Report: In-house candidate emerging to be new Mississippi State AD

Scott Stricklin will reportedly be leaving Mississippi State to become the new athletic director at Florida, leaving behind a vacancy that will need to be filled. According to Michael Bonner of The Clarion-Ledger, that role may be filled by somebody already employed by the university.

Bonner reports that baseball coach John Cohen would appear to be the lead candidate to become the Bulldogs’ new AD. Cohen had his contract extended by Stricklin in July, also becoming associate athletic director.

Cohen has never been an AD, but he did participate in the interviewing process for head football coach Dan Mullen. Cohen, a Tuscaloosa native, also played at Mississippi State from 1988-90.

Bonner reports that another internal candidate would be Scott Weatherbee, who currently serves as as senior associate athletic director of external affairs. Bonner also states that multiple sources have said possible external candidates could be John David Wicker of Georgia Tech and Jason Cook of Texas A&M.