What do Mississippi State fans expect with O'Connor's breathtaking deal?

New contract means Bulldogs making commitment to getting back to playing for championship

New Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Brian O'Connor talking to the cheering crowd at his formal introduction Thursday evening at Dudy Noble. | Mississippi State Athletics

STARKVILLE, Miss. — If there were any doubts, Mississippi State got the new coach they wanted all along. They were also willing to pay the price for Brian O'Connor.

"As we looked at it, we wanted somebody that wanted to chase championships at the highest level," athletics director Zac Selmon said. "Where the dust settles, I think I have a clear vision. But we’re just focused on getting better every day."

Bulldogs' fans are probably expecting that view going forward as including some more championship banners at Dudy Noble. Otherwise, the price wouldn't have been to make O'Connor the second-highest paid coach in college baseball.

New @HailStateBB skipper Brian O’Connor will make an average of 2.9 million a year. O’Connor is now the second highest paid coach in college baseball, only behind Tony Vitello. https://t.co/uK8aMgCGEu

— Kendall Rogers (@KendallRogers) June 6, 2025

The Bulldogs hired away a coach with the track record of O’Connor for the first time in school history. That covers every sport on campus and baseball that had the best chance of doing it.

An elaborate spectacle of a press conference that had people across the southeast sending me messages about the production that was carried on ESPN+. Most of them were surprised.

"I didn't expect that tonight," O'Connor said later. "You can feel the energy and enthusiasm for this team. Tonight was amazing. "

When folks saw a $2.9 million contract over four years nearly all of them were stunned. Even some Mississippi State longtime loyalists were surprised at the sheer number.

Only Tennessee coach Tony Vitello is making more. Maybe some rank coaches by that (that will probably include State fans for awhile), but the guys getting that big check use championships as the measuring stick for just about everything.

“Those two days were long days, but they were great days because I got to understand from the guys that wore the uniform what this place means to them,” O’Connor said. “That’s that cultural investment that is so important. It’s in those young men’s blood so it has to start with that in order to be successful.”

Selmon probably has been on a money-raising campaign for this behind the scenes with some big donations. He identified O’Connor as his top target a few weeks ago after firing coach Chris Lemonis and the AD wasn't really looking at anybody else..

We had heard some folks telling us this behind the scenes even before Lemonis was canned. Over the course of the last several weeks, Selmon pushed State’s commitment to the baseball program and the resources that would follow and it paid off, literally.

O'Connor knows the financial situation. You don't leave a place like Virginia after 22 seasons, a national championsion, conference championships and more wins than several coaches have in a career.

"This stadium, this fan base, right?" O'Connor said. "Everything that goes on with that to attract and retain the right talent to give your program the chance to win championships.

"I'll say this, the University of Virginia is totally committed to it, okay? So is Mississippi State. There's a lot of programs in the SEC. Everybody is committed to it.

"It's not that at Mississippi State we have more than anybody else. We just need to have enough to retain and attract the right young men."

You could add a whole lot of words explaining that long quote, but it sums it up without anything to improve on that statement.

Most State fans weren't involved in the financial commitment that landed O'Connor. All they want to see are wins and a team that can hold onto a lead. There''s only so many times they will watch a big lead slowly fade away in the last few innings.

Selmon rounded up the money and got the guy he wanted. If it pays off in wins that's all the State fans really want to see.

"if I was going to leave this place that I loved, it had to be the right partnership," O'Connor said."Then it had to be the place you felt like you could be as successful as possible."

The Bulldogs had all that in baseball. They also had the cash to close the deal.

Diamond Dawg fans showed out in a BIG way tonight... so much that you literally broke the internet.

If you missed any of Coach O'Connor's welcome event, don't worry. You can watch the full replay right here.#HailState🐶 pic.twitter.com/NTfyxOujyb

— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) June 6, 2025