Deep Dive Into The Candidates

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

I have continued to reiterate that O'Conner is most likely not the guy. But if he is, why are we that excited about a guy that can't even make a regional out of the ACC? I get that he has had great seasons. But it's a new day in college baseball and I feel like we need someone that is promising in the new environment.

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Jesus fuсking Christ, I've conclusively demonstrated probably a dozen times on this board exactly why O'Connor (not O'Conner) is not to blame for UVA's failure to make a Regional this year, it's all a combination of bad luck, bad support from his AD, and the general fall of ACC prestige, 0% on him. That's the reason he's looking to get out of there.

I knew this would happen. I knew it. People who think small would be desperate to contrive any illegitimate reason to try to ѕhit on what would be the best college baseball hire of the 21st century because they just don't think Mississippi State is worthy of it.

So Q, don't hold back anything, what do you really think??!!?? LOL!!!

BOC has been to Omaha in 3 of the past 4 years. If they don?t get in, this is only the 2nd time in his 22 seasons that UVA hasn?t made the postseason. Back in 2018 when we wanted Schlossnagle, his TCU team didn?t make it to the postseason.

BOC is a legit ELITE college baseball head coach. He?s in the same stratosphere as Jim Schlossnagle, DVH, Sully, Corbin, and Vitello. He?s the only possibility that is at that level.

If Chris Lemonis had finished 16-11 in the SEC in the years he missed a Regional, including an entire series canceled after a shooting that prevented a big RPI opportunity, we wouldn't have held it against him, at least not nearly so much as when he went 9-21.

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

I have continued to reiterate that O'Conner is most likely not the guy. But if he is, why are we that excited about a guy that can't even make a regional out of the ACC? I get that he has had great seasons. But it's a new day in college baseball and I feel like we need someone that is promising in the new environment.

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When did he miss a Regional???

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

But if he is, why are we that excited about a guy that can't even make a regional out of the ACC?.

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Because he's already too busy recruiting the portal for State to be worried about making a regional with his old team this year!

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Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

We also have no idea if Lemonis could have turned things back around if he had been allowed to coach out the season. But the evidence was there that he had his best seasons with the majority of the team being recruited by someone else. The 7 trips Virginia has made to Omaha under O'Connor, most likely were his recruits. And oh yeah. They beat Lemonis reinvented State team last year with BoC recruits. They have had a good season but may get punished because the bottom half of their conference is worse than the bottom half of ours!

If we can sign any of the supposed Top 3 of O'Connor, Bakich, or Wasikowski, we "should be able to turn it around quickly and not have to go through a total rebuild!

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Even if we hired someone not in the top three we should be able to turn it around quickly.

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Originally Posted by Tripp McNeely

Because he's already too busy recruiting the portal for State to be worried about making a regional with his old team this year!

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I believe Virginia will be in a regional.

Virginia deserves to be in a Regional. It's not their fault their biggest RPI opportunity got canceled.

But selfishly, I hope they're not. Imagine if O'Connor is all set to come here, but then leads them on a deep run (he's at worst a top 5 coach in all of college baseball, after all) and they decide to give him the commitment he wants after all.

I'd much rather have him announced and official in 48 hours, instead of waiting another week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, whatever.

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Jesus fuсking Christ, I've conclusively demonstrated probably a dozen times on this board exactly why O'Connor (not O'Conner) is not to blame for UVA's failure to make a Regional this year, it's all a combination of bad luck, bad support from his AD, and the general fall of ACC prestige, 0% on him. That's the reason he's looking to get out of there.

I knew this would happen. I knew it. People who think small would be desperate to contrive any illegitimate reason to try to ѕhit on what would be the best college baseball hire of the 21st century because they just don't think Mississippi State is worthy of it.

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This is the kind of intensity I want from our players next year!

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Originally Posted by Cowbell

I have continued to reiterate that O'Conner is most likely not the guy. But if he is, why are we that excited about a guy that can't even make a regional out of the ACC? I get that he has had great seasons. But it's a new day in college baseball and I feel like we need someone that is promising in the new environment.

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Seriously? Hasn't he been to Omaha like 3 out of the last 4 years? And made a regional 20 out of 21 seasons?

Nebraska's just stole a bid knocking out another bubble team. Cal Poly in the 1st inning trying to do the same thing.

Get O'Connor to Starkville ASAP!

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Nebraska's just stole a bid knocking out another bubble team. Cal Poly in the 1st inning trying to do the same thing.

Get O'Connor to Starkville ASAP!

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What are yall gonna do if he isn?t the guy? All yall have hitched your hopes on one guy with zero real evidence.

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Virginia deserves to be in a Regional. It's not their fault their biggest RPI opportunity got canceled.

But selfishly, I hope they're not. Imagine if O'Connor is all set to come here, but then leads them on a deep run (he's at worst a top 5 coach in all of college baseball, after all) and they decide to give him the commitment he wants after all.

I'd much rather have him announced and official in 48 hours, instead of waiting another week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, whatever.

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I wouldn't be surprised if the committee takes RPI into less account than usual. You have some P4 teams that had really good seasons in conference that have lower than expected RPI's.

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Originally Posted by Coursesuper

What are yall gonna do if he isn?t the guy? All yall have hitched your hopes on one guy with zero real evidence.

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I think most people would be happy with Bakich or Waz too. Fitzgerald maybe should excite our fans more but he would be a good hire.

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Originally Posted by Todd4State

I think most people would be happy with Bakich or Waz too. Fitzgerald maybe should excite our fans more but he would be a good hire.

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I want the clempson dude, Bakich. I still expect Butch though.

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Originally Posted by Coursesuper

What are yall gonna do if he isn?t the guy? All yall have hitched your hopes on one guy with zero real evidence.

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Depends on who the hire is, anywhere from "oh OK, that's fine too" to "well that sucks and Selmon and Keenum really dropped the ball." I'll still support the team and program next year regardless, just like I did in 2024 and 2025.

But I wouldn't say there's "zero real evidence." You have national guys, MSU beat writers, and UVA beat writers all calling him a top candidate.

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Originally Posted by Quaoarsking

Depends on who the hire is, anywhere from "oh OK, that's fine too" to "well that sucks and Selmon and Keenum really dropped the ball." I'll still support the team and program next year regardless, just like I did in 2024 and 2025.

But I wouldn't say there's "zero real evidence." You have national guys, MSU beat writers, and UVA beat writers all calling him a top candidate.

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I would just take what any writer is saying with a grain of salt they all are selling something. One other point the AD is not the primary person leading this search.

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Originally Posted by DownwardDawg

I want the clempson dude, Bakich. I still expect Butch though.

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Butch is down the list for me, but us hiring him would still excite me. He runs a good program and embraces the transfer portal which is something our next coach needs to do.

Before anyone jumps in, yes, I know it's not happening.

My excitement meter for potential hires:

BOC: 10/10
Bakich: 10/10
Wasikowski: 9.5/10
Butch: 8/10
Pollard: 8/10
Walter: 7/10
Fitz: like a 6; he'd be a good coach but it's kinda meh for me
Skip Johnson: 5/10