changed.

[StarkVegasSteve]

So we are about 24 hrs removed from the announcement and I will try to handicap some of the names I have heard and some I have heard tossed out.


Erik Bakich-35/1. He is unhappy at Clemson and has made that known but he is making north of 1.2 and his contract had 5 years left on it. I imagine the buyout would be too steep for us to pay plus he would probably command a 1.3-1.4 salary.

Brian O’Conner-45/1. Makes 1.4 and his contract runs through 2031. You run into the same problems you do with Bakich. Big buyout and would command a salary that is well over what we are seemingly willing to pay.

Chris Pollard-12/1. If I had to handicap it at this point he would probably be the sitting HC favorite this early. Obviously do not know what his contract is due to Duke being private but I cannot imagine he is making north of 750K.

Mark Wasikowski-18/1. If we strike out with Pollard, my guess is this is where we would turn. Making around 700K so contract nor buyout would be an issue.

Skylar Meade-30/1. He is behind the previous two but his stuff is the same as theirs. Contract nor buyout would be an issue.

Josh Elander or Will Coggin-30/1. If we miss on the two P4 HCs they have just as good of a chance at it as the G5 HCs.

Butch Thompson-60/1. He is not coming. He is happy at Auburn, making about 1.3 with a contract that would at least run through 29. Cohen would also do whatever it takes to keep him.

Nick Mingione-70/1. His buyout is the issue over salary. His buyout is strong and Kentucky would probably force us to overpay if we went that Mingione route.


UPDATE: with Brian O'Conner now only rumored to have a 500K buyout, I would lower his odds to 20/1. Still not the favorite but definitely more in play.

[Coursesuper]

He was unhappy in 2019 and turned us down so I doubt much has changed.

A lot changed, John Cohen is gone. But it won’t be O’Conner.

[Todd4State]

He was unhappy in 2019 and turned us down so I doubt much has changed.

NIL has changed since then. I have heard that is a big issue at Virginia. He knows that if he can't get that they're dead.

[SPDawgs]

I'm Just wondering why people aren't giving Meade a serious look. A young guy with a lot of fire and knows how to use the portal in modern day college ball. 62% WP at Troy and that is with them going on the road to play powerhouses in the non-Conference. I think he would be a good grab with a smaller buyout

[Cooterpoot]

He was unhappy in 2019 and turned us down so I doubt much has changed.

Oh, it's worse now. He's asked for funds and they won't do it. They chose lacrosse over additional baseball funding. He supposedly has some out for his contract too but they weren't sure on it.
I'm skeptical but I'm keeping one eye on it too lol

[KB21]

He was unhappy in 2019 and turned us down so I doubt much has changed.

There is a lot of chatter that he's ready to move on from Virginia now. He almost took the Texas A&M job last year.

[Pancho]

He's be 64 in ten years. get him

[Quaoarsking]

Virginia will probably be in the Big 10 (baseball graveyard) in a few years. Might as well look for greener pastures and a fanbase that cares.

[HoopsDawg]

I'm Just wondering why people aren't giving Meade a serious look. A young guy with a lot of fire and knows how to use the portal in modern day college ball. 62% WP at Troy and that is with them going on the road to play powerhouses in the non-Conference. I think he would be a good grab with a smaller buyout

Bc hiring a mid major head coach is riskier than hiring a Power 4 assistant. See Justin Haire at Ohio State.

[HoopsDawg]

There is a lot of chatter that he's ready to move on from Virginia now. He almost took the Texas A&M job last year.

He was going to take the Ole Miss job for sure. He would take our job if offered.

[StarkVegasSteve]

He was going to take the Ole Miss job for sure. He would take our job if offered.

Some of you are thinking if he will take it then it is a done deal. Is he going to take a pay cut? Because we are not paying him 1.4 million. And what about his buyout and his staff buyouts? Who is going to foot that almost 7 million dollar check? Like all in this would be a 12-14 million dollar commitment JUST FOR STAFFING. And these are the same people that you are going to then turn around and ask them to give you an addition 3-5 million for baseball NIL too?

I would not get your hopes up for O?Conner. Because even if he were to resign to try and get around the buyout I feel certain his contract has language in it guarding UVA from exactly that.

Look if you can get him for 1.0-1.2 and can negotiate a buyout somewhere in the 3-5 mil range then maybe it is doable. But I would not get your hopes up for O?Conner.

[StarkVegasSteve]

NIL has changed since then. I have heard that is a big issue at Virginia. He knows that if he can't get that they're dead.

And it has changed us too. The people who we used to be able to count on to foot this type of stuff are being hit up for 6 and 7 figure NIL donations. They may not want to fork over a 6 or 7 figure check now only to be hit up for a couple of more for NIL in 60 days.

[Coach34]

Some of you are thinking if he will take it then it is a done deal. Is he going to take a pay cut? Because we are not paying him 1.4 million. And what about his buyout and his staff buyouts? Who is going to foot that almost 7 million dollar check? Like all in this would be a 12-14 million dollar commitment JUST FOR STAFFING. And these are the same people that you are going to then turn around and ask them to give you an addition 3-5 million for baseball NIL too?

I would not get your hopes up for O?Conner. Because even if he were to resign to try and get around the buyout I feel certain his contract has language in it guarding UVA from exactly that.

Look if you can get him for 1.0-1.2 and can negotiate a buyout somewhere in the 3-5 mil range then maybe it is doable. But I would not get your hopes up for O?Conner.

C'mon maneeeeeeee. We a blue blood powerhouse with Top 5 NIL. We can pay anybody we want as much as we want. We got all the money

[KB21]

Some of you are thinking if he will take it then it is a done deal. Is he going to take a pay cut? Because we are not paying him 1.4 million. And what about his buyout and his staff buyouts? Who is going to foot that almost 7 million dollar check? Like all in this would be a 12-14 million dollar commitment JUST FOR STAFFING. And these are the same people that you are going to then turn around and ask them to give you an addition 3-5 million for baseball NIL too?

