STARKVILLE — Will Coggin watched as Nick Mingione demonstrated a positive side.
Serving as the third-base coach for the Mississippi State baseball team for the last four seasons, Mingione usually had a smile on his face and an encouraging word for the batter or a baserunner. Mingione sometimes danced in between pitches as the public address played music.
In June, though, Mingione was hired as the baseball coach Kentucky, leaving then-MSU baseball coach John Cohen with the task of finding his replacement. Instead of going outside of the program, Cohen promoted Coggin, a volunteer coach and coordinator of camps, to a full-time assistant.
The promotion forced more than a few changes, including a move from coaching first base to third base. In his first fall at the position, Coggin is learning and trying to be a positive voice like Mingione.
“I just want to feed our guys confidence, be enthusiastic,” said Coggin, who will coach at 4 p.m. Thursday when MSU plays Game 1 of the Maroon World Series at Dudy Noble Field. “I want our guys to play aggressive. I want them to take out the complete fear of failure. I want them to just be aggressive, have fun, and compete.”
Game 2 of the three-game wrapup to the fall season will be at 4 p.m. Friday. Game 3 will be at 11 a.m. Saturday. All games are open and free to the public.
Coggin served three seasons as an assistant baseball coach at St. Johns River State College in Palatka, Florida, under coach Ross Jones. He coached third base for the Vikings and learned he needed to give off positive energy.
After coaching first base for one season, Coggin is trying to re-gain his perspective back at third base.
“The decision to send a guy or not is the biggest difference at third base,” Coggin said. “At first base, you kind of help them get around on the bases to this point. The difficult part is getting them all the way around to third base. Over here, it’s more of a signal caller. You’re giving the offensive signals to the hitters and to the baserunners. You’re making the decision whether we go or whether we don’t. It’s a very important decision, and I’m definitely looking forward to the challenge.”
Coggin was a part of Cohen’s staff from 2009-12, but Cohen wanted him to get some experience recruiting and coaching on the field, so he sent him to Jones. Coggin used the time to gain knowledge as a hitting coach. In the summer, Jones said three years as a junior college coach should be a prerequisite for coaching in the Southeastern Conference because it teaches you simplicity, patience, and humility.
“There’s no question in my mind he’ll do a great job coaching third base,” Cohen said earlier this month before being promoted to MSU’s Director of Athletics. Former LSU coach Andy Cannizaro was named to replace Cohen. “He just has an absolute feel for the game. When he went off to St. Johns River Community College, he went off and kind of found himself as a recruiter and as a hitting coach.”
Cohen said Coggin will have to learn to anticipate situations to make the right decisions.
Coggin knows how important it will be for him to make the right choices because his decisions can impact a game.
“Understanding risk. I think that’s the most important part about being a third-base coach,” Coggin said.
Coggin was Cohen’s third third-base coach at MSU. Lane Burroughs, who took over as the Louisiana Tech coach this summer, served in that capacity from 2009-12. Cohen promoted Mingione when Burroughs left to take the head coaching job at Northwestern State.
Coggin knows the speed of veterans like junior Brent Rooker, senior Cody Brown, and junior Ryan Gridley. He is learning the speed of newcomers like junior college transfer Harrison Bragg and freshmen Will Brooks and Denver McQuary.
“We have some great kids who are some great competitors,” Coggin said. “I think they would compete their tails off no matter who was over here at third base. Pretty much the mentality they have is, ‘I’m going to score every time I’m coming to third base.’ The light is always green. I tell them they don’t stop unless I stop them. They’re scoring every time is their mentality.”
Coggin said he hasn’t talked to Mingione about his transition to third base, but he said he will try to emulate him.
Mingione was known for not ducking when foul balls were hit his way. Coggin said Mingione did that because he was trying to lead by example after telling batters to stand their ground. While Coggin will try to follow Mingione’s lead in setting a positive example, he said he might not emulate that aspect of Mingione’s style.
“I might demonstrate that a little bit this year,” Coggin said. “I don’t know if I’ll do it quite to the effect coach Mingione did. I might break that mentality out.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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