Greg Byrne was widely lauded for the coaching search that brought baseball coach John Cohen back to Mississippi State in June.
The next hire for the first-year Mississippi State athletic director will have a much higher profile.
Byrne, 36, assumes the leadership role in naming Sylvester Croom’s successor at State. The fifth-year MSU football coach resigned on Saturday, one day after Ole Miss pummeled the Bulldogs 45-0 in Oxford. Croom met with Byrne on Saturday morning before deciding to submit his resignation.
State has hired Neinas Sports Services, a consulting firm headed by former Big Eight Conference commissioner Chuck Neinas, to assist in its search for a football coach. Byrne said he has no specific timetable in mind for naming Croom’s successor, and that former MSU head coach Rockey Felker would handle the day-to-day operations of the program. The remainder of the Bulldogs’ coaching staff will also continue to work in recruiting.
sunherald.com
12/1/08