I would not get your hopes up for O?Conner. Because even if he were to resign to try and get around the buyout I feel certain his contract has language in it guarding UVA from exactly that.

Look if you can get him for 1.0-1.2 and can negotiate a buyout somewhere in the 3-5 mil range then maybe it is doable. But I would not get your hopes up for O?Conner.

O'Connor's buyout is only $500,000 per Kendall Rogers.

[StarkVegasSteve]

C'mon maneeeeeeee. We a blue blood powerhouse with Top 5 NIL. We can pay anybody we want as much as we want. We got all the money

We'll be paying our new coach somewhere between 850K-1.2 mil. Not broke by any stretch but we sure aren't shelling out Vitello money for a non revenue sport

[StarkVegasSteve]

O'Connor's buyout is only $500,000 per Kendall Rogers.

Now that changes everything. I looked at his contract this morning and just assumed they had a brain cell and it was somewhere in the 5-7 mil range. If his buyout, with 6 years remaining, is only 500K then go get him. Because if you can what I would guess is around 6-8 million on buyouts then you can afford to pay a little more to the HC.

[HoopsDawg]

Now that changes everything. I looked at his contract this morning and just assumed they had a brain cell and it was somewhere in the 5-7 mil range. If his buyout, with 6 years remaining, is only 500K then go get him. Because if you can what I would guess is around 6-8 million on buyouts then you can afford to pay a little more to the HC.

Do you take me as a poster that just randomly throws shit out there? I'm not saying he's our guy, but I'm telling you he would take the job.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Do you take me as a poster that just randomly throws shit out there? I'm not saying he's our guy, but I'm telling you he would take the job.

Oh not at all. I think he'd probably take the job. But it's making the money work that will be the issue. The buyout only being 500K changes everything.

[KOdawg1]

We might not get O'Conner but it won't be because of money. That buyout is nothing

[StarkVegasSteve]

We might not get O'Conner but it won't be because of money. That buyout is nothing

Yea I can't believe his buyout, with 6 years remaining, is only 500K. It's like UVA wants him to leave. And obviously if they are pushing him out the door we will happily take him.

[The Federalist Engineer]

If I wake up to news that we pulled the O'Conner Heist ...

https://i.makeagif.com/media/8-13-2015/92uSZp.gif

Me telling my pals about the O'Conner Heist ...

https://y.yarn.co/d69090fd-05a4-422c-8935-a62f1cdfdcea_text.gif

Me telling my wife about the O'Conner Heist ...

https://a.pinatafarm.com/800x450/db00853c9c/bro-explaining.jpg

[KB21]

Now that changes everything. I looked at his contract this morning and just assumed they had a brain cell and it was somewhere in the 5-7 mil range. If his buyout, with 6 years remaining, is only 500K then go get him. Because if you can what I would guess is around 6-8 million on buyouts then you can afford to pay a little more to the HC.

This is from Kendall's hot board:


Brian O’Connor, Virginia

As they say in coaching searches, timing is everything. O’Connor got into deep discussions with Texas A&M last summer before ultimately decided to stay put at Virginia, partly, because of family considerations. Now, a year later, the landscape of college athletics has drastically changed, and is about to change even more with the upcoming House Settlement. Is this the job O’Connor finally pulls the trigger on for his next move? O’Connor receives good — but not great — support at Virginia, and Mississippi State cares a great deal about baseball on the financial/NIL front. O’Connor did sign a new deal that takes him through the 2031 campaign last summer, but his buyout is only $500,000, and should be considered a very legitimate option.

Kendall mentioned before he put out his hot board that after talking with some people, Mississippi State may have the perfect timing on this coaching search. Then he alludes to "timing is everything" when talking about O'Connor. Think about it this way. The buyout is low. UVA is not likely to make the postseason this year, so if you hire him, you can get him on the job right after the season ends. That helps with recruiting your own players back. That helps with keeping the recruiting class from bolting to the pros. That helps get a jump start on our own portal recruiting.

Skip Johnson is the guy some want to try to link us to because of Selmon's connections at Oklahoma, but Skip has a $2.5 plus million buyout.

[StarkVegasSteve]

This is from Kendall's hot board:



Kendall mentioned before he put out his hot board that after talking with some people, Mississippi State may have the perfect timing on this coaching search. Then he alludes to "timing is everything" when talking about O'Connor. Think about it this way. The buyout is low. UVA is not likely to make the postseason this year, so if you hire him, you can get him on the job right after the season ends. That helps with recruiting your own players back. That helps with keeping the recruiting class from bolting to the pros. That helps get a jump start on our own portal recruiting.

Skip Johnson is the guy some want to try to link us to because of Selmon's connections at Oklahoma, but Skip has a $2.5 plus million buyout.

If the buyout is only 500K and O’Conner has legit interest then this will be a no brainer of a hire.

[Activated Alpha]

O'Connor? Come on guys, don't pickle tickle my ass now.

[Medic601]

I must admit - Wes Johnson is kinda an out of left field name for Kendall to throw out there. Wasn?t expecting that one.

[Cooterpoot]

I must admit - Wes Johnson is kinda an out of left field name for Kendall to throw out there. Wasn?t expecting that one.

And it's not happening

[Pancho]

why, he too edgy and have too much fire in his gut?

[Coach34]

Some of these guys are using Kendall to get a raise

[Cooterpoot]

why, he too edgy and have too much fire in his gut?

Big buyout and a wife

[DownwardDawg]

why, he too edgy and have too much fire in his gut?

Been discussed a ton. His wife hates Starkville supposedly.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Been discussed a ton. His wife hates Starkville supposedly.

