Brian O’Connor is the new Mississippi State Baseball coach. First of all, Hail State knocked it out of the park with this hire. O’Connor was at the top of coaching candidate lists for a few years now and the Bulldogs have lured in the big fish. But it’s not about O’Connor landing in Starkville. It should be about the peculiar timeline that the Bulldogs Athletic Department took that should be under the microscope.
June 22nd, 2021
No. 7 Mississippi State played Virginia in the CWS 1-0 game against Brian O’Connor seeking his second National Championship with the Hoos.
The Bulldogs entered the 8th getting no-hit by Virginia’s Griff McGary. With a runner on base Kellum Clark broke up the no-hitter with a lasered home run that landed in the right field bullpen.
In a 4-2 ballgame social media sensation and stud closer Stephen Schoch entered in relief. Then on Schoch’s second pitch Tanner Allen smacked a slider over the fence for a 3-run round tripper.
Hail State used six hits, two tanks, and six runs in the 8th inning to defeat Virginia sending the Cavaliers into the loser’s bracket where they would be eliminated by Texas.
June 30th, 2021
In the words wrote by Joel Coleman on HailState.com, “In that moment, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends and more could finally embrace and know the feeling no MSU supporter had ever known. There is no more wondering when. The days of longing are done. The 2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs are national champions. Oh how sweet it is.”
April 28th, 2025
In the four years after winning the National Championship Mississippi State tallied a 42-69 SEC record under Coach Chris Lemonis. Frustration in the fanbase grew and after a 2-1 series loss at Auburn the plug was pulled on Lemonis’ tenure.
Director of Athletics, Zac Selmon, announced that Pitching Coach Justin Parker would fill in as the interim head coach. Parker, in his 2nd year as an assistant at MSU with no experience of being a head coach at any level, was named the interim. Notably not the 2019 Assistant Coach of the Year Jake Gautreau who had interim head coaching experience during 2014 at Tulane.
The entire day was fishy to say the least. Lemonis was fired when the team had 7 wins in the SEC (needing 6 more to reach the notorious 13 SEC win mark) with 6 games vs Kentucky and Missouri left plus a home series against Ole Miss.
It leads a college baseball follower to believe that Lemonis was canned that way the Athletic Department wouldn’t have to feel pressured to bring their National Champion head coach back after the team backdoored their way into the NCAA Tournament. Also, a college baseball follower could assume Parker was chosen because he may not be as sharp in coaching the team and would also be easier to cut ties with at the conclusion of the season.
Monday, May 26th, 2025
After finishing 9-2 (9-1 in the regular season) Interim Head Coach Justin Parker led Mississippi State to 15 SEC wins and a NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs were selected into the Tallahassee Regional as a 3-seed.
Thursday, May 29th, 2025
For 30 days it was Ziploc tight when it came to buzz around the Mississippi State coaching search. All of a sudden on the day before the Bulldogs' first game of the NCAA Baseball Tournament regional round there were leaks.
Everybody and their grandmother claimed to have “sources” that Brian O’Connor would become the next head coach of Mississippi State baseball. Why were the rumors able to stay underground until right before a game against a Northeastern team on a 27-game win streak?
Wake Forest’s Pitching Coach Corey Muscara was linked to Mississippi State via "sources" to possibly be the Pitching Coach on O’Connor’s staff. Since Muscara was a new name to the saga could his camp be the reason for the leak?
Once again the situation smelled.
Friday, May 30th, 2025
In Friday’s game Wake Forest’s starting pitcher Blake Morningstar struggled with his control and got rocked by Cincinnati.
Morningstar was stuck in a never ending 2nd inning that resulted in two home runs and an 8-0 deficit. Nobody was warming up in the Demon Deacons' bullpen during the high stress inning. Morningstar threw 111 pitches and was tagged for 10 earned runs and 6 walks in 4.1 innings pitched.
Is it fair to wonder where Muscara’s focus was?
Mississippi State and Interim Coach Justin Parker destroyed Northeastern 11-2.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025
Buckle up Sunday was a long day.
