Here's how I see the differences in Jay Johnson and Brian O'Connor first two years

[CaptainObvious]

Johnson walked into a fairly set roster at LSU, brought in the Top pitcher in the country and added a couple of pieces and in his 2nd year, NC!

O'Connor will have to rebuild most of this roster and now with a 34 limit, choose very wisely on pitchers and even add two way players to shore up the BP.
We should still expect a Regional spot next year, but even with NIL/Portal, maybe a couple of years before Regional Hosts and Super Regionals.

We can turn our attention to Football now and let his team get to work on the roster for baseball.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Johnson walked into a fairly set roster at LSU, brought in the Top pitcher in the country and added a couple of pieces and in his 2nd year, NC!

O'Connor will have to rebuild most of this roster and now with a 34 limit, choose very wisely on pitchers and even add two way players to shore up the BP.
We should still expect a Regional spot next year, but even with NIL/Portal, maybe a couple of years before Regional Hosts and Super Regionals.

We can turn our attention to Football now and let his team get to work on the roster for baseball.

Why? We're paying him a top 3 salary and have given him a war chest in terms of NIL and Rev Share. Schloss turned A&M around in Year 1, in the portal era, and everyone has said O'Conner is head and shoulders better than Schloss. Erik Bakich had Clemson hosting Year 1 after MISSING THE POSTSEASON the year prior.

I have said it since he was hired, the expectation is Omaha. From the jump. Every year. We're not moving the goalposts. He needs to feel the heat from Day 1. This isn't a kick your feet up job.

[Quaoarsking]

Disagree. He would have had this year's team hosting since his coaching is surely 3 games better than Lemonis's, and I expect next year's team to be much better.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Disagree. He would have had this year's team hosting since his coaching is surely 3 games better than Lemonis's, and I expect next year's team to be much better.

Agreed. If he's the coach we believe we're getting then he would have had this year's team hosting. I honestly believe had Parker been the coach the whole year we would've hosted. It was a weak hosting bubble this year. Heck OM went from outside the hosting discussion to almost a Top 8 seed due to a run during the SEC tournament, which usually doesn't mean a ton.

[viverlibre]

Johnson walked into a fairly set roster at LSU, brought in the Top pitcher in the country and added a couple of pieces and in his 2nd year, NC!

O'Connor will have to rebuild most of this roster and now with a 34 limit, choose very wisely on pitchers and even add two way players to shore up the BP.
We should still expect a Regional spot next year, but even with NIL/Portal, maybe a couple of years before Regional Hosts and Super Regionals.

We can turn our attention to Football now and let his team get to work on the roster for baseball.

Get out of here with that. We?re hosting in 2026.

[Santiago]

Alot of former Oak players hitting the portal with do not contact....and their batting averages and arms are impressive.
Not sure how did they not win more games with these guys.

[DownwardDawg]

We need to host next year. And we will.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Alot of former Oak players hitting the portal with do not contact....and their batting averages and arms are impressive.
Not sure how did they not win more games with these guys.

Because their pitching was suspect and they were god awful fundamentally. Seems like just a bad team this year though because they are usually very sound fundamentally

[Quaoarsking]

Alot of former Oak players hitting the portal with do not contact....and their batting averages and arms are impressive.
Not sure how did they not win more games with these guys.

Virginia finished 16-11 in the ACC, which is a better % than 3 ACC teams who are playing in the Supers.

It's clear that the committee gave them a royal screwjob.

[confucius say]

Johnson walked into a fairly set roster at LSU, brought in the Top pitcher in the country and added a couple of pieces and in his 2nd year, NC!

O'Connor will have to rebuild most of this roster and now with a 34 limit, choose very wisely on pitchers and even add two way players to shore up the BP.
We should still expect a Regional spot next year, but even with NIL/Portal, maybe a couple of years before Regional Hosts and Super Regionals.

We can turn our attention to Football now and let his team get to work on the roster for baseball.

Uh no. Our top 5 hitters in average are all eligible to return (Reese, Sullivan, Frei, Chance, sanders), we have talented young arms, we have a top 3-5 staff in the country, and we are bringing a slew of portal talent. I expect to host in 2026.
Honestly, we would have hosted this year if lemonis figured out Frei, Reeves, Powell, and Sanders earlier.