She refused to move full time to Starkville when they were here in 16 and wanted him to get out at the first opportunity.

[KB21]

Most of the coaches Kendall mentioned have already signed extensions in the past year. Most of them have large buyouts.

[Quaoarsking]

Some of these guys are using Kendall to get a raise

You better hope so. Your credibility will be completely down the toilet if we hire O'Connor.

[Coach34]

You better hope so. Your credibility will be completely down the toilet if we hire O'Connor.

He would be a great pull. If his buyout really is only 500K its very possible. As I said with Sully- there are a few guys that have been somewhere awhile and it could be getting stale- they have about 10 good years left and this could be the right moment. Would love to see it

[The Federalist Engineer]

He would be a great pull. If his buyout really is only 500K its very possible. As I said with Sully- there are a few guys that have been somewhere awhile and it could be getting stale- they have about 10 good years left and this could be the right moment. Would love to see it

I hope another guy gets fired soon so Kendall Rogers has something better to do that speculate like a monkey with a typewriter. Just name ever coach in America, even Joe Torre.

These D1 kids are not that clever.

They need to get some articles on portal kids and portal drama.

[Medic601]

I hope another guy gets fired soon so Kendall Rogers has something better to do that speculate like a monkey with a typewriter. Just name ever coach in America, even Joe Torre.

These D1 kids are not that clever.

They need to get some articles on portal kids and portal drama.

I hear Selmon and Buck Showalter have been exchanging phone calls. I mean? he does have State ties.

[Todd4State]

I hear Selmon and Buck Showalter have been exchanging phone calls. I mean? he does have State ties.

LOL. If he is it's probably for advice and references.

I could actually see Buck maybe having some success as a college coach because he is known for managing young rebuilding teams throughout his career. That said, if you hire him you better have an elite pitching and hitting coach that are also elite recruiters because most MLB people that go to college struggle with that. That was a big reason why Jimmy Bragan wasn't going to work out and why Polk had to bring in a lot of JUCO guys.

[preachermatt83]

And the ones that are will settle for a hitting coach from Tennessee? That doesn't make sense to me.

To be fair, and I say this with respect because you are one of the most knowledgeable baseball posters this site has ever seen, but dude, the Elander guy is the real deal. He gets the portal. He gets nil. And he can flat out coach hitters. If he were to come and we got Parker to stay or someone as good as he is, then we would have hit a homerun I think!

[preachermatt83]

No risk, no reward. Wes Johnson didn't have head coaching experience. Lemonis did.

There is less risk with Elander than all of these West Coast head coaches being named. Less risk than mid major coaches being named. SEC experience matters. Recruiting prowess matters. He's learned from the best program builder and premier coach in the country.

I would make a run at Backich and Heefner first. Then I would hire Elander. All other names are unrealistic or mid. And just remember, all head coaching hires are a risk.

This is a very good take. I don?t really think heefner would be the coach everyone thinks he would be. Otherwise this is one heck of a post.

[preachermatt83]

Can he manage a team? Can be manage a pitching staff? How does he handle our fan base? I think he needs more experience. Give me Sabins at West Virginia over him.

There is no reward without risk but we can get reward while mitigating as much risk as possible.

Solid counter point. This is a very solid thread. Lots of people with great ideas!

[preachermatt83]

Selmon has been having conversations since before this season began. He is no idiot. And Cohen better never get. Job here again in any capacity. He would suck as a coach in the portal era.

+1

[KOdawg1]

I wouldn't want Buck for our coach, but I think he'd be a great fit for a general manager role that scouts and identifies talent.

[Santiago]

Bo mentioned this morning he had heard in the past 48 hours conversation on the Kansas coach also.
He has baseball friends, so it was interesting to hear that this morning.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Bo mentioned this morning he had heard in the past 48 hours conversation on the Kansas coach also.
He has baseball friends, so it was interesting to hear that this morning.

He is an interesting candidate and one I am sure will get a look. Was at DBU with Heefner for 9 years and then took the RC job at LSU for a year before taking the Kansas job. He is a Midwest guy and has really built Kansas into a player in the Big 12 in very short order. Actually has people coming to the ballpark and has gotten the students involved. He would not be at the top of my list but he would be worth a call if you missed on a few.

[Cooterpoot]

Kansas coach is a big reach/risk

[KB21]

He is an interesting candidate and one I am sure will get a look. Was at DBU with Heefner for 9 years and then took the RC job at LSU for a year before taking the Kansas job. He is a Midwest guy and has really built Kansas into a player in the Big 12 in very short order. Actually has people coming to the ballpark and has gotten the students involved. He would not be at the top of my list but he would be worth a call if you missed on a few.

Dan Fitzgerald. Spent most of his career at Dallas Baptist, which is a program that evaluates and develops talent better than any program in the country. He and Wes Johnson were both on that staff at one point.

[State82]

LOL. If he is it's probably for advice and references.


Or a NIL donation. Those should be the only reasons.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Dan Fitzgerald. Spent most of his career at Dallas Baptist, which is a program that evaluates and develops talent better than any program in the country. He and Wes Johnson were both on that staff at one point.

The Wes connection is how he got the LSU RC job. Wes thinks very highly of him. Hiring him or Wes is as close as you will get to hiring Heefner. And they do not come with the hard line religious stances or the hard line stances on alcohol. And honestly, that is probably the deal breaker on Heefner even over the hard line religious stances. He would have very strong stances on alcohol being allowed in the LFL. He would be vehemently against it.

[Todd4State]

To be fair, and I say this with respect because you are one of the most knowledgeable baseball posters this site has ever seen, but dude, the Elander guy is the real deal. He gets the portal. He gets nil. And he can flat out coach hitters. If he were to come and we got Parker to stay or someone as good as he is, then we would have hit a homerun I think!

The thing is we fired Lemonis and Cann our last two coaches because they couldn't handle the pressure that comes with our program and neither was a great manager.

