First off, I hope like everything the fellas get it going this weekend. A lot of baseball left to be played and usually about the time the Masters comes on, second weekend of April is when teams start to separate themselves so the next 3 weeks will be key. 6-3 over the next 3 conference series would help to get going in a good direction. 5-4 would make it where they would need a special run late in year.
On Serrano, he is a great coach, his resume pre Tennessee states that. He has had some downfalls here, one of which is he is not the best at building a relationship with in state coaches.
He faces several challenges to make Tennessee baseball competitive at the top half of the league. One is facilities, the fact that with the exception of Mizzu, maybe Georgia and Alabama everyone else in league has better facilities. Kentucky will when they complete their renovations. If there is no way to build an elite off campus stadium downtown on the river, then money needs to be spent upgrading the indoor facility, make it first class... something they can hang their hat on facility wise. Of course LN stadium needs upgrades as well.
The second thing against DS is Vanderbilt, Tim Corbin of course is a dynamic leader, recruiter, and coach.. but what Vanderbilt has is the endowment I had heard one time 4 BILLION. they can use that endowment to aide in Scholarship help.. so basically an in state kid who 15-20 years ago that Tennessee would've gotten their chances are slim now due to Vanderbilt being able to compound scholarship and the endowment money to give to a kid and he is left paying little to go to Vanderbilt. There are a lot of kids that unless they grew up wanting to play for Tennessee and have the choice will go to Vanderbilt..
Now will that change when Corbin leaves? Let's hope so, I believe he will be the next Athletic Director at Vanderbilt.. and if that happens there is no way they can hire someone as good as him because no one is him.
Those are the main 2 challenges Serrano faces that 15-20 years ago Delmonico didn't have the face..
Now as far as replacing Serrano if indeed there is a change.. in previous coaching searches 3 names that had showed interest are Dan McDonnell from Louisville, Jim Schlossnagle TCU, and Gary Gilmore Coastal Carolina.. with Gilmore almost taking the job. But all 3 of those coaches realized in baseball, unlike football and basketball they can win a National Championship where they are at and don't have to coach in the SEC or power 5 to do so.. now Louisville is a power 5 but previously they weren't. And now they don't need a payday..
Names who should be considered
Mark Calvi- South Alabama (elite recruiter- previous SEC experience as an assistant)
Matt Risner- Southeastern Louisiana (great recruiter- up and coming coach) if he could bring Chad Calliet from Southern Miss (who is one of best recruiters in the game) with him then watch out..
Chris Burke - don't have to explain why he would be a great fit
Eric Bakitch -Michigan.. can recruit and has shown ability to to turn programs around.. he does have tendency to run some people the wrong way..
any of those would be guys who I think they should look at.
Folks have mentioned Helton- I would say those chances are slim to none.. I think Helton is helping out only a couple days a week now to do it, to have something to do and be around the game and the fact he loves Tennessee, I don't think there is a chance he would want to be the head coach with the time it would take to be a head coach at a major college. . as far as him not having a degree, I maybe mistaken but I don't think Serrano has one.
When Hamilton didn't break the bank to hire Gilmore, Schlossnagle, or McDonnell and hired Raleigh it set the program back even further. Also he passed over Bobby Pierce who was at Troy and was in the final 2 candidates with Raleigh. Bobby Pierce would've been a tremendous hire and our program would be in much better shape.. Pierce was one of the best hitting coaches and leader of men with the innate ability to get the most out of everyone. He retired 2 years ago at a relatively young age.
With all of that being said I hope Serrano and the fellas play better baseball and make it to the SEC tournament and slide into a regional.. not sure you can find a better coach especially considering the challenges Tennessee Baseball faces.. who knows new blood may help revive the program...
Anyways, Go Vols!
On Serrano, he is a great coach, his resume pre Tennessee states that. He has had some downfalls here, one of which is he is not the best at building a relationship with in state coaches.
He faces several challenges to make Tennessee baseball competitive at the top half of the league. One is facilities, the fact that with the exception of Mizzu, maybe Georgia and Alabama everyone else in league has better facilities. Kentucky will when they complete their renovations. If there is no way to build an elite off campus stadium downtown on the river, then money needs to be spent upgrading the indoor facility, make it first class... something they can hang their hat on facility wise. Of course LN stadium needs upgrades as well.
The second thing against DS is Vanderbilt, Tim Corbin of course is a dynamic leader, recruiter, and coach.. but what Vanderbilt has is the endowment I had heard one time 4 BILLION. they can use that endowment to aide in Scholarship help.. so basically an in state kid who 15-20 years ago that Tennessee would've gotten their chances are slim now due to Vanderbilt being able to compound scholarship and the endowment money to give to a kid and he is left paying little to go to Vanderbilt. There are a lot of kids that unless they grew up wanting to play for Tennessee and have the choice will go to Vanderbilt..
Now will that change when Corbin leaves? Let's hope so, I believe he will be the next Athletic Director at Vanderbilt.. and if that happens there is no way they can hire someone as good as him because no one is him.
Those are the main 2 challenges Serrano faces that 15-20 years ago Delmonico didn't have the face..
Now as far as replacing Serrano if indeed there is a change.. in previous coaching searches 3 names that had showed interest are Dan McDonnell from Louisville, Jim Schlossnagle TCU, and Gary Gilmore Coastal Carolina.. with Gilmore almost taking the job. But all 3 of those coaches realized in baseball, unlike football and basketball they can win a National Championship where they are at and don't have to coach in the SEC or power 5 to do so.. now Louisville is a power 5 but previously they weren't. And now they don't need a payday..
Names who should be considered
Mark Calvi- South Alabama (elite recruiter- previous SEC experience as an assistant)
Matt Risner- Southeastern Louisiana (great recruiter- up and coming coach) if he could bring Chad Calliet from Southern Miss (who is one of best recruiters in the game) with him then watch out..
Chris Burke - don't have to explain why he would be a great fit
Eric Bakitch -Michigan.. can recruit and has shown ability to to turn programs around.. he does have tendency to run some people the wrong way..
any of those would be guys who I think they should look at.
Folks have mentioned Helton- I would say those chances are slim to none.. I think Helton is helping out only a couple days a week now to do it, to have something to do and be around the game and the fact he loves Tennessee, I don't think there is a chance he would want to be the head coach with the time it would take to be a head coach at a major college. . as far as him not having a degree, I maybe mistaken but I don't think Serrano has one.
When Hamilton didn't break the bank to hire Gilmore, Schlossnagle, or McDonnell and hired Raleigh it set the program back even further. Also he passed over Bobby Pierce who was at Troy and was in the final 2 candidates with Raleigh. Bobby Pierce would've been a tremendous hire and our program would be in much better shape.. Pierce was one of the best hitting coaches and leader of men with the innate ability to get the most out of everyone. He retired 2 years ago at a relatively young age.
With all of that being said I hope Serrano and the fellas play better baseball and make it to the SEC tournament and slide into a regional.. not sure you can find a better coach especially considering the challenges Tennessee Baseball faces.. who knows new blood may help revive the program...
Anyways, Go Vols!
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