Both Wake Forest and Mississippi State won their loser bracket games in the afternoon. The Demon Deacons defeated Cincinnati at 2:58 PM ET. Hail State beat the Huskies for a second time in the weekend at 3:17 PM ET.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 7:25 PM ET
Joe Powell rips a home run to give Mississippi State a 2-0 lead over Florida State in the Tallahassee Regional Final. However the MSU University private jet took flight. Something was happening. Something so big that it was safe to rule out that Muscara’s camp was the source of a possible leak.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 9:01 PM ET
After a 1 hour and 35 minute flight the MSU University plane landed at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport. A three run 8th inning gives Florida State a 5-2 lead over Mississippi State.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 9:14 PM ET
Florida State wins the Tallahassee Regional eliminating Mississippi State with a final score of 5-2.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, a little before 9:36 PM ET
MSU University plane leaves the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 10:20 PM ET
A new era begins in Starkville. Brian O’Connor is named the 19th Head Coach in Mississippi State Baseball history.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 11:18 PM ET
A video of Brian O’Connor walking off the MSU University private jet surfaces.
The Impact
In the Mississippi State postgame press conference Parker was asked how the team navigated around the news and what kind of impact that the coaching rumors may have had during the weekend:
“I got kids upset on the bus on Wednesday and Thursday. I got all kind of shit flying around… I wish a lot of the rumors weren’t flying around. I wish there was a little bit more patience with the process. But I get it of course. We’ve been living in it for 4 or 5 weeks,” said the interim coach.
“What’s really tough is to watch these guys work the entire year starting in late July, August and to go through all of that for a chance to be in this position that we were in this morning or even this afternoon and to have that hanging over us is disappointing,” said Parker.
“It’s just a distraction - it’s impossible to quantify how it impacted this weekend,” finished Parker when talking about the topic.
The Mississippi State athletic department was going to walk out with the crown jewel at all costs. It didn’t matter if they had to personally throw road block signs in front of their own team. Hail State was going to have a new regime on June 2nd, 2025: the day the Transfer Portal opens.
The Future
Brian O’Connor is a hell of a coach and has one of, if not the best current resume in the game. O’Connor has won over 70% of his games coached. He has coached in the College World Series seven times. Oak has helped develop 93 players to get selected into the MLB Draft.
The transfer portal and NIL era in college athletics doesn’t intimidate the 54-year-old Omaha native. He will certainly continue his strong recruiting and development skills while leading the Maroon and White back to his hometown a few times in the next decade.
Quote From Director of Athletics Zac Selmon
"Brian O'Connor is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in college baseball. He's a national champion, a Hall of Famer, and a proven leader with a track record of building a championship-caliber program. Mississippi State is built to win at the highest level, and Coach O'Connor knows what that takes. From elite player development to consistent success on the national stage, his résumé speaks for itself. He understands the standard here and embraces the opportunity to elevate it even further. This is a defining moment for Mississippi State Baseball and a powerful step forward for our program, our players and our fans."
Quote From Head Baseball Coach Brian O’Connor
"Mississippi State represents everything I love about college baseball — tradition, passion and a relentless pursuit of excellence. I've coached against this program and followed it closely for years. The atmosphere at Dudy Noble Field is nationally recognized as the best in the sport. I'm incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead a program with this kind of legacy and fan base. Mississippi State has set the standard in college baseball, and I can't wait to get to work, build relationships and compete for championships in Starkville."
Quote From Mississippi State President Dr. Mark E. Keenum
"At Mississippi State, we have a long tradition of success in baseball. The "M over S," the Maroon and White, and hosting postseason in Starkville is woven into the very fabric of who we are and what we expect of our baseball program. Brian O'Connor is an elite level coach that aligns perfectly with our elite level program. His past certainly speaks for itself, but his clear understanding of the evolution and future of college baseball is clear. We are in the pursuit of championships. I am thrilled for Coach O'Connor, our student-athletes and Bulldogs everywhere as this is a historic day for Mississippi State."