Those are the two biggest question marks with Elander.

Parker's staff is 10th in the SEC right now. I would be Ok if he left.

[Todd4State]

Kansas coach is a big reach/risk

Agree. He built KU's program with JUCO's and the portal. Which I get. He had no choice. But would he continue to do it that way here?

[Todd4State]

The Wes connection is how he got the LSU RC job. Wes thinks very highly of him. Hiring him or Wes is as close as you will get to hiring Heefner. And they do not come with the hard line religious stances or the hard line stances on alcohol. And honestly, that is probably the deal breaker on Heefner even over the hard line religious stances. He would have very strong stances on alcohol being allowed in the LFL. He would be vehemently against it.

Yeah. I don't think very many of our fans would have an issue with the Bible Study aspect. A lot of players would probably have gone regardless. MLB has chaplains and such like Burke Masters.

Alcohol however- that's been a part of the LFL since students parked their pick up trucks behind the fence. Safe to say that is here to stay.

[KB21]

The Wes connection is how he got the LSU RC job. Wes thinks very highly of him. Hiring him or Wes is as close as you will get to hiring Heefner. And they do not come with the hard line religious stances or the hard line stances on alcohol. And honestly, that is probably the deal breaker on Heefner even over the hard line religious stances. He would have very strong stances on alcohol being allowed in the LFL. He would be vehemently against it.

It's rumored that this is the reason he hasn't taken any other jobs. It was the dealbreaker with Texas A&M. With that said, if Heefner were ever interested in this job, you don't go after anyone else. That guy is a top 5 coach in all of college baseball who is completely happy at a small Baptist school outside Dallas.

[gtowndawg]

It's rumored that this is the reason he hasn't taken any other jobs. It was the dealbreaker with Texas A&M. With that said, if Heefner were ever interested in this job, you don't go after anyone else. That guy is a top 5 coach in all of college baseball who is completely happy at a small Baptist school outside Dallas.

I agree

[KB21]

Chris Pollard is trying to endear himself to the Mississippi State fanbase. The Duke baseball slogan this year that he tweets out is #BlueCollar

[Coursesuper]

LOL. If he is it's probably for advice and references.

I could actually see Buck maybe having some success as a college coach because he is known for managing young rebuilding teams throughout his career. That said, if you hire him you better have an elite pitching and hitting coach that are also elite recruiters because most MLB people that go to college struggle with that. That was a big reason why Jimmy Bragan wasn't going to work out and why Polk had to bring in a lot of JUCO guys.

If he’s talking to him it could very well be about money. There are a lot of former players that are not involved with the program due to various factors. It’s time to get them all together and he would be one of the guys to help that happen.

[KOdawg1]

Yeah, I'm not against Fitzgerald, but that would be a big time risk.

Yes, all coaching hires are risks, but he would be a big one.

[bulldogcountry1]

I'd like to know what some of our MLB guys think about who should be the next HC. Since we have been missing the Mangum-type leadership, maybe his opinion should carry some weight.

[Todd4State]

If he’s talking to him it could very well be about money. There are a lot of former players that are not involved with the program due to various factors. It’s time to get them all together and he would be one of the guys to help that happen.

That is very true. And maybe some insight into anything else the program might need.

[Cooterpoot]

We aren't hiring Showalter. My stance on the hire is go after the top P4 possibly looking to make a move, then the riskier P4 guys like the Kansas coach, then P4 assistants. I'm not fooling with a single G5 guy. I'm not scared to go assistant but that's my last route if we failed at bigger fish.

[KOdawg1]

I'm calling O'Conner, Bakich, and O'Sullivan first.

If none of those bite, I'm going to the Pollard, Wasikowski, Wes Johnson, Vaughn, Mingione (no thanks on that buyout), Fitzgerald tier.

Then I'm going to Will Coggin and Josh Elander.

[Cooterpoot]

I'm calling O'Conner, Bakich, and O'Sullivan first.

If none of those bite, I'm going to the Pollard, Wasikowski, Wes Johnson, Vaughn, Mingione (no thanks on that buyout), Fitzgerald tier.

Then I'm going to Will Coggin and Josh Elander.

You can go ahead and exclude both Wes and Ming. Vaughn isn't coming either IMO. I seriously doubt Coggin too, but if you miss on everybody he's there.

[KOdawg1]

You can go ahead and exclude both Wes and Ming. Vaughn isn't coming either IMO. I seriously doubt Coggin too, but if you miss on everybody he's there.

Nah, I'll keep them on there.

Make your own list and exclude them.

[Coursesuper]

We aren't hiring Showalter. My stance on the hire is go after the top P4 possibly looking to make a move, then the riskier P4 guys like the Kansas coach, then P4 assistants. I'm not fooling with a single G5 guy. I'm not scared to go assistant but that's my last route if we failed at bigger fish.

No we’re not and he won’t do it anyway. But he and a couple of others are the key to funding we desperately need.

[Commercecomet24]

No we’re not and he won’t do it anyway. But he and a couple of others are the key to funding we desperately need.

Nailed it! We need Buck involved in to bring some folks together and get this thing done right!

[Pinto]

I'd like to know what some of our MLB guys think about who should be the next HC. Since we have been missing the Mangum-type leadership, maybe his opinion should carry some weight.

A large group of former players are backing Coggin and I do too. He gets MSU, he?s an intense bastard, and he wants to win so bad that he will kill himself trying. He made KY and is now the power behind UGA. Plus he is young and wants to build a dominant power for years to come at MSU.

[Cooterpoot]

A large group of former players are backing Coggin and I do too. He gets MSU, he?s an intense bastard, and he wants to win so bad that he will kill himself trying. He made KY and is now the power behind UGA. Plus he is young and wants to build a dominant power for years to come at MSU.