[basedog]

Let's hope our key players are back and we pickup key players thru transfer, portals and some freshmen recruits. I look forward toward the future! Anxious to see the PC hire.

[Todd4State]

I think Jay Johnson brought some impact players with him from Arizona. And that helped turn LSU around very quickly.

O'Connor will do the same I'm sure.

We were not that far from hosting this year so this is more of a reboot than a complete rebuild.

[Todd4State]

Uh no. Our top 5 hitters in average are all eligible to return (Reese, Sullivan, Frei, Chance, sanders), we have talented young arms, we have a top 3-5 staff in the country, and we are bringing a slew of portal talent. I expect to host in 2026.
Honestly, we would have hosted this year if lemonis figured out Frei, Reeves, Powell, and Sanders earlier.

How is Sullivan able to come back? I'm happy if he is.

[QuadrupleOption]

Agreed. If he's the coach we believe we're getting then he would have had this year's team hosting. I honestly believe had Parker been the coach the whole year we would've hosted. It was a weak hosting bubble this year. Heck OM went from outside the hosting discussion to almost a Top 8 seed due to a run during the SEC tournament, which usually doesn't mean a ton.

The SEC grind was WAY overvalued by the NCAA selection committee this year. No way this league is all that great when you have the top two seeds get run out of their own stadiums by MUCH lesser programs.

[sandjunky]

Johnson walked into a fairly set roster at LSU, brought in the Top pitcher in the country and added a couple of pieces and in his 2nd year, NC!

O'Connor will have to rebuild most of this roster and now with a 34 limit, choose very wisely on pitchers and even add two way players to shore up the BP.
We should still expect a Regional spot next year, but even with NIL/Portal, maybe a couple of years before Regional Hosts and Super Regionals.

We can turn our attention to Football now and let his team get to work on the roster for baseball.
34 man roster limit is not set yet

[MoreCowbell]

Why? We're paying him a top 3 salary and have given him a war chest in terms of NIL and Rev Share. Schloss turned A&M around in Year 1, in the portal era, and everyone has said O'Conner is head and shoulders better than Schloss. Erik Bakich had Clemson hosting Year 1 after MISSING THE POSTSEASON the year prior.

I have said it since he was hired, the expectation is Omaha. From the jump. Every year. We're not moving the goalposts. He needs to feel the heat from Day 1. This isn't a kick your feet up job.

I have to agree, especially with what we were willing to pony up. Oh you better believe he knows the expectations

[confucius say]

How is Sullivan able to come back? I'm happy if he is.

Apparently a medical redshirt for one of his years.

[Quaoarsking]

How is Sullivan able to come back? I'm happy if he is.

He's listed as a Jr on hailstate.com with a medical redshirt in one of his prior seasons.

[BeardoMSU]

He's listed as a Jr on hailstate.com with a medical redshirt in one of his prior seasons.

Would be huge getting him back another year, obv.

[CaptainObvious]

Been a State fan for 61 years of my 72 on this planet. I'm just saying we better temper our expectations. At least until we see the Roster he puts together this Fall. I expect football to go 15-0 every year but it never happens. I expect a Final 4 for Basketball but it has happened once in my lifetime. I expect Omaha every year. I'm usually disappointed for a Day. Then I realize
We are MState. There are weak spots all over this current Roster. He has work to do!

[StarkVegasSteve]

Been a State fan for 61 years of my 72 on this planet. I'm just saying we better temper our expectations. At least until we see the Roster he puts together this Fall. I expect football to go 15-0 every year but it never happens. I expect a Final 4 for Basketball but it has happened once in my lifetime. I expect Omaha every year. I'm usually disappointed for a Day. Then I realize
We are MState. There are weak spots all over this current Roster. He has work to do!

But we are giving him a top 3-4 NIL warchest and rev share budget. So now the money is there and there is no Lemonis. So there should be no excuses because those were the two reasons we heard why we lost kids.

