Rebels Opt To Not Roll Over Mike Bianco’s Contract

Mike Bianco suffered his first losing season as the Rebels manager since being hired in 2001.

Ole Miss hoisted its first national title a season ago in TD Ameritrade Park after defying the odds as the last team in. Now, the Rebels are sitting at home with nothing but memories of years past as the road to Omaha begins once more. 

Change could be headed to Oxford in the not-so-distant future following a lost season at Swayze Field?

According to Rivals, Ole Miss has elected to not roll over Mike Bianco’s contract following a disastrous 2022 campaign. The Rebels finished in last place among SEC teams with a 25-29 overall record and a 6-24 record in SEC games.

Mike Bianco was rewarded with a salary increase to $1.6 million and a contract of more than 4 years after last year's national title. His contract wasn't rolled back out to the maximum length following this season. #RebsBSB

— Chase Parham (@ChaseParham) May 29, 2023

Bianco, who’s managed the Rebels since 2001, meets with athletic director Keith Carter each offseason to discuss his contract. Following its comeback win over Oklahoma in the College World Series final, Ole Miss offered Bianco the maximum state-allowed four-year extension last summer. 

But things quickly turned south in Oxford following a rigorous February. The Rebels played most of the season without ace Hunter Elliott due to Tommy John Surgery. Offensive production staggered once conference play began. 

As a team, Ole Miss posted a .285 batting average and totaled 83 home runs in 1,815 at-bats. Pitching-wise, the Rebels posted a team ERA of 6.40, third-highest among all SEC programs.  

According to On3, additional years of commitment can be added through the Ole Miss Loyalty Foundation, so while Bianco isn’t set to lose his job for the time being, his contract is for no less than four years. 

Bianco has been a staple of Rebels athletics during the changing times of college athletics. He helped guide Ole Miss to four SEC West titles (2005, 2009, 2014, 2018) and two tournament titles (2006, 2018). Under his watch, the Rebels have made it to the College World Series twice, once in 2014 and again last spring. 

Entering his 24th season, Bianco holds a 968–558–1 record with the program. Surprisingly, 2022 was the first losing season under Bianco since being hired. 

Ole Miss lost eight of its last 10 games, eliminating itself from the conference tournament in the process. Prior to this spring, no Rebel team before them had finished with less than 13 conference wins under Bianco’s watch. 

---

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rebels? Click Here.

Follow The Grove Report On Facebook and Twitter.

Want even more Ole Miss Rebels News? Check out the SI.com team page here