That group isn't nearly as large as you think. We'd have to miss on everybody for Coggin to get a look.

[Coursesuper]

That group isn't nearly as large as you think. We'd have to miss on everybody for Coggin to get a look.

There are more influential ones that are not in that corner.

[Coach34]

well, considering we put out the word that were are looking to hire a HC we gonna have to miss on some people before Coggin or Elander get a shot

[bulldogcountry1]

A large group of former players are backing Coggin and I do too. He gets MSU, he?s an intense bastard, and he wants to win so bad that he will kill himself trying. He made KY and is now the power behind UGA. Plus he is young and wants to build a dominant power for years to come at MSU.

Since several posters have claimed to know negative things about Coggin, but none have provided any actual examples, he's my pick. I feel like he's going to be a big name before long, and he might as well be at State. He's married to the game, so we don't have to worry about his wife liking Starkville.

The biggest worry would be how he handles the diplomatic part of being a HC, but I think that whole thing needs to be recalibrated at State.

[KB21]

Since several posters have claimed to know negative things about Coggin, but none have provided any actual examples, he's my pick. I feel like he's going to be a big name before long, and he might as well be at State. He's married to the game, so we don't have to worry about his wife liking Starkville.

The biggest worry would be how he handles the diplomatic part of being a HC, but I think that whole thing needs to be recalibrated at State.

Yep. Will is one of the best player evaluators in college baseball. He's very proficient at swing development as a hitting coach. He was our catchers coach when he was here, and he also worked with the hitters. He's been described as a baseball psychopath.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Yep. Will is one of the best player evaluators in college baseball. He's very proficient at swing development as a hitting coach. He was our catchers coach when he was here, and he also worked with the hitters. He's been described as a baseball psychopath.

Baseball Psychopath

Is Vitello a Baseball Psycho?

[KB21]

Baseball Psychopath

Is Vitello a Baseball Psycho?

Yes

[Cooterpoot]

Since several posters have claimed to know negative things about Coggin, but none have provided any actual examples, he's my pick. I feel like he's going to be a big name before long, and he might as well be at State. He's married to the game, so we don't have to worry about his wife liking Starkville.

The biggest worry would be how he handles the diplomatic part of being a HC, but I think that whole thing needs to be recalibrated at State.

He pissed off people with money and is an asshat. Plus, no HC experience and that's a priority. He's the last resort. If it all goes bad, he's still out there.
My question would be: Why do people claim we're elite then say a guy with no HC experience is the answer? Is it because of Lemonhead? Vitello?
He's not a better hire than a lot of the guys we're on is all. I've heard our fans, me included, ask why we have to be the training grounds for every new HC. How about we not do it?

[KB21]

He pissed off people with money and is an asshat. Plus, no HC experience and that's a priority. He's the last resort. If it all goes bad, he's still out there.
My question would be: Why do people claim we're elite then say a guy with no HC experience is the answer?

Because established head coaches who are game changes don't tend to make moves, no matter how elite the program is that is looking at them. I mean, Chris Pollard and Mark Wasikowski are good coaches. Are they coaches that will get Mississippi State back into a position where they can compete with what Tony Vitello is doing at Tennessee, what Jim Schlossnagle is doing at Texas, and what Dave Van Horn has been doing at Arkansas? South Carolina has gone the established head coach route the last two times the job was open with Mark Kingston and now Paul Manieri. Look where that's gotten them while Tennessee is hiring an assistant in Tony Vitello. Tennessee had established head coach Dave Serrano prior to Vitello.

[Santiago]

Since several posters have claimed to know negative things about Coggin, but none have provided any actual examples, he's my pick. I feel like he's going to be a big name before long, and he might as well be at State. He's married to the game, so we don't have to worry about his wife liking Starkville.

The biggest worry would be how he handles the diplomatic part of being a HC, but I think that whole thing needs to be recalibrated at State.

I had heard last season in that heated game with Georgia , he was cussing Lemonis from across the dugouts. After the game he got into it with an MSU fan and had to be restrained.
Some may call it negative and others here may high five him.
But as HC , you can have fire but reign it in some.

[Pancho]

did lemonis need a cussing? was the fan an ass hat with a loud mouth, most likely. I will hang up and listen to what transpires over the next couple months

[Coach34]

I'm pretty sure we have all cussed Lemonis

[KOdawg1]

Yeah Coggin being a prick isn't the turn off some people think it should be.

I prefer my coaches to be pricks.

[Cooterpoot]

Because established head coaches who are game changes don't tend to make moves, no matter how elite the program is that is looking at them. I mean, Chris Pollard and Mark Wasikowski are good coaches. Are they coaches that will get Mississippi State back into a position where they can compete with what Tony Vitello is doing at Tennessee, what Jim Schlossnagle is doing at Texas, and what Dave Van Horn has been doing at Arkansas? South Carolina has gone the established head coach route the last two times the job was open with Mark Kingston and now Paul Manieri. Look where that's gotten them while Tennessee is hiring an assistant in Tony Vitello. Tennessee had established head coach Dave Serrano prior to Vitello.

Typical State fans...Still no reason he should be near the top of the list. I can give you more failures than you can give success stories of assistants. For every Vitello, there are 5 Canz. Give me the top guys that are proven. Proven means successful HC. You hire Coggin, you lose a huge part of the bankroll too. Good luck winning without that. If we miss on everybody, Coggin would be my nuclear option.

[Turfdawg67]

I'm starting to like this Coggin fella. The positives are out weighing the negatives. Give me an ambitious ahole that lives and breathes baseball and wants to build a dynasty!

[StarkVegasSteve]

Yeah Coggin being a prick isn't the turn off some people think it should be.

I prefer my coaches to be pricks.