Brian O’Connor is the new Mississippi State Baseball coach. First of all, Hail State knocked it out of the park with this hire. O’Connor was at the top of coaching candidate lists for a few years now and the Bulldogs have lured in the big fish. But it’s not about O’Connor landing in Starkville. It should be about the peculiar timeline that the Bulldogs Athletic Department took that should be under the microscope.
June 22nd, 2021
No. 7 Mississippi State played Virginia in the CWS 1-0 game against Brian O’Connor seeking his second National Championship with the Hoos.
The Bulldogs entered the 8th getting no-hit by Virginia’s Griff McGary. With a runner on base Kellum Clark broke up the no-hitter with a lasered home run that landed in the right field bullpen.
In a 4-2 ballgame social media sensation and stud closer Stephen Schoch entered in relief. Then on Schoch’s second pitch Tanner Allen smacked a slider over the fence for a 3-run round tripper.
Hail State used six hits, two tanks, and six runs in the 8th inning to defeat Virginia sending the Cavaliers into the loser’s bracket where they would be eliminated by Texas.
June 30th, 2021
In the words wrote by Joel Coleman on HailState.com, “In that moment, fathers, sons, mothers, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends and more could finally embrace and know the feeling no MSU supporter had ever known. There is no more wondering when. The days of longing are done. The 2021 Mississippi State Bulldogs are national champions. Oh how sweet it is.”
April 28th, 2025
In the four years after winning the National Championship Mississippi State tallied a 42-69 SEC record under Coach Chris Lemonis. Frustration in the fanbase grew and after a 2-1 series loss at Auburn the plug was pulled on Lemonis’ tenure.
Director of Athletics, Zac Selmon, announced that Pitching Coach Justin Parker would fill in as the interim head coach. Parker, in his 2nd year as an assistant at MSU with no experience of being a head coach at any level, was named the interim. Notably not the 2019 Assistant Coach of the Year Jake Gautreau who had interim head coaching experience during 2014 at Tulane.
The entire day was fishy to say the least. Lemonis was fired when the team had 7 wins in the SEC (needing 6 more to reach the notorious 13 SEC win mark) with 6 games vs Kentucky and Missouri left plus a home series against Ole Miss.
It leads a college baseball follower to believe that Lemonis was canned that way the Athletic Department wouldn’t have to feel pressured to bring their National Champion head coach back after the team backdoored their way into the NCAA Tournament. Also, a college baseball follower could assume Parker was chosen because he may not be as sharp in coaching the team and would also be easier to cut ties with at the conclusion of the season.
Monday, May 26th, 2025
After finishing 9-2 (9-1 in the regular season) Interim Head Coach Justin Parker led Mississippi State to 15 SEC wins and a NCAA Tournament appearance. The Bulldogs were selected into the Tallahassee Regional as a 3-seed.
Thursday, May 29th, 2025
For 30 days it was Ziploc tight when it came to buzz around the Mississippi State coaching search. All of a sudden on the day before the Bulldogs' first game of the NCAA Baseball Tournament regional round there were leaks.
Everybody and their grandmother claimed to have “sources” that Brian O’Connor would become the next head coach of Mississippi State baseball. Why were the rumors able to stay underground until right before a game against a Northeastern team on a 27-game win streak?
Wake Forest’s Pitching Coach Corey Muscara was linked to Mississippi State via "sources" to possibly be the Pitching Coach on O’Connor’s staff. Since Muscara was a new name to the saga could his camp be the reason for the leak?
Once again the situation smelled.
Friday, May 30th, 2025
In Friday’s game Wake Forest’s starting pitcher Blake Morningstar struggled with his control and got rocked by Cincinnati.
Morningstar was stuck in a never ending 2nd inning that resulted in two home runs and an 8-0 deficit. Nobody was warming up in the Demon Deacons' bullpen during the high stress inning. Morningstar threw 111 pitches and was tagged for 10 earned runs and 6 walks in 4.1 innings pitched.
Is it fair to wonder where Muscara’s focus was?
Mississippi State and Interim Coach Justin Parker destroyed Northeastern 11-2.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025
Buckle up Sunday was a long day.
