How does a program recruit after firing coach?

Great question!!

 

This scenario has been handled in so many different ways that its pretty hard to predict.  But I would say that early 'commits' to Auburn from 2017 and beyond are in a serious state of limbo and should probably not cut off contact with other schools.

 

If I were a parent of a 2016 about to sign an NLI, I'd also be pretty nervous about it all and be asking some pointed questions of the athletic department in general.

 

But in the end, Auburn is a great school in a great conference.  They will survive...and flourish.  The individual players have more to worry/think about than the school itself.

If they only fired the head coach, the recruiting coach is basically in charge of the recruiting. Maybe the commits have told them they will sign, after all one is committing to the school not the coach. If not there are some lucky players out there who will get a chance later on.

This is a funny situation.  Head coaches who made hired get to hire their own coaches.  I would imagine at this time of year, it puts everyone in a predicament.

Auburn's 2016 recruiting class has three options:

 

1) Sign the NLI in the early signing period as scheduled, find a JUCO as Plan B, watch developments on campus, and decide next summer which school to attend. The risks are that the assistant coaches you know will get fired either when the head coach arrives or after the spring season, the head coach will want his own recruits, and you'll have to fight through JUCO ball to get another shot at D