Please Nick Capra as new OU baseball coach...

[Soonerus]

He would be perfect !!!

[BoomerJack]

Who is Nick Capra and why would he be a good fit????

[Soonerus]

Former OU player and long time coach in the minor leagues ....he played in majors and minors too....

[mojorisen2014]

I remember him with the 89ers.

[hvhurricane]

Uh, no!!

[8timechamps]

I'll admit, I don't follow the college baseball landscape enough to know who OU could potentially bring in, so I'm deferring to you guys that know more about it...who is the ideal coach (in addition to Nick Capra, who on the surface sounds good to me)?

[King Crimson]

Capra was a very good player for OU, 3rd base...i am not a fan of back to the past stuff.

if he is the best hire him, but not because he used to be one of ours.

[hvhurricane]

We can do a lot better than Capra. This is a bigtime job, with a number of high profile coaches who will be interested. However, it all depends upon how cheap JC and DB try to be. They do not like to pay their baseball coach a lot of money or invest a lot of money into the program.

[BoomerJack]

While there may some HC candidates with more HC experience at Div. I level, I wouldn't be disappointed if Aric Thomas was hired. He has the usual background a lot of folks here seem to like: former player, two stints as an assistant and a few years as head coach at JC level. I can't recall if he played professionally.

Another guy getting some ink that might be a good hire is the coach at Dallas Baptist, Heefner, I believe is his name.

[colston15]

My vote is for Brad Hill from KSU.

I really don't want a former player or coach.

[Soonerfan88]

I believe AT is now the interim HC and working hard to keep the incoming class at OU instead of going JUCO. Heard that Giese (sp?) is going with Sunny to Auburn.

[jk the sooner fan]

hire the guy from Dallas Baptist - he should be a leading candidate

[setem]

Denney Crabaugh OCU...make it so!

[badger]

Are there any legit rumors to anyone we're bringing in to interview and consider? Has anyone openly expressed interest in the job? Is it possible that we'll promote someone on our existing coaching staff?*









*Lon Kruger can coach both OU basketball and OU baseball, right? :D

[BoomerJack]

Badger: Re promoting either Thomas or Giese.

I suppose that could be done but don't count on the other staying around. Especially, IMO, if Giese is promoted.

With all the vitriol showing on other threads about Golloway from players, I think you'll see it in spades if Giese gets the H.C. slot. And not to mention a few defections from the current roster.

[C&CDean]

hire the guy from Dallas Baptist - he should be a leading candidate

Why? All he knows how to do is beat Sunny. But hey, he went 30-30 for a whopping .500 so hells yes, let's bring him on...

[TweenerTues]

Gary Ward!

[Soonerfan88]

Giese is still working toward his Bachelors degree so he is not eligible for head coach. I believe Joe C. has said AT will be a candidate.

[nighttrain12]

Larry Cochell! Enos Semore!

[TweenerTues]

Larry Cochell! Enos Semore!



I think its time Stan Meek gets an opportunity for more than one semester.

[nighttrain12]

Gene Stephenson, again?

http://newsok.com/a-sad-ending-for-wichita-states-gene-stephenson-era/article/3854751


For a few hours on July 11, 2005, Stephenson was the Sooner coach. Joe Castiglione hired Stephenson to replace Larry Cochell; even staged a press conference at Lloyd Noble Center.

But later that evening, Stephenson reversed field and went back to his job at Wichita State. He didn't reveal details, other than “scholarship issues,” and still won't, though it was apparent that OU had overcommitted on scholarships and Stephenson would be asked to fix the mess.

[hvhurricane]

No chance in hell.

[badger]

But later that evening, Stephenson reversed field and went back to his job at Wichita State. He didn't reveal details, other than “scholarship issues,” and still won't, though it was apparent that OU had overcommitted on scholarships and Stephenson would be asked to fix the mess.

I wish that it would be officially confirmed what went down. I know we had a discussion on here and elsewhere what happened, but the entire situation stank, even if it seemed to work out for OU in the short term under Gallo.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but this is what I recall us discussing then:

1- Sunny, as interim head coach when Larry got ousted, raised current players' scholarship percentages (it's an equivalency sport, so nobody has a full ride).

