I think you are likely to see a name from somewhere in his past. Maybe an SEC or Big 12 connection.

I will say he was genuinely caught off guard. I think he figured that since it didn't happen last year and things are on an upward trajectory that he would get a chance with fully funded scholarships..

Any chance Scott Stricklin would be interested and/or would be a candidate. He is a young guy (41) and has done wonders at Kent State. In his 9 years the Golden Flashes have like a 314-165 record.http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A..._Stricklin

(05-16-2013 09:32 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  Any chance Scott Stricklin would be interested and/or would be a candidate. He is a young guy (41) and has done wonders at Kent State. In his 9 years the Golden Flashes have like a 314-165 record.http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A..._Stricklin

I really doubt it. But there are definitely VERY good coaches who are interested. I know one already who is interested. Hope he applies.

(05-16-2013 09:32 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  Any chance Scott Stricklin would be interested and/or would be a candidate. He is a young guy (41) and has done wonders at Kent State. In his 9 years the Golden Flashes have like a 314-165 record.http://us.yhs4.search.yahoo.com/r/_ylt=A..._Stricklin

Probably 0% chance. Has already turned down way more money than UC could offer for jobs at good baseball schools and also declined Ohio State a couple years ago.

Early names to keep an eye on are Chris Lemonis from Louisville and Kevin McMullan from Virginia.

(05-16-2013 10:33 PM)subflea Wrote:  Early names to keep an eye on are Chris Lemonis from Louisville and Kevin McMullan from Virginia.

What roles do they have at those schools?

Lemonis is the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. Been the top assistant for 7 years.
McMullan is the hitting coach and in charge of fielding for catchers and infielders. He was named the top assistant coach in the country by Baseball America last year.

McMullan would be a tough get, but is worth going after.

I don't follow college baseball much aside from casual viewing, but those two potential candidates sound like pretty damn good place to start to me.

(05-16-2013 11:07 PM)subflea Wrote:  Lemonis is the hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. Been the top assistant for 7 years.
McMullan is the hitting coach and in charge of fielding for catchers and infielders. He was named the top assistant coach in the country by Baseball America last year.

McMullan would be a tough get, but is worth going after.

What do you think the Bearcats need in the new coach that was lacking in Cleary?

The tough thing for any coach at UC is having UK (SEC) Ohio St and Indiana (Big 10) and Louisville (arguably the top northern program in this area) recruiting in the same area that UC shoudlbe getting many of their top players. That is a tough 4 school battle to be waging all the time.

That being said if UC could get Lemonis from Louisville that would set up some very interesting recruiting battles for UC. I don't know how UC will pay the new coach as getting one of those top assisitants will take some cash as those head coaches at UofL, Ind, Kent St. etc. have taken care of their top assistants during their contract negotiations pretty well.

What I would like to see in the new coach is a guy who can put together a strong coaching staff that specializes in recruiting and development. I know some on this board will say Cleary had some good young players but what I think UC needs is to stop the ups and downs of the recruiting process. UC needs consistentcy in their recruiting classes so that the team is led by Jr and Srs who can show the new guys what it takes to compete and win at the D1 college level. Recruiting and development so they stay. No more senior classes of 3 guys - 2 pitchers and a fillin position player.

(05-17-2013 08:34 AM)ruffles Wrote:  The tough thing for any coach at UC is having UK (SEC) Ohio St and Indiana (Big 10) and Louisville (arguably the top northern program in this area) recruiting in the same area that UC shoudlbe getting many of their top players. That is a tough 4 school battle to be waging all the time.

That being said if UC could get Lemonis from Louisville that would set up some very interesting recruiting battles for UC. I don't know how UC will pay the new coach as getting one of those top assisitants will take some cash as those head coaches at UofL, Ind, Kent St. etc. have taken care of their top assistants during their contract negotiations pretty well.

What I would like to see in the new coach is a guy who can put together a strong coaching staff that specializes in recruiting and development. I know some on this board will say Cleary had some good young players but what I think UC needs is to stop the ups and downs of the recruiting process. UC needs consistentcy in their recruiting classes so that the team is led by Jr and Srs who can show the new guys what it takes to compete and win at the D1 college level. Recruiting and development so they stay. No more senior classes of 3 guys - 2 pitchers and a fillin position player.

I get your points, but if you really have a baseball program rolling along the senior class will be nearly empty every year due to the Junior draft. Most good players leave after Junior year.

(05-16-2013 05:48 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  Minter had his faults but he brought a ton of stability to the program. Won one share of the CUSA title and made multiple bowl games. We cuts ties at the right time but his comparison made sense just because Minter never had the opportunity to recruit/coach with the Big East name attached to the program.

UC clearly made the right decision moving on from Minter, but the guy has nothing but great things to say about the UC program and I will always appreciated his time here...warts and all.

Minter didn't seem to have a lot of support of his former players... they despised him. I had so many emails of support from inside and outside the program that I'm a firm believer that there had to be a change.

(05-17-2013 08:45 AM)tdbearcat Wrote:  

(05-17-2013 08:34 AM)ruffles Wrote:  The tough thing for any coach at UC is having UK (SEC) Ohio St and Indiana (Big 10) and Louisville (arguably the top northern program in this area) recruiting in the same area that UC shoudlbe getting many of their top players. That is a tough 4 school battle to be waging all the time.

That being said if UC could get Lemonis from Louisville that would set up some very interesting recruiting battles for UC. I don't know how UC will pay the new coach as getting one of those top assisitants will take some cash as those head coaches at UofL, Ind, Kent St. etc. have taken care of their top assistants during their contract negotiations pretty well.

