Your baseball coach short list?...

Ozarkdawg

Active member
Apr 1, 2017
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I'm sure Selmon is searching far and wide.....

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But seriously, he was probably at the park and rec practice fields last weekend.
 

GhostOfJackie

Active member
Apr 20, 2009
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I'll throw out some actual names just to get the discussion going. I have listed them in no particular order othan than I think these will be coaches we would at least kick the tires on.

Head Coaches:
- Butch Thompson, Auburn
- Chris Pollard, Duke
- Lane Burroughs, LA Tech
- Nick Mingione, Kentucky
- Justin Haire, Ohio State
- Christian Ostrander, USM
- Wes Johnson, UGA (I don't think he'd even entertain it, but you never know...)
- Mitch Canham, Oregon State (He's an OSU guy, and pretty much only been in the PNW. But, with all the stuff going on for them with PAC 10/12 going away, I think you have to at least make an approach. Most likely a very, very LONG shot.)

Assistant Coaches:
- Josh Elander, Tennessee
- Will Coggin, Georgia
- Chuck Jeroloman, Florida

This is just off the top of my head.

Of the sitting head coaches, I think if Johnson would take it, you'd be crazy not to hire him. Otherwise I'd probably prefer Ostrander or Burroughs. Ostrander has spent most of his career in MS. I think he would get those dirt bag type guys we've historically had and mixing them with the upper end talent that we're supposedly currently getting. With Burroughs, he played a huge role in turning the program around in those early Cohen years then winning the SEC tourney in 2012. He left after the 2012 season, but the 2013 World Series team had his finger prints all over it from a recruiting prospective. We'd definitely get back to playing tough hard nosed baseball under him.

Of the assistants, none of them particularly excite me. I guess Elander would probably be the best option. Coggin would be interesting in that he helped Mingione turn the UK program around culminating in their CWS appearance last year. He had left for UGA before last season, but he was the recruiting coordinator for a few years leading up to it. Neither are particularly exciting options, but I suppose State could do worse.

Now all you 17 heads can rip this list to pieces, and tell me why I'm a 17ing dubmass.
I like this list. A whole lot.

Personally, I would rather go with Butch or Mingione. Both are proven winners at SEC schools, neither of which was considered a winner before they got there. Kentucky was terrible. Those two know how to recruit and run a top tier SEC program. The learning curve for each of them would be minimal.

Ostrander at USM would be next on my list, as he has figured out how to help build and continue the success of a mid-major program, knows how to develop players, and can recruit this area very well.

I'd take a hard pass on Lane. We can do better.

If I had a choice from anybody in the country, I'd go with Tennessee's coach, but that aint happening.
 

GhostOfJackie

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Apr 20, 2009
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By the way, how has Dan Heefner at Dallas Baptist not been snatched by a larger school? He's been there for 21 years with alot of success. Strange
 

patdog

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May 28, 2007
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I like this list. A whole lot.

Personally, I would rather go with Butch or Mingione. Both are proven winners at SEC schools, neither of which was considered a winner before they got there. Kentucky was terrible. Those two know how to recruit and run a top tier SEC program. The learning curve for each of them would be minimal.
Both have losing SEC records. Kind of understandable for Nick. He's at Kentucky and he's close to .500. Butch would be a typical lazy Mississippi State hire.
 

17itdawg

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2022
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Good point. Both better records than our current coach from Indiana though.
Of those three former Cohen assistants if I were making the hire I'd go:
1. Burroughs - I like what he's done at La Tech. I think he would do well here. He probably has the highest floor of the three. Going to be very consistent each year. Having said that I think his ceiling might not be as high as the others.

2. Mingione - I'm not a huge mingione fan. When we lived in the Lexington area I went to a lot of their games even last year. His teams don't always impress me. He's going to be awfully similar to Lemonis in that he's a players coach. I'm not sure he'd win at the level consistently to not constantly be on the hot seat I mean 2023 and 24 were pretty much must wins. People close to that program felt if he had another bad year in 2023 he would've been let go. Also, he's still doing the same dumb **** like he did in that super versus Florida in 2011.

3. Butch is similar to Mingione for me. A bit too much of a players coach especially for who he would be replacing. Hasn't really won a ton at Auburn. I know he's gotten them to Omaha a couple of times, but he's still largely under achieved.

As others have mentioned both Mingione and Butch have losing conference records as coaches.
 

ronpolk

Well-known member
May 6, 2009
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I like this list. A whole lot.

Personally, I would rather go with Butch or Mingione. Both are proven winners at SEC schools, neither of which was considered a winner before they got there. Kentucky was terrible. Those two know how to recruit and run a top tier SEC program. The learning curve for each of them would be minimal.

Ostrander at USM would be next on my list, as he has figured out how to help build and continue the success of a mid-major program, knows how to develop players, and can recruit this area very well.

I'd take a hard pass on Lane. We can do better.

If I had a choice from anybody in the country, I'd go with Tennessee's coach, but that aint happening.
Lane’s resume is way better than Ostrander. I’m confused by all the love for a guy who took over a great program and essentially kept the ball rolling. I think he’s likely a good coach but he’d be a disappointing hire. And I certainly wouldn’t take Ostrander over Lane.
 

PrimeDog

Member
Jan 2, 2025
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Vitello of course. We missed our chance on that one though giving Lemonis a longer leash. I don't have faith in Selmon to do anything but an easy buddy hire.

