Cowbell Corner

Virginia's Brian O'Connor reportedly the "front runner" for Mississippi State job

The Bulldogs fired their head coach more than a month ago and are now, according to D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers, are close to making a hire.
Taylor Hodges|
Virginia Cavalier head coach Brian O'Connor takes the field before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Charles Schwab Filed Omaha.
Virginia Cavalier head coach Brian O'Connor takes the field before the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels at Charles Schwab Filed Omaha. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Mississippi State may be about to announce its “splash” baseball coaching hire.

D1Baseball.com managing editor reported Virginia baseball coach Brian O’Connor is the “clear-cut front-runner” to take over Mississippi State baseball, but a deal is not done.

Baseball America is also reporting that O'Connor is the front-runner to land the job.

O’Connor has been a popular name associated with the Bulldogs’ search and has been at the top of our coaching hot board since only a couple of days after Chris Lemonis was fired. He’s led Virginia to the College World Series in three of the last five seasons and has a career record 913-392-2 (.699) since taking over the Cavaliers in 2004.

After being ranked No. 2 in preseason polls, Virginia did not make the NCAA Tournament this season, a rarity under O’Connor, which makes Rogers’ news believable. Especially, if you agree with what Rogers said on SportsTalk Mississippi yesterday.

“If that is who your coach is I think it comes out relatively quickly just because he's done with his season,” he said. “Why would you sit in Charlottesville for a week if you're going to be the next head coach of Mississippi State?”

Mississippi State did make the NCAA Tournament and is set to play its first game Friday in the Tallahassee NCAA Regional. The Bulldogs will face Northeastern in a matchup of great hitting vs. great pitching. But even that would take a back seat to the news of O’Conner taking over in Starkville.

I wouldn’t expect an official announcement from Mississippi State until after this weekend or whenever the Bulldogs exit the NCAA Tournament. But we are already starting to hear rumors and reports about potential assistant coaches who might join O'Connor in Starkville.

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Taylor Hodges
TAYLOR HODGES

Award-winning sports editor, writer, columnist, and photographer with 15 years’ experience offering his opinion and insight about the sports world in Mississippi and Texas, but he was taken to Razorback pep rallies at Billy Bob's Texas in Fort Worth before he could walk. Taylor has covered all levels of sports, from small high schools in the Mississippi Delta to NFL games. Follow Taylor on Twitter and Facebook.

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