Maybe Bulldogs' improvement not solely result of change but hard to ignore

Interim coach Parker not taking credit, but probably deserves some after an undefeated week, sweep of Kentucky

Mississippi State infielder Ace Reese (3) during the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Dudy Noble Field at Polk Stadium in Starkville, Miss. | Taylor Sullivan-Mississippi State Athletics

STARKVILLE, Miss. — Put the credit for Mississippi State's turnaround wherever you want.

Interim coach Justin Parker isn't taking all of the credit, though. He could because you can't ignore the change in one week.

After the decision was made following a stretch where the Bulldogs were 2-5. The record probably wasn't a concern nearly as much as a general feeling that something wasn't right for winning.

It was clear Chris Lemonis had reached the end of the grace period after the 2021 College World Series championship.

Mississippi State athletics director Zac Selmon was probably feeling pressure from some donors and had to pick up on what he saw in the games.

Blowing leads at the rate the Bulldogs were doing it doesn't lend itself to the common excuse "that's baseball" very long. Wins matter.

Parker wasn't getting into the weeds too deep on the whole issue. He wasn't dodging the issue, either.

"I'll steer clear of answering that one," he said after completing the sweep of Kentucky on Sunday.  "We have such great respect for Coach Lemonis.  I kinda know what you're getting at.  When you're coaching 18-20 year olds, they're very impressionable and impulsive. 

Parker gave the credit to the players. That's what a coach does in these situations, but something clearly changed because they just, well, looked different. It's impossible to exactly define unless you're in the locker room.

"There have been times we haven't played great," Parker said.  "As quick as you can turn it around, we're able to flip it and have a very good week here."

You really don't have to read between the lines. The interim Bulldogs coach flat said it.

 "It's not a completely different club, there's not a lot of different moves being made, we're fairly consistent as a staff," he said. "It was just guys believing in themselves and getting a little bit of a wake-up call and responding to it."

That's not to say Lemonis forgot how to coach baseball or was a particularly bad guy. I don't know him from deep center field so it's impossible to say. Something was clearly not working.

It happens with major league teams all time. Just because they fire a manager during the season it doesn't mean the guys in charge hated him.

The situation just needed a change and maybe a new attitude.

Parker isn't taking credit for suddenly winning four games in a row and an SEC sweep over the weekend. The players did the work on the field and rightfully get the lion's share of the credit.

But let's not overlook Parker brought something to the party. For whatever reason things flipped around.

Now the hope for Dawg fans is it lasts more than a week.