Ostrander and Burroughs are good coaches but I would think we can shoot better. We would be firing a guy that won a natty who lost his way. So we need to swing big. I would hope we would go bi game hunting and get a great head coach and that means a lot of expectations
Are y’all idiots capable of anything else but furthering the tired lie that Selmon won’t hire outside of Oklahoma
 
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Perd Hapley

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Sep 30, 2022
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By the way, how has Dan Heefner at Dallas Baptist not been snatched by a larger school? He's been there for 21 years with alot of success. Strange
Heefner should absolutely be #1 on the list just for the derogatory nickname potential alone….for whenever he drops a few series.
 

dawgstudent

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2003
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I'll throw out some actual names just to get the discussion going. I have listed them in no particular order othan than I think these will be coaches we would at least kick the tires on.

Head Coaches:
- Butch Thompson, Auburn
- Chris Pollard, Duke
- Lane Burroughs, LA Tech
- Nick Mingione, Kentucky
- Justin Haire, Ohio State
- Christian Ostrander, USM
- Wes Johnson, UGA (I don't think he'd even entertain it, but you never know...)
- Mitch Canham, Oregon State (He's an OSU guy, and pretty much only been in the PNW. But, with all the stuff going on for them with PAC 10/12 going away, I think you have to at least make an approach. Most likely a very, very LONG shot.)

Assistant Coaches:
- Josh Elander, Tennessee
- Will Coggin, Georgia
- Chuck Jeroloman, Florida

This is just off the top of my head.

Of the sitting head coaches, I think if Johnson would take it, you'd be crazy not to hire him. Otherwise I'd probably prefer Ostrander or Burroughs. Ostrander has spent most of his career in MS. I think he would get those dirt bag type guys we've historically had and mixing them with the upper end talent that we're supposedly currently getting. With Burroughs, he played a huge role in turning the program around in those early Cohen years then winning the SEC tourney in 2012. He left after the 2012 season, but the 2013 World Series team had his finger prints all over it from a recruiting prospective. We'd definitely get back to playing tough hard nosed baseball under him.

Of the assistants, none of them particularly excite me. I guess Elander would probably be the best option. Coggin would be interesting in that he helped Mingione turn the UK program around culminating in their CWS appearance last year. He had left for UGA before last season, but he was the recruiting coordinator for a few years leading up to it. Neither are particularly exciting options, but I suppose State could do worse.

Now all you 17 heads can rip this list to pieces, and tell me why I'm a 17ing dubmass.
Bump.
 

Called3rdstrikedawg

Well-known member
May 7, 2016
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I don't care who it is, but for the love of pete don't blow a bunch of money on this. Spend it on football and basketball.
Piss on spending more on basketball. Smallest roster. Plenty allocated funds. Load up on football and throw some at baseball roster improvement. Let Purcell flounder around until he just walks away. Women's volleyball and and beach volleyball is where to spend on women's sports!
 

Anon1728174187

Active member
Oct 5, 2024
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Every dollar this niche regional sport takes is a dollar that could be going to the only real sport that matters in college athletics.
Why do you and others incessantly preach this on a thread about baseball. You and others will “NOT” change how funding for sports is formulated at MSU. Do you do it just to piss people off that are baseball fans? Serious question!
 

The Cooterpoot

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Sep 29, 2022
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We COULD be the best job for a baseball coach in the country. First, Allocate more of our NIL to baseball and quit thinking we can compete with Alabama in football Second find some way to get around the administration and dead injuns that are holding us back. Third, “ Far Somebody “!
We aren't allocating more NIL to baseball, Good grief.
 
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The Cooterpoot

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I think of the list provided (good list btw) that the ones who would actually come and that I would want in order:

Burroughs
Ostrander
Elander
Haire
Canham (Not sure if would come)
Jerolomon
Coggin

Butch no chance. Has job security and Cohen as AD plus has Auburn in a good spot.
Mingione has job security in SEC. He wouldn’t come.
Pollard has good setup at Duke and doubt would leave.

Besides any up north cold B10 teams or a weird situation like Oregon State, very few sitting Power 4 head coach would make the switch now in this NIL era. It sucks.

Our job advantages pre-NIL almost work against us now Post NIL: invested fan base but it’s a pressure cooker. In a small town and not doing well you will hear about it. Drove up for Texas game and was kind of astonished at the stuff fans would yell at players and Lemon during the game. Had been a minute since was at game. We are also in the hardest conference and numbers wise don’t have the alumni base as others for NIL money. If you don’t think Job security is top of the list for coaches it definitely is.

Edited to add the Cincinnati head coach. Younger guy with some bravado. Worked way up winning at smaller schools. Did pretty good first year in Big 12. He wouldn’t come be on my list too.
I don't think half those are worth talking to
 

greenbean.sixpack

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Oct 6, 2012
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Be nice to have a coach with some nads. When Jay Johnson called the pitch clock violation, Lemon should have went ape shite to the point he was ejected and fined. I'm still pissed about that, getting thrown out would have at least shown the players/fans he cared and had a little life.
 
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The Cooterpoot

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Sep 29, 2022
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Chris Pollard
Wes Johnson
Mitch Canham
Rob Vaughn
Cliff Godwin
Ben Orloff
Josh Elander
Then go to some guys above if you can pull them. There are a few other guys but I'll give the easy first.
 

Podgy

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Oct 1, 2022
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Burroughs would be fine. See if he can get his former assistant Silva to leave Arky State and join him here.
 

patdog

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May 28, 2007
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Just not the same search firm that gave us Lebby.
That search firm did exactly what they were paid to do. Do a “national search” and then recommend the guy the client paid you to recommend from the beginning.