What I would like to see in the new coach is a guy who can put together a strong coaching staff that specializes in recruiting and development. I know some on this board will say Cleary had some good young players but what I think UC needs is to stop the ups and downs of the recruiting process. UC needs consistentcy in their recruiting classes so that the team is led by Jr and Srs who can show the new guys what it takes to compete and win at the D1 college level. Recruiting and development so they stay. No more senior classes of 3 guys - 2 pitchers and a fillin position player.

I get your points, but if you really have a baseball program rolling along the senior class will be nearly empty every year due to the Junior draft. Most good players leave after Junior year.

My point is that players that have been producers in the program for 2 and 3 years are the leaders of the team and show the young guys how to compete and develop within the system which includes school work, weight lifting programs, etc. Whether that is Jrs or Srs is irrelevent. Starting over is not what good programs do - good programs when they have an off year it is finishing in the middle of the pack in their division.

As an example look at Kent St. roster this year. They have 4 seniors. 3 position players, one is the top hitter on the team statistically for the 2nd year in a row and clean up hitter, one is the CF who is the 3 hitter, and the other is the starting catcher. The 4th senior is a week end starting pitcher. These guys were Jrs last season and were very productive along with their SS who was a Sr and leader of the offense ( Rider), their starting catcher (Lyons), and 2 weekend SP. Kent St is a program that UC could pattern itself after. Similarities - good facilities, good recruiting area but tough recruiting battles with Ohio St, UK and West Virginia, lower echelon league.

ruffles - I know all of this stuff quite well...firsthand. Two sons who have or do play baseball in the Pac12. I also know Coach Stricklin (or at least did at one time...he recruited my older son when he was at Georgia Tech as an assistant). He is a FANTASTIC coach...I hope we can come close to getting someone like him, but truthfully, he is 1-in-a-thousand. There aren't many Coach Stricklins.

THE best programs have solid contributing Seniors who return because their experience is so good they want too even though they got drafted after round 10...but also have good enough talent in each class that the better ones (most) are skimmed off after their Junior year. I'm sure you know this, but I don't wanna mislead the casual reader. Lots of seniors is not necessarily a sign of a good program...it can mean they weren't good enough to get drafted in 40 rounds of a baseball draft.

(05-17-2013 10:10 AM)tdbearcat Wrote:  ruffles - I know all of this stuff quite well...firsthand. Two sons who have or do play baseball in the Pac12. I also know Coach Stricklin (or at least did at one time...he recruited my older son when he was at Georgia Tech as an assistant). He is a FANTASTIC coach...I hope we can come close to getting someone like him, but truthfully, he is 1-in-a-thousand. There aren't many Coach Stricklins.

THE best programs have solid contributing Seniors who return because their experience is so good they want too even though they got drafted after round 10...but also have good enough talent in each class that the better ones (most) are skimmed off after their Junior year. I'm sure you know this, but I don't wanna mislead the casual reader. Lots of seniors is not necessarily a sign of a good program...it can mean they weren't good enough to get drafted in 40 rounds of a baseball draft.

thanks for the info...much appreciated.

(05-17-2013 10:10 AM)tdbearcat Wrote:  ruffles - I know all of this stuff quite well...firsthand. Two sons who have or do play baseball in the Pac12. I also know Coach Stricklin (or at least did at one time...he recruited my older son when he was at Georgia Tech as an assistant). He is a FANTASTIC coach...I hope we can come close to getting someone like him, but truthfully, he is 1-in-a-thousand. There aren't many Coach Stricklins.

THE best programs have solid contributing Seniors who return because their experience is so good they want too even though they got drafted after round 10...but also have good enough talent in each class that the better ones (most) are skimmed off after their Junior year. I'm sure you know this, but I don't wanna mislead the casual reader. Lots of seniors is not necessarily a sign of a good program...it can mean they weren't good enough to get drafted in 40 rounds of a baseball draft.

Congrats on your sons involvement in college baseball. Others have been involved also directly and indirectly. I wouldn't downplay college seniors who don't get drafted. Many very good players don't get drafted due to not possessing the attributes pro scouts are looking for not due to their college productivity. Many very good "college baseball players" out there. My post stated 2 relief pitcher and a utility player not alot of seniors which equals no senior leadership for young guys to look up to.

(05-17-2013 12:14 PM)ruffles Wrote:  Congrats on your sons involvement in college baseball. Others have been involved also directly and indirectly. I wouldn't downplay college seniors who don't get drafted. Many very good players don't get drafted due to not possessing the attributes pro scouts are looking for not due to their college productivity. Many very good "college baseball players" out there. My post stated 2 relief pitcher and a utility player not alot of seniors which equals no senior leadership for young guys to look up to.

I definitely did not mean to imply you don't know your stuff. Sorry if it came out that way. Just letting you know that I do too along with some clarification that I thought was useful. (BTW, my older son did return for his senior year in Pac12 and helped his team get to Omaha that year...despite getting drafted after his Junior year, so I know an awful lot about this).

Anyways, I don't disagree with what you wrote above at all. I only meant to convey that a lot of seniors is not necessarily the goal...although senior leadership can definitely make a difference...which was likely your point.

Sorry for any distraction.

So what was the puff piece in the Enquirer a couple weeks ago for? You never see anything about UC baseball in the Enquirer, then one great article on how good the coach is, then he's fired a couple weeks later. Something fishy was going on there.

When I read that article, first thing I thought was this was a guy who was lobbying to keep his job.