Texas Baseball Coaching Search**Updated with David Pierce Hire**

[Juan]

Some Penn St. smack

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[joeywa]

"Just my opinion but his goal was always the pitching coach at Texas and achieved that. I think he now sees and believes he can succeed as a HC at P5 school and this opportunity at OU gives him a chance to once again show that he can make an positive impact at a program looking for one."

How many people here think he had a positive impact on our program?

In other words did we win more games because of him?

Guess I'm in the minority but I don't think so.

You're correct.  You'd be in the minority.  Skip had a tremendous effect on our pitchers, and our program.  He also trains several current MLB pitchers, and they all speak very highly of him.  Outside of this year, pitching was always one of our major strengths over the last decade.  Just watch, he will do the same at OU. 

 

[Bear19]

Joey

So you think we won more games because of him?

 

[joeywa]

Joey

So you think we won more games because of him?

Yes.  But as I said, not this year.  There was a lot missing this year, top to bottom. 

 

[utisdabomb12]

The AAS hit job on Perrin makes me believe that Chip Brown report. 

http://www.scout.com/college/texas/story/1586647-breaking-steve-patterson-out-as-ad

"Hunt tried to work closely with Austin American-Statesman reporters Brian Davis and Kirk Bohls in an attempt to secure favorable coverage for Patterson and Patterson's management of UT athletics, multiple sources said."

I'm honestly starting to believe this. I think AAS is pissed they outed their guy who was feeding them info for favorable media coverage.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

The AAS hit job on Perrin makes me believe that Chip Brown report. 

http://www.scout.com/college/texas/story/1586647-breaking-steve-patterson-out-as-ad

"Hunt tried to work closely with Austin American-Statesman reporters Brian Davis and Kirk Bohls in an attempt to secure favorable coverage for Patterson and Patterson's management of UT athletics, multiple sources said."

I'm honestly starting to believe this. I think AAS is pissed they outed their guy who was feeding them info for favorable media coverage.

I guess I'm missing what this has to do with the Texas Baseball Coaching search. 

 

[Johnstark23]

I guess I'm missing what this has to do with the Texas Baseball Coaching search.

Because that shit rag had been leading the narrative that Perrin is in over his head on this coaching search and that he had mismanaged it. Especially Bohls of Crap

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Because that shit rag had been leading the narrative that Perrin is in over his head on this coaching search and that he had mismanaged it. Especially Bohls of Crap

Okay, I don't read the AAS ever so I didn't know that. 

However, they are far from the only ones who espouse that particular narrative about the coaching search. Just about any Texas site/discussion board is full of the same narrative. 

I may be proven wrong when it is all said and done but I'm not buying that narrative. I think they know what they are doing and have it under control. IMHO, the real targets were always coaches who were involved in the CWS and that one of them will be named the next head coach sometime this week. Of course, it's not like I've never been wrong before 

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Every time that Tadlock's name comes up someone mentions his buyout clause. On another site, there is a post that details Tadlock's new contract. But's there something interesting in his contract and that is that the language in it makes you think that this new contract does not become effective until July 1. Don't know if that's really the case or not and I don't know if the same buyout terms were in his previous contract but it's interesting none the less. 

 

[joeywa]

The Tadlock situation is interesting but two things come to mind when thinking about this.

1. If he were truly a serious option, his buddy Skip wouldn't be headed to Norman.

2. Does anyone think after the lengthy legal challenges with Wickline and OSU that the folks at Texas want to enter another court case for a coach? I'd have to say no way.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Reading makes me think he's the baseball version of Sterlin Gilbert 

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/16582303/arizona-wildcats-coach-jay-johnson-win-away-ncaa-baseball-championship

Wouldn't bother me a bit to hire this guy.

 

[NWAHorn]

Count me in the not Skip Johnson club. But in full disclosure my feelings on this are personal. I think Skip's talk is a lot better than his actual results. His teams at Navarro College often way underachieved. He's a great recruiter, I'm just not sold on him as a finisher.

 

[utisdabomb12]

I guess I'm missing what this has to do with the Texas Baseball Coaching search. 

The AAS has been very anti Perrin this entire baseball coaching search. It took a while to connect the dots, but it's pretty obvious now. The AAS is upset that Patterson is gone. 

The AAS lost the AD that was feeding them info for favorable media coverage. It makes perfect sense why Bohls/Davis have been negative about everything Texas related since Patterson was ousted. 

 

[java]

Nothing on the Texas baseball coach. Darn!

 

[joeywa]

Sorry java, been out most of the evening.


With the clock ticking, there is some chatter that it's now down to Whitting and Pierce. I'm not discounting that something could change and another candidate or two could get into the mix throughout the remainder of this week, but I expect a hire to be announced before the end of the week. Whitting is being talked about very little when it comes to the Texas job, even though he's interviewed for it, and almost not at all outside of the Houston area. Pierce is the name that is brought up the most often. If I had to bet, I'd say Pierce is the leader in the clubhouse right now.

While Pierce, (if he's the choice,) is definitely not a huge splash that the masses are seeking, I've told almost anyone who'd listen that this hire is far more difficult than the Augie hire. There is not a current Augie out there. Sure, there are guys with some skins on the wall, but Augie was pretty much a legend before he set foot on The 40.