[Coach34]

Frei is a small draft risk with the way he swings the bat. I'd take a late flyer on him if I was an MLB club. We could make it worth his time to stay another year tho

[Commercecomet24]

Why? We're paying him a top 3 salary and have given him a war chest in terms of NIL and Rev Share. Schloss turned A&M around in Year 1, in the portal era, and everyone has said O'Conner is head and shoulders better than Schloss. Erik Bakich had Clemson hosting Year 1 after MISSING THE POSTSEASON the year prior.

I have said it since he was hired, the expectation is Omaha. From the jump. Every year. We're not moving the goalposts. He needs to feel the heat from Day 1. This isn't a kick your feet up job.

Nailed it right here! O'Connor and his staff are being given EVERYTHING they need to assemble whatever they need to win now. I have heard that Selmon was basically given a blank check to do whatever was needed to assemble staff, rosters and whatever else was needed to win now and long term.

[CaptainObvious]

I love the hire! We finally took a coach away from a legit program and didn't settle for the Equipment Manager in what is an important sport to Most of Us!

Can you imagine State taking someone's head football coach and then not actually thanking us to do it? When the divorcee is pissed you know you have done something! We've never ever pissed a football divorcee off!

I just need to see this Roster take shape.

[Political Hack]

The excitement around the program will generate Mo eye hich will flow into NIL transfers year 1. I expect us to be fighting for Omaha annually from this point forward.

[Ranchdawg]

Another thing to consider was high school players and portal players did not really want to come to MSU because of the coaching. First Lemonis didn’t recruit after the Natty, then players stayed away because of Foxhall and then players were seeing lazy coaching from Lemonis.

Now we have a legit coach that has an impeccable resume, knows what it takes to win, knows how to recruit, knows how evaluate players, knows how to coach them up and puts players in the major league. Which is what every player wants. To be coached and a chance to the bigs.

[BrunswickDawg]

I love the hire! We finally took a coach away from a legit program and didn't settle for the Equipment Manager in what is an important sport to Most of Us!

Can you imagine State taking someone's head football coach and then not actually thanking us to do it? When the divorcee is pissed you know you have done something! We've never ever pissed a football divorcee off!

I just need to see this Roster take shape.

Um, it's only been 5 years since we took a P5's sitting football HC. And no, most Wazzu fans didn't thank us for doing it.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Another thing to consider was high school players and portal players did not really want to come to MSU because of the coaching. First Lemonis didn’t recruit after the Natty, then players stayed away because of Foxhall and then players were seeing lazy coaching from Lemonis.

Now we have a legit coach that has an impeccable resume, knows what it takes to win, knows how to recruit, knows how evaluate players, knows how to coach them up and puts players in the major league. Which is what every player wants. To be coached and a chance to the bigs.

Then there should be no excuses why we do not have a top 5 portal class. None. It is a failure if we do not.

[basedog]

Nailed it right here! O'Connor and his staff are being given EVERYTHING they need to assemble whatever they need to win now. I have heard that Selmon was basically given a blank check to do whatever was needed to assemble staff, rosters and whatever else was needed to win now and long term.

Now Cc24, several on ED have stated Selmon doesn't care for baseball, he is a nobody"**** LOL.

This baseball staff is lining up to be one of the best i the nation. Selmon has been doing good things and I love where he doesn't let his ego get out of hand while being very private! I like him a lot.

[CaptainObvious]

Um, it's only been 5 years since we took a P5's sitting football HC. And no, most Wazzu fans didn't thank us for doing it.

Um. There were many WSU fans who thanked him for leading them and wished him the best. There some glad to see him gone and a few were typically pissed because they think he took a huge step down from them.😂😂😂

But make no mistake, we were Leach's retirement home. We were Jackie's retirement home. We were Rockey's retirement home. We were Emory Bellard last college job. We were Croom's one and only Head Coaching job. See a pattern with our Football program. We offered Mullen more than Florida did but it didn't matter! I don't believe Lebby is the answer either. Look at SMU, Tulane and a few other former also-rans. And it isn't just because of the conference they are in. They were in those conferences when they sucked too. They have been to New Year's Day Bowls and even a playoff appearance. Remember the success Cincinnati had in football. Memphis used to be not just a doormat but ours and ole misses doormat. I know. I know. They aren't in the SEC. So why do we have to be one of the 2 or 3 doormats in SEC football?

