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Elite ACC baseball coach the front-runner for Mississippi State Bulldogs job

The momentum is there for the Diamond Dawgs to land their top target in their head coaching search.
ByAndrew Miller|
Jun 15, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Brian O'Connor chats with the umpires prior to the game against the Florida Gators in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
Jun 15, 2015; Omaha, NE, USA; Virginia Cavaliers head coach Brian O'Connor chats with the umpires prior to the game against the Florida Gators in the 2015 College World Series at TD Ameritrade Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

There has been ever-growing smoke for a few days now that Mississippi State baseball's chances at landing a proven, power-conference head coach were high. More specifically, their chances at landing one of their top targets was increasing, and they could very well be on their way towards bringing an elite coach to Starkville.

Virginia's Brian O'Connor is the front-runner to become Mississippi State's next head coach

Thursday morning, news broke that Bulldog fans could not be more thrilled to hear. According to D1 Baseball's Kendall Rogers, Virginia Cavaliers head coach Brian O'Connor is the clear front-runner to become Mississippi State's next head coach. O'Conner, who has taken UVA to seven College World Series and won the 2015 national championship, has long been considered the top target for MSU, but now it has officially been reported that there is a real chance at actually landing him.

Now as Rogers makes clear in his report, nothing is finalized here. A deal has not been reached, and O'Connor hasn't made a decision. And even if he does choose to make the move to State, an official announcement would be unlikely until after the 2025 baseball team's season has ended. But what we do know is that Zac Selmon and Mississippi State have gone all-in to land him, and he is seriously considering their offer.

Teams have attempted to poach Brian O'Connor away from Charlottesville in the past, and he's never seriously entertained leaving. Just last season Texas A&M made a run at him, and even with all they had to offer financially, he chose to stay put. But this time around, interest is mutual.

There have been concerns that Virginia won't be able to fund baseball at a high-level in the era of revenue-sharing and no scholarship limits. Mississippi State, meanwhile, is committed to pouring whatever funds are necessary to assure its program an compete for national titles with regularity.

So while UVA is home for O'Connor, the time is right for him to make a move, and Starkville could be the destination. If this hire were to be made, Mississippi State would be landing one of the most successful coaches of the 21st century. O'Connor has a stellar resume, having already proven he can win at an elite level.

Brian O'Connor would quite literally be as good of a hire as State could possibly make, and the momentum is there to make it happen. To use a baseball analogy, the Diamond Dawgs are rounding third and heading home. They've just got to beat out the play at the plate.

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