2- Gene, not being aware of what happened, looked at the current scholarship numbers (the post-raise ones, not the pre-raise ones) and saw that there was not a lot of scholarship money available for new players, so he could either anger current players or not be able to bring in the new players he needs.

3- Sunny returns scholarship numbers to previous levels after getting the job on a non-interim basis.

Again, this was all Internet rumor and speculation, but would explain why "I am Wichita State" would only take his "dream job" for three hours before becoming Wichita State again

[TweenerTues]

Has anyone heard anything? Joe C has this one under lock and key.

[tycat947]

Has anyone heard anything? Joe C has this one under lock and key.

He has pretty much every hire on lock and key and IMO, that's a good thing. I would guess we'd hear something by the end of this week.

[TweenerTues]

He has pretty much every hire on lock and key and IMO, that's a good thing. I would guess we'd hear something by the end of this week.

I agree looking back, Stoops was a total surprise, as was Capel. I would hope for sake of recruiting we can announce a HC by Friday. Hope Giese remains on staff. I like his energy and knowledge.

[BoomerJack]

Hope Giese remains on staff. I like his energy and knowledge.

IMO, only two ways this happens: 1. if he is named HC and, 2. if Aric Thomas is hired with stipulation that he retain Giese. If the hire is from outside, he will want to name his own staff from top to bottom.

Somebody noted elsewhere on this board that Giese doesn't have an undergraduate degree and his bio on the soonersports baseball page doesn't say anything about him having a degree. I can't see him being hired as HC without one and I'm kinda surprised he was even hired as an assistant. He does have an impressive coaching background though. One certainly can't take that away from him.

[TumbleweedDoom]

I don't think it's a given that Giese is gone if someone from the outside is hired. Look at Wichita State -- they hired a new coach with the understanding the old pitching coach -- Brent Kemnitz -- was going to stay on staff. And the fact Giese evidently turned down an opportunity to follow SG shows loyalty and also makes one wonder if a deal to stay has been made with the administration.

Anyway, I'm not saying he's staying either. I'm just saying it's 50/50 either way and most certainly not a given he's staying or going regardless of who's hired. I do hope Giese stays -- I think he's the best pitching coach OU has had since Vern Ruhle.

[tycat947]

IMO, only two ways this happens: 1. if he is named HC and, 2. if Aric Thomas is hired with stipulation that he retain Giese. If the hire is from outside, he will want to name his own staff from top to bottom.

Somebody noted elsewhere on this board that Giese doesn't have an undergraduate degree and his bio on the soonersports baseball page doesn't say anything about him having a degree. I can't see him being hired as HC without one and I'm kinda surprised he was even hired as an assistant. He does have an impressive coaching background though. One certainly can't take that away from him.

I think someone stated, or I read it somewhere, that Giese is in process of completing his degree now. Not sure if at OU but I would assume so since he's coaching there. I think it was stated he has a year or so to go.

[BoomerJack]

Tumbleweed: "Giese evidently turned down opportunity to follow SG". Where did this come from ?????

And why would he want to? If memory serves, he wasn't hired as pitching coach until AFTER the 2011 Red/White series. This was after predecessor (Mike Bell I believe) left for Fla. State almost SIX MONTHS before after the NCAA's. Did have to be convinced/sold on coming to Norman????

And looking at his bio, it appears that he and his family have spent the last 15-20 years in Texas & Oklahoma. Does Golloway/Auburn want to spend the $$$ to get him to Alabama?

I don't think he's gonna want to leave the territory.

[hvhurricane]

He came in when Tim Tadlock left for TT in the fall. I think he is a good coach, but it is so hard to tell with the new bats. Obviously, he did a great job with JG from last year to this year. I would have to say that DO didn't have a great year, and there were a number of pitchers with talent in our bullpen this year who just didn't get it done. It will be interesting, but I would doubt that Joe C. has given him a job and told the new coach he has to keep him on his staff. Wichita St. did that, but I believe BK had two years left on his contract, so they didn't want to be paying Gene and BK off all at once.

[wrestlerdad]

They renegotiated Brent's contract after they fired Gene