Mississippi State Athletics: John Cohen steps out on Auburn job

Former Mississippi State athletic director, John Cohen has been hired as the new athletic director at Auburn University.

Well, those who are reading this could have several different emotions. I’m sure some of you are happy and think that Cohen never did enough for Mississippi State University. I’m sure others are sad to see Cohen leave and believe he brought in the best coaches he could get at Mississippi State. Either way, it has now become official. John Cohen is headed to the plains of Auburn, Alabama, and has taken the job of athletic director at Auburn University.

John Cohen did some great things while at Mississippi State University. First, I want to recognize his success in baseball. Cohen carried on what Ron Polk started inside the Mississippi State baseball program, and I’m more than satisfied with what he accomplished during his time as head coach of the Diamond Dawgs.

Secondly, John Cohen stepped in as Mississippi State University’s athletic director in November 2016. He stepped into something that was already growing in Mississippi State athletics, but he sustained the growth. After Dan Mullen was hired at the University of Florida, Cohen hired Joe Moorhead from Penn State University. Honestly, this was seen as a fantastic hire across the world of college football. We know that it didn’t turn out to be the best relationship between the two, but Cohen was doing what he could inside the hiring process of Mississippi State sports.

John Cohen went on to hire several other coaches that have succeeded at Mississippi State. Obviously, Mike Leach being the biggest name, but he has also hired Chris Jans as the Mississippi State men’s basketball head coach, Julie Darty Dennis as the women’s volleyball coach, Sam Purcell as the Mississippi State women’s basketball head coach, and Chris Lemonis as Mississippi State’s baseball head coach.

Now, the Mississippi State fanbase looks towards who Mark Keenum (Mississippi State president) and Mississippi State will bring in as their new athletic director. A few names have been thrown out, but nothing has taken place. Robbie Faulk from 247sports.com threw out a couple of names that wouldn’t be terrible places to start the interview process.