According to a MSU press release, Cannizaro said that he had a great opportunity at Mississippi State but made poor decisions. “I hope Mississippi State University, all of the fans, and people affected by my actions will one day forgive me.” Cannizaro is John Cohen’s first hire. He hired him as his successor before he was promoted from Mississippi State’s baseball coach to athletic director in November 2016. The MSU baseball job has been widely regarded as one of the most desirable in college sports. State is currently undergoing a $50 million upgrade to Dudy Noble Field. Cohen stated that Andy was the right fit for the job when he considered all the qualities needed in a Mississippi State baseball coach. Cohen added that Cohen was a better coach then John Cohen. The release states that Cannizaro resigned immediately after Cannizaro’s first season was a huge success, leading the Bulldogs into an NCAA Super Regional. It seemed like the news came out of nowhere. It is clear that the decision was taken for non-field reasons. Rumours abound. Cannizaro was currently in the second year on a four-year contract, which paid him an average $533,000 per year. Gary Henderson, former Kentucky head coach, will be the interim head of baseball. Henderson stated in a MSU press release that he accepted the position despite being forced to. He also noted that he has been with the team for two years. “We have outstanding student-athletes, a great staff, and proudly represent our rich tradition-rich program. We will continue to move forward and focus on what we can control so that Mississippi State fans can be proud of our team.” The Bulldogs dropped all three of their opening series against Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, which was also nationally ranked. On Wednesday night, the Bulldogs will play Jackson State at JSU. Cannizaro, 39 years old, arrived from LSU, a rival in the SEC, as an assistant coach. He was a former Tulane star and grad who played in the Major Leagues. After five years as a professional baseball scout, he joined Paul Manieri’s LSU staff where he gained the reputation for being an exceptional recruiter.