FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.—John McDonnell won’t mind sharing space in this column with Ron Polk.

Arkansas’ retiring track coaching legend admires the now officially retired Mississippi State baseball coaching legend’s fight against the NCAA’s bureaucratic assault on men’s spring sports and those who coach and play them.

Polk’s stance on the NCAA administration, who he has called “nerds” was recently addressed in a column here. It was written from talking with Polk during the SEC Baseball teleconference before Polk’s Bulldogs played their final games under their coach of 29-year...