[The Federalist Engineer]

The SEC grind was WAY overvalued by the NCAA selection committee this year. No way this league is all that great when you have the top two seeds get run out of their own stadiums by MUCH lesser programs.

The bottom 3 SEC teams Oklahoma, Miss State, and Kentucky made their regional Finals, dog.

It was the top teams that laid an egg: Texas, Vandy, and UGA. But other top-seeds failed too, USM, Oregon, and Clemson. Even Florida State needed 9 players and Umpires to beat the SEC 3 seed, otherwise they were toast too.

The big learning is that the other teams are not bad. It would be badass to have 32 teams play a Playoff series to make the NCAA tournament. They could opt-out of their Conference tournament and play-in to the NCAA as 4 seeds. It sucks small schools have to win their tournament to make the NCAA.

UTex Rio Grande, UConn, UVA, and Troy could have had good regionals.

[Coach34]

The SEC wasnt overrated. College baseball is just the most competitive sport there is

BOC gets no pass on anything. Its host and be top of the SEC from Day 1. You have the money now along with everything else. The top of the SEC cant buy our guys with more money. If they leave- its because they just want to. We should devour G5 schools for talent. We expect to host now every season. Our expectation is a Super. We wont make that every year but we better not miss that 3-4 years in a row

[Todd4State]

Apparently a medical redshirt for one of his years.


He's listed as a Jr on hailstate.com with a medical redshirt in one of his prior seasons.

AWESOME!!!!

[Todd4State]

Apparently a medical redshirt for one of his years.


He's listed as a Jr on hailstate.com with a medical redshirt in one of his prior seasons.


Another thing to consider was high school players and portal players did not really want to come to MSU because of the coaching. First Lemonis didn’t recruit after the Natty, then players stayed away because of Foxhall and then players were seeing lazy coaching from Lemonis.

Now we have a legit coach that has an impeccable resume, knows what it takes to win, knows how to recruit, knows how evaluate players, knows how to coach them up and puts players in the major league. Which is what every player wants. To be coached and a chance to the bigs.

From my view it was more of an issue with roster evaluation and also loyalty to certain players that simply didn't meet expectations. For example "Why do we need a catcher? We have Ross Highfill." We did not evaluate signability very well either. And as a result we lost some recruits in the draft and portal signees and didn't really do a good job of replacing them or having back up options. Our whole rotation hinged on Travis Smith and getting him to campus would have completely changed our rotation and season.

I mean, we were getting guys drafted and putting them in the Big Leagues. Loo was a first round pick last year and Khal Stephen is probably going to make it to MLB and that was just last year. Mershon is already in AAA and Dakota Jordan yeah he definitely struggled and dropped in the draft but he still got his money and will probably make it so I can't really say we screwed him up.

This year we had the pieces even without Smith to at least host a regional but struggled to put the right guys on the field, had pitcher tryouts against teams we had no business doing so and got burned, and to your point about lazy coaching there were definitely fundamentals issues that hurt us a lot, plus we kept leaving pitchers in too long.

Those were more of the main issues we had than recruiting.

[99jc]

Been a State fan for 61 years of my 72 on this planet. I'm just saying we better temper our expectations. At least until we see the Roster he puts together this Fall. I expect football to go 15-0 every year but it never happens. I expect a Final 4 for Basketball but it has happened once in my lifetime. I expect Omaha every year. I'm usually disappointed for a Day. Then I realize
We are MState. There are weak spots all over this current Roster. He has work to do!

it is quite obvious that dementia has set in on your 72 year. it explains everything about your mentality. you are an old grouchy fart at the end of his existence. I can say this because i am one also!

[CaptainObvious]

it is quite obvious that dementia has set in on your 72 year. it explains everything about your mentality. you are an old grouchy fart at the end of his existence. I can say this because i am one also!

And apparently it is setting in earlier and earlier from reading some of the posters on here.😂

[Brobi-wan]

I never would’ve picked you guys as the old dudes on the board.

[CaptainObvious]

I never would’ve picked you guys as the old dudes on the board.

I'm a "young" 72. 😎

[99jc]

LOL

[99jc]

I never would’ve picked you guys as the old dudes on the board.

i AM 65 BUT HAVE A BILL BELLICHECK YOUNG WIFE!

[Pancho]

get your weekly injection