Dan Mullen-MASSIVE prick
John Cohen-EXTREME prick

[KOdawg1]

Dan Mullen-MASSIVE prick
John Cohen-EXTREME prick

Joe Moorhead- really nice guy

[Coursesuper]

Typical State fans...Still no reason he should be near the top of the list. I can give you more failures than you can give success stories of assistants. For every Vitello, there are 5 Canz. Give me the top guys that are proven. Proven means successful HC. You hire Coggin, you lose a huge part of the bankroll too. Good luck winning without that. If we miss on everybody, Coggin would be my nuclear option.

Correct, $$$ will make or break the program. I still can’t comprehend why we have such a hard time with this concept.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Joe Moorhead- really nice guy

I wasn't going to go in on ole Joe again and beat that dead horse even more.

Cannizarro was also a prick as well but in like a my way is better and I'm going to show you instead of just tell you.

Mullen was a prick because he would tell you he was better than you and then showed it. I mean this is the same guy that held an all hands athletic dept staff meeting on the day he was hired and called everyone losers. Paraphrasing a bit but his quote went something like, "I'm a 17 winner and you are 17 losers. I don't accept losers so if you're a loser then you can get the 17 out of here"

Cohen was a prick in the same way that Mullen was except Mullen actually liked his inner circle and wanted to be liked by the fans. Cohen hated everyone. I will say that part of that stemmed from the Polk/Raffo/Cohen thing and he was insulted that some of our fans considered him on the same level as Raffo.

[DownwardDawg]

I wasn't going to go in on ole Joe again and beat that dead horse even more.

Cannizarro was also a prick as well but in like a my way is better and I'm going to show you instead of just tell you.

Mullen was a prick because he would tell you he was better than you and then showed it. I mean this is the same guy that held an all hands athletic dept staff meeting on the day he was hired and called everyone losers. Paraphrasing a bit but his quote went something like, "I'm a 17 winner and you are 17 losers. I don't accept losers so if you're a loser then you can get the 17 out of here"

Cohen was a prick in the same way that Mullen was except Mullen actually liked his inner circle and wanted to be liked by the fans. Cohen hated everyone. I will say that part of that stemmed from the Polk/Raffo/Cohen thing and he was insulted that some of our fans considered him on the same level as Raffo.

Funny thing, I hate assholes. I can't stand people like that, but I really liked all of those coaches. They all had something in common that I liked. Can't quite put my finger on it...........***

[Rawdawg]

Yeah Coggin being a prick isn't the turn off some people think it should be.

I prefer my coaches to be pricks.

We need an asshole. And we need players that are assholes too.

[Cooterpoot]

I wasn't going to go in on ole Joe again and beat that dead horse even more.

Cannizarro was also a prick as well but in like a my way is better and I'm going to show you instead of just tell you.

Mullen was a prick because he would tell you he was better than you and then showed it. I mean this is the same guy that held an all hands athletic dept staff meeting on the day he was hired and called everyone losers. Paraphrasing a bit but his quote went something like, "I'm a 17 winner and you are 17 losers. I don't accept losers so if you're a loser then you can get the 17 out of here"

Cohen was a prick in the same way that Mullen was except Mullen actually liked his inner circle and wanted to be liked by the fans. Cohen hated everyone. I will say that part of that stemmed from the Polk/Raffo/Cohen thing and he was insulted that some of our fans considered him on the same level as Raffo.

All this is funny since the one guy people think wasn't a prick, won a damn natty lol

[DownwardDawg]

All this is funny since the one guy people think wasn't a prick, won a damn natty lol

Haha!!

[Pancho]

Haha!!

several of us in this forum could have won big with the team especially from 19-21. I do lean toward needing a HC as well as players who show and edge about them when they step across the chalk.

[BigDawg81]

O?Connor has been the name that is floating around with a person of interest. What does that exactly does that mean? Is it mutual?

[DownwardDawg]

several of us in this forum could have won big with the team especially from 19-21. I do lean toward needing a HC as well as players who show and edge about them when they step across the chalk.

I agree.

[StarkVegasSteve]

O?Connor has been the name that is floating around with a person of interest. What does that exactly does that mean? Is it mutual?

There are rumblings he has been unhappy for a while and his buyout is only 500K. There is mutual interest with anyone willing to listen at this point. And that is A LOT of coaches, through their agents. Some very high profile names

[StarkVegasSteve]

All this is funny since the one guy people think wasn't a prick, won a damn natty lol

Lemonis had some fire. He may not have shown it like Polk and Cohen but he had plenty of fire. He lit into our team in private on dozens of occasions. He lit them up 6 ways from Sunday after game 1 of the CWS Finals and then went to the podium and preached how hard they fought and did not quit when we were down big.

[Coach34]

O?Connor has been the name that is floating around with a person of interest. What does that exactly does that mean? Is it mutual?

We’ll see. He loves his job EXCEPT they aren’t giving him what he wants for NIL. It likely comes down to what Va is willing to do money-wise for the program vs how much does he like where he is. Plus- will Momma move to small town Mississippi. There’s a difference in Momma willing to move to College Station vs StarkVegas

[Rawdawg]

There are rumblings he has been unhappy for a while and his buyout is only 500K. There is mutual interest with anyone willing to listen at this point. And that is A LOT of coaches, through their agents. Some very high profile names

Don’t sleep on O’Sullivan either.

[Coach34]

Don’t sleep on O’Sullivan either.

He will use us. There’s no way in hell he leaves that job unless he has to. Getting him would be like Kirby Smart leaving to go UPIg

[Mjoelner34]

Don’t sleep on O’Sullivan either.

For those wanting a prick for a coach, he is your man! I remember a couple of instances just against us. First, I remember CT Bradford, who is from Florida, getting plunked 3 or 4 times in game one of a Florida series here. Cohen was coming un-glued! I seriously thought he was about to grab a bat and charge Florida's dugout. Second, I remember O'Sullivan, not his players, running to the front of our dugout doing the gator chomp after they beat us in a regional or super regional.

