Re: NEW HIRE
Found this write up on a few up and coming coaches. I included the ones with regional/Louisiana ties. Thought it was a good write up on some of them.
Mitch Gaspard, volunteer head coach, Georgia: A season ago, Pete Hughes, the former Virginia Tech and Oklahoma head coach, held this job for a year and wound up getting hired as Kansas State’s head coach. Gaspard also has head coaching on his resume (seven years at Alabama) and spent two seasons as associate head coach at Kansas State before coming to Athens. His tenure at Alabama wasn’t spectacular, but for a school looking for an experienced, steady hand, Gaspard would be a good fit.
Kirk Saarloos, pitching coach, Texas Christian: Saarloos, 39, ranked second on last fall’s survey of the assistant coaches with the brightest futures as head coaches. He rocketed to the top of the assistant coaching ranks after his playing career, which included seven years in the big leagues, ended. With his time at Cal State Fullerton and TCU, Saarloos would be a fit nearly anywhere in the country. He’s been in the mix for some premium jobs already and will continue to be, but he’s in a good spot at TCU and can afford to be particular about his next step.
Dan Heefner, head coach, Dallas Baptist: Heefner has garnered significant interest in recent years, reportedly turning down Baylor in 2015 and interviewing at Texas the next year. He has over the last decade built DBU into a mid-major power and this year won his second Missouri Valley Conference title. Heefner, 41, will continue to remain a hot name for big jobs, but he’s in a good spot and can pick his next move carefully.
Pat Hallmark, head coach, Incarnate Word: Hallmark spent 11 years on staff at Rice before taking over at UIW. He’s quickly turned the Cardinals into a contender in the Southland Conference after four straight losing seasons before he arrived in San Antonio. Hallmark’s pedigree and the speed of the turnaround make for an attractive combination.
Matt Deggs, head coach, Sam Houston State: Deggs has one of the most interesting back stories of any coach in the country. He was once a fast-rising assistant at Texas A&M but was fired in 2011, when his drinking problem got out of control. He was out of the game for a year before Louisiana-Lafayette gave him a second chance. He has taken full advantage of it and was hired as head coach at Sam Houston State two years later. He in 2017 led the Bearkats to super regionals and then raised his profile further when his emotional press conference after they were eliminated at Florida State went viral. He has very openly talked about his journey since then, becoming something of an inspirational speaker. Along the way, Sam Houston State has kept winning and he’s won three straight Southland Conference titles. Deggs’ path has been unusual, but his stock is once again on the rise.
Matt Riser, head coach, Southeast Louisiana: Riser was the youngest Division I coach in the country for the first couple years of his tenure at Southeastern and, at 34-years old, he’s still among the youngest. He’s done impressive work with the Lions, leading them to the NCAA Tournament three times in his six seasons at the helm and Southeastern has become one of the most consistent programs in the Southland during his tenure. That body of work is sure to draw interest from larger schools sooner or later
Bobby Barbier, head coach, Northwestern State: Northwestern State is a hotbed for coaches, incubating the likes of John Cohen, Mitch Gaspard, Dave Van Horn and Jim Wells, all of whom went on to have success in the SEC. Barbier last year led the Demons to the Southland Conference Tournament title and went 1-2 in the Corvallis Regional. This season didn’t have the same kind of special ending, but Barbier, 34, still figures to follow the trail blazed out of Natchitoches, La., sooner or later.
Carl Lafferty, recruiting coordinator, Mississippi: SEC assistant coaches have been in hot demand in recent years. Lafferty is the longest tenured assistant in the league, having spent 13 years at his alma mater. Lafferty’s experience in the league and the success of Ole Miss’ top-ranked 2016 recruiting class, the first No. 1 recruiting class in school history, give him a strong resume.
Dan Fitzgerald, associate head coach, Dallas Baptist: Fitzgerald was the head coach at Des Moines (Iowa) JC for five years before moving to DBU for the 2013 season and he may soon be leading a program again, this time at the Division I level. His prowess as a recruiter and his role in helping make DBU one of the most consistent mid-major programs in the country should be attractive to athletic directors. It doesn’t hurt that the Patriots this year won the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time since 2016.
Chad Caillet, associate head coach, Southern Mississippi: Caillet has been on staff at his alma mater for more than a decade, helping Southern Miss become one of Conference USA’s powerhouses. In that time, he’s developed a strong reputation as a recruiter and a hitting coach. Before returning to Southern Miss, he was head coach at Meridian (Miss.) JC for one season, giving him some experience running a program.
Since Maggard likes to pull people from Missouri, I threw in this sleeper.
Lance Rhodes, recruiting coordinator, Missouri: Rhodes, 33, is a fast riser who has done strong work alongside Steve Bieser at Southeast Missouri State and Missouri. As a pitching coach, he mentored All-American Joey Lucchesi at SEMO and has recruited at a high level at Missouri. His midwestern ties are strong and he could be a fit for an athletic director looking for a young, up-and-coming coach.
Quote
Originally Posted by CoolCajun123