Both Wake Forest and Mississippi State won their loser bracket games in the afternoon. The Demon Deacons defeated Cincinnati at 2:58 PM ET. Hail State beat the Huskies for a second time in the weekend at 3:17 PM ET.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 7:25 PM ET
Joe Powell rips a home run to give Mississippi State a 2-0 lead over Florida State in the Tallahassee Regional Final. However the MSU University private jet took flight. Something was happening. Something so big that it was safe to rule out that Muscara’s camp was the source of a possible leak.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 9:01 PM ET
After a 1 hour and 35 minute flight the MSU University plane landed at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport. A three run 8th inning gives Florida State a 5-2 lead over Mississippi State.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 9:14 PM ET
Florida State wins the Tallahassee Regional eliminating Mississippi State with a final score of 5-2.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, a little before 9:36 PM ET
MSU University plane leaves the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 10:20 PM ET
A new era begins in Starkville. Brian O’Connor is named the 19th Head Coach in Mississippi State Baseball history.
Sunday, June 1st, 2025, 11:18 PM ET
A video of Brian O’Connor walking off the MSU University private jet surfaces.
The Impact
In the Mississippi State postgame press conference Parker was asked how the team navigated around the news and what kind of impact that the coaching rumors may have had during the weekend:
“I got kids upset on the bus on Wednesday and Thursday. I got all kind of shit flying around… I wish a lot of the rumors weren’t flying around. I wish there was a little bit more patience with the process. But I get it of course. We’ve been living in it for 4 or 5 weeks,” said the interim coach.
“What’s really tough is to watch these guys work the entire year starting in late July, August and to go through all of that for a chance to be in this position that we were in this morning or even this afternoon and to have that hanging over us is disappointing,” said Parker.
“It’s just a distraction - it’s impossible to quantify how it impacted this weekend,” finished Parker when talking about the topic.
The Mississippi State athletic department was going to walk out with the crown jewel at all costs. It didn’t matter if they had to personally throw road block signs in front of their own team. Hail State was going to have a new regime on June 2nd, 2025: the day the Transfer Portal opens.
The Future
Brian O’Connor is a hell of a coach and has one of, if not the best current resume in the game. O’Connor has won over 70% of his games coached. He has coached in the College World Series seven times. Oak has helped develop 93 players to get selected into the MLB Draft.
The transfer portal and NIL era in college athletics doesn’t intimidate the 54-year-old Omaha native. He will certainly continue his strong recruiting and development skills while leading the Maroon and White back to his hometown a few times in the next decade.
Quote From Director of Athletics Zac Selmon
"Brian O'Connor is one of the most respected and accomplished coaches in college baseball. He's a national champion, a Hall of Famer, and a proven leader with a track record of building a championship-caliber program. Mississippi State is built to win at the highest level, and Coach O'Connor knows what that takes. From elite player development to consistent success on the national stage, his résumé speaks for itself. He understands the standard here and embraces the opportunity to elevate it even further. This is a defining moment for Mississippi State Baseball and a powerful step forward for our program, our players and our fans."
Quote From Head Baseball Coach Brian O’Connor
"Mississippi State represents everything I love about college baseball — tradition, passion and a relentless pursuit of excellence. I've coached against this program and followed it closely for years. The atmosphere at Dudy Noble Field is nationally recognized as the best in the sport. I'm incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead a program with this kind of legacy and fan base. Mississippi State has set the standard in college baseball, and I can't wait to get to work, build relationships and compete for championships in Starkville."
Quote From Mississippi State President Dr. Mark E. Keenum
"At Mississippi State, we have a long tradition of success in baseball. The "M over S," the Maroon and White, and hosting postseason in Starkville is woven into the very fabric of who we are and what we expect of our baseball program. Brian O'Connor is an elite level coach that aligns perfectly with our elite level program. His past certainly speaks for itself, but his clear understanding of the evolution and future of college baseball is clear. We are in the pursuit of championships. I am thrilled for Coach O'Connor, our student-athletes and Bulldogs everywhere as this is a historic day for Mississippi State."