[Cooterpoot]

He will use us. There’s no way in hell he leaves that job unless he has to. Getting him would be like Kirby Smart leaving to go UPIg

I can't see Keenum allowing that one anyway

[KB21]

Cannizzaro didn't fail because he was an assistant with no head coaching experience. He also didn't resort to what he was doing because the pressure of the job got to him. If anything, Cannizzaro shows that an assistant coach can be successful here, because the one season he was the head coach may have been the best coached season we have seen in a long time. He took a team that had 5 healthy pitchers to a Super Regional.

I'm trying to think of the last SEC head coach who was a first-time head coach who was promoted from being a SEC assistant coach who truly failed based on results, and I'm having a hard time finding one. Maybe Dave Perno is the last one.

I've seen a lot of "established head coaches" fail though. Mark Kingston. John Pawlawski. Sunny Galloway. Scott Stricklin. Dave Serrano. Todd Raleigh. Andy Lopez.

[Medic601]

So I was joking about the Showalter stuff BUT?

State has some MAJOR baseball minds that have played or are playing in the bigs. I think Selmon setting up a panel/interview board with some of these guys (think Polk, Palmero, Clark, Powell, Rooker, Mangum, Renfroe, etc) to help with this search would be pretty cool.

I know it won?t happen but I feel those guys know Starkville, Mississippi State, SEC baseball, and what/who we need here better than anyone.

[The Federalist Engineer]

Don’t sleep on O’Sullivan either.

Pretty much a prick and a Top level Coach. Yeah, Kendall Rogers is a useful idiot to coach agents.

But my #1 candidate coach would be O'Conner.

[The Federalist Engineer]

So I was joking about the Showalter stuff BUT?

State has some MAJOR baseball minds that have played or are playing in the bigs. I think Selmon setting up a panel/interview board with some of these guys (think Polk, Palmero, Clark, Powell, Rooker, Mangum, Renfroe, etc) to help with this search would be pretty cool.

I know it won?t happen but I feel those guys know Starkville, Mississippi State, SEC baseball, and what/who we need here better than anyone.

Polk is going make sure Tommy Raffo gets interviewed, he was a camper afterall ***

[DownwardDawg]

For those wanting a prick for a coach, he is your man! I remember a couple of instances just against us. First, I remember CT Bradford, who is from Florida, getting plunked 3 or 4 times in game one of a Florida series here. Cohen was coming un-glued! I seriously thought he was about to grab a bat and charge Florida's dugout. Second, I remember O'Sullivan, not his players, running to the front of our dugout doing the gator chomp after they beat us in a regional or super regional.

His picture is is the dictionary under the word Douche.

[bulldogcountry1]

He pissed off people with money and is an asshat. Plus, no HC experience and that's a priority. He's the last resort. If it all goes bad, he's still out there.
My question would be: Why do people claim we're elite then say a guy with no HC experience is the answer? Is it because of Lemonhead? Vitello?
He's not a better hire than a lot of the guys we're on is all. I've heard our fans, me included, ask why we have to be the training grounds for every new HC. How about we not do it?

Valid questions, for sure.

I'm not in the camp of demanding a HC with experience, mainly becuse it's just unlikely to pull a top, proven guy. Cohen got our hopes up before, and we ended up with a guy nobody had heard of. Plus, it doesn't make sense to put that kind of money into an elite HC. Something else in the program would have to suffer to pay for it, whether it be assistants, support staff, or NIL.

There are risks no matter which way you go. If you get a HC from a smaller program, he's going to have to learn on the job how to deal with the grind of the SEC and the weight of the program. If you pull an SEC assistant, he will have to learn on job how to deal with the weight of the program and all the CEO stuff. An assistant with experience at 3 SEC programs, including State will have to learn on the job how to deal with CEO stuff, but how much is that going to impact attracting talent and building a roster?

Mingione and Johnson have experience with being a HC, the State program, and the SEC. One is a clown, and the other detroyed our pitching staff for a couple years. We shouldn't even consider them.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Getting back onto topic a bit here, it seems like people are firmly entrenched in two caps at the moment.

1. If we do not get Brian O’Conner then the search is a failure and we are going to suck.

2. If we do not get Dan Heefner then the search is a failure and we do not want to win.


I would say it is better than 50/50 we do not get either. It is like 95/5 we do not get Heefner. He is just not going to budge on stuff, and that should be applauded that he has convictions that strong. Unfortunately, just like A&M and a few other jobs, his convictions will cost him this job. On O’Conner, he still has to be interested in OUR JOB. He may interested in getting out but is he interested in walking into the pressure cooker that is Mississippi State baseball. There are only about 3-5 other jobs in the country with as much pressure as ours.

[KB21]

Getting back onto topic a bit here, it seems like people are firmly entrenched in two caps at the moment.

1. If we do not get Brian O’Conner then the search is a failure and we are going to suck.

2. If we do not get Dan Heefner then the search is a failure and we do not want to win.


I would say it is better than 50/50 we do not get either. It is like 95/5 we do not get Heefner. He is just not going to budge on stuff, and that should be applauded that he has convictions that strong. Unfortunately, just like A&M and a few other jobs, his convictions will cost him this job. On O’Conner, he still has to be interested in OUR JOB. He may interested in getting out but is he interested in walking into the pressure cooker that is Mississippi State baseball. There are only about 3-5 other jobs in the country with as much pressure as ours.

I'm in neither category. I think you take the swings at Heefner and O'Connor. If you can't pull them in, it's not a big deal. I didn't expect it when this process started.

I'm in the camp that isn't quite sure the established coaches that will be willing to move on from their current jobs would be better than going the SEC assistant route. Guys like Chris Pollard and Mark Wasikowski are good coaches, but are they the coaches that will elevate this program and compete head-to-head year after year against Tony Vitello, Dave Van Horn, Jim Schlossnagle, Jay Johnson, and Tim Corbin?