Casey has won the CWS twice. O'Connor, Corbin, Mainieri and Savage have all won one CWS title apiece. O'Sullivan has been there. Outside of them, the only other names that are what I'd consider "big" names in college baseball are Schlossnagle, (admirable history of getting to the CWS, hasn't made it to the finals yet,) and McDonnell, (been to the CWS 3 times, but has only won 1 game in Omaha.) Tadlock (TT.) He spent 8 years at Grayson, and won the NJCAA World Series twice. Been at TT for 4 years, been to the CWS twice. He's a very solid HC. Heefner (DBU) has put together a nice program at Dallas Baptist in his 9 years there. He has made the Regionals and Super Regionals in his time there, but has not yet made it to Omaha.

Other names that were mentioned:

• Jay Johnson, (Arizona) Currently in CWS finals in his first year at UA. Prior to two weeks ago, nobody knew much about him. He was a long-time assistant at USD, (7 years,) two years at Nevada as the Head Coach where his teams didn't get to the Regionals, and this year at AZ. While at USD, he was a solid recruiter of west coast players. I've seen him at a few camps my son has attended, and he is a solid young coach. If you'd have suggested him two weeks ago, most folks would have said, "Who?"
• Josh Holliday (Ok State) He has been at Ok St for 4 years as the HC with one trip to the CWS, this year. Prior to that he spent 2001-2012 as a journeyman assistant coach with stints at Ok St, GA Tech, NC State, AZ St and Vandy. He is back at his alma mater and outside of wanting a new stadium, he is pretty happy there.
• Gary Gilmore (Coastal Carolina) Been at Coastal for 21 years, and is pretty much an annual participant in the Regionals and Super Regionals. This is his first trip to Omaha, and has cut through #1 seeds like they're were butter. He has put together a very nice program in South Carolina, just got a new stadium in 2013, and is at his alma mater.
• Dan Heefner (DBU) He interviewed, but the Texas job is not a fit for either party.

So you've got:

• O'Connor (while I'd like to think that he would come to Texas, I honestly believe he loves where he's at, and he's built a successful baseball program. He announced on June 12th that he was staying put at UVA)
• Corbin (understandably was a top candidate, but after the death of a freshman pitcher on his team the day prior to their first game in the post season, he wasn't about to leave the team.)
• Mainieri (expressed interest in the job, but used the discussion with Texas to obtain a raise from LSU on June 16th.)
• Savage (was a leading candidate but withdrew his name from consideration on June 17th after learning of Texas' interest in Casey.)
• Casey (was interviewed and offered the job; ready to come to Austin, but he has some personal family issues that caused him to say thank you but no thanks on June 17th.)
• O'Sullivan (another leading candidate, and while his team was playing in the Supers and in Omaha, there was some sort of conversation with his representatives about the Texas job. On June 9th Florida singed him to an extension and made promises to upgrade the UF baseball facilities.)
• Schlossnagle (everyone here is aware of the story with Schloss. It's been well-publicized here. Shortly after returning from Omaha, he signed an extension with TCU on June 27th)
• McDonnell (Louisville promptly signed him to a five year contract extension making his salary $1 million on June 1st, a mere two days after Augie "resignation/reassignment")
• Tadlock (Like Schloss, this situation has been discussed at length here. Tim signed a contact extension on May 19th, prior to the Augie announcement, which included a non-compete clause, effectively taking him off the table.)
• Heefner (Interviewed at Texas, but the job is not really fitting for either person.)
• Johnson (Still playing in Omaha, and while there's an outside chance he could still be in the mix, I don't see it. He doesn't have enough ties to the state or experience, and while what he's done this year is without a doubt impressive, I don't see Texas going that direction.)
• Holliday (While mentioned, as I outlined above, I don't think he's leaving Ok State.)
• Gilmore (Still playing in Omaha. As I stated above, I don't believe he's leaving.)

That brings us to the two other names mentioned, Pierce and Whitting.

Todd Whitting (UH) Spent 9 yrs as an asst at UH, and 7 yrs at TCU as an asst and associate HC. He took over the HC job at UH in 2011. He has reached the NCAA Supers and NCAA Regionals. He knows Texas and the Houston area, and has a solid resume. While he did interview, he's not been mentioned with the Texas too much lately outside of Houston.

David Pierce (Tulane) Spent 2 years at UH as an assistant then 11 years as an assistant at Rice under Wayne Graham. He knows hitting and pitching having coached both at Rice. He took the HC job at Sam Houston State in 2012 and took them to the NCAA Regionals in his three years there. He took the Tulane job in 2015 and has taken them to the NCAA Regionals in each of his two years. He is a native Houstonian and knows how to recruit the state.


If you want my opinion, I think Pierce would be a fine choice and would be a better fit at UT than Whitting or Johnson. He wants to be here and he knows what The University of Texas Baseball is all about. We will see how this plays out the rest of the week, but if you had to ask me now, I think he's the best option.

 

[joeywa]

Also, it's being mentioned by posters on other sites that Pierce is the guy.  I say we wait to see an official release.  It may be correct, but I am not comfortable saying it is until it's actually announced by The University. 

 

[utisdabomb12]

Pierce is who I wanted from the get go. If that's who it is I will be ecstatic. 

 

[Coal Harbour]

I would be very happy with Pierce.  I think that would be a step in the right direction.

 

[Donald Boyles]

If it's David Pierce, would he continue coaching the USA National Team? The USA team will be leaving for China July 5th and will be there through the 25th.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011