Brian O'Connor would be the top guy, but he's also 53. How much longer will the competitive fire be burning for him?

I guess you could consider me in the camp that fears an established coach will be another Lemonis and believes that the next Tony Vitello is an assistant somewhere. Maybe Coggin at Georgia. Maybe Cain at Texas.

[Santiago]

Getting back onto topic a bit here, it seems like people are firmly entrenched in two caps at the moment.

1. If we do not get Brian O?Conner then the search is a failure and we are going to suck.

2. If we do not get Dan Heefner then the search is a failure and we do not want to win.


I would say it is better than 50/50 we do not get either. It is like 95/5 we do not get Heefner. He is just not going to budge on stuff, and that should be applauded that he has convictions that strong. Unfortunately, just like A&M and a few other jobs, his convictions will cost him this job. On O?Conner, he still has to be interested in OUR JOB. He may interested in getting out but is he interested in walking into the pressure cooker that is Mississippi State baseball. There are only about 3-5 other jobs in the country with as much pressure as ours.

I read the different boards and confused on this. Where are you seeing people would call it a failure if not those two? I really have not seen the reference of failure being mentioned.
I have seen about 5 names, and also the seemingly orchestrated online boost for Coggin by those supporters.

[StarkVegasSteve]

I read the different boards and confused on this. Where are you seeing people would call it a failure if not those two? I really have not seen the reference of failure being mentioned.
I have seen about 5 names, and also the seemingly orchestrated online boost for Coggin by those supporters.

I am not saying that is what they were saying. But I have followed coaching searches long enough, people get so damn fixated on a candidate that any other candidate is seen as a failure in their eyes. And unfortunately, those people tend to post about it on Twitter.

[BrunswickDawg]

Cannizzaro didn't fail because he was an assistant with no head coaching experience. He also didn't resort to what he was doing because the pressure of the job got to him. If anything, Cannizzaro shows that an assistant coach can be successful here, because the one season he was the head coach may have been the best coached season we have seen in a long time. He took a team that had 5 healthy pitchers to a Super Regional.

I'm trying to think of the last SEC head coach who was a first-time head coach who was promoted from being a SEC assistant coach who truly failed based on results, and I'm having a hard time finding one. Maybe Dave Perno is the last one.

I've seen a lot of "established head coaches" fail though. Mark Kingston. John Pawlawski. Sunny Galloway. Scott Stricklin. Dave Serrano. Todd Raleigh. Andy Lopez.

I'm not even sure you could call Perno a failure.
He won 2 SEC titles, was 2x SEC COY, was '04 National COY, went to the post season 6 times in 12 years, had 3 CWS appearances and was runner-up in '08. He has half of UGA's all time CWS appearances. At a school that didn't give shit about baseball until 2 years ago.

[Santiago]

I am not saying that is what they were saying. But I have followed coaching searches long enough, people get so damn fixated on a candidate that any other candidate is seen as a failure in their eyes. And unfortunately, those people tend to post about it on Twitter.

yeah those on twitter try to act like "influencers" .

I have a feeling there are 1 or 2 candidates no one knows. But we seem to be in a much better spot than Cohen's search.

[Cooterpoot]

Getting back onto topic a bit here, it seems like people are firmly entrenched in two caps at the moment.

1. If we do not get Brian O’Conner then the search is a failure and we are going to suck.

2. If we do not get Dan Heefner then the search is a failure and we do not want to win.


I would say it is better than 50/50 we do not get either. It is like 95/5 we do not get Heefner. He is just not going to budge on stuff, and that should be applauded that he has convictions that strong. Unfortunately, just like A&M and a few other jobs, his convictions will cost him this job. On O’Conner, he still has to be interested in OUR JOB. He may interested in getting out but is he interested in walking into the pressure cooker that is Mississippi State baseball. There are only about 3-5 other jobs in the country with as much pressure as ours.

You've also got some folks spamming the boards with Coggin, so don't forget about that

[sandjunky]

Getting back onto topic a bit here, it seems like people are firmly entrenched in two caps at the moment.

1. If we do not get Brian O’Conner then the search is a failure and we are going to suck.

2. If we do not get Dan Heefner then the search is a failure and we do not want to win.


I would say it is better than 50/50 we do not get either. It is like 95/5 we do not get Heefner. He is just not going to budge on stuff, and that should be applauded that he has convictions that strong. Unfortunately, just like A&M and a few other jobs, his convictions will cost him this job. On O’Conner, he still has to be interested in OUR JOB. He may interested in getting out but is he interested in walking into the pressure cooker that is Mississippi State baseball. There are only about 3-5 other jobs in the country with as much pressure as ours.

While I would say Heefner is my numero 1 guy, if it?s not him, I wouldn?t think it?s a failure - he?s the unicorn that has yet to move anywhere

But you always miss 100 percent of the shots you don?t take.

Hey if my wife hadn?t introduced herself to me 22 years ago?.oh wait we?re talking baseball (no pics)

[HoopsDawg]

You've also got some folks spamming the boards with Coggin, so don't forget about that

Coggin or a mid major coach would be the only failures in my book.

I would reach out to O'Conner, Heefner, and Pollard first.

Then I would choose between Elander and Dan Fitzgerald. I'm pretty confident we could pull either.

My next coach would be 1 of those 5.

[Coach34]

Coggin or a mid major coach would be the only failures in my book.

I would reach out to O'Conner, Heefner, and Pollard first.

Then I would choose between Elander and Dan Fitzgerald. I'm pretty confident we could pull either.

My next coach would be 1 of those 5.

Well we have put out that we are looking to hire a current HC- so hiring an Asst would be a failure as far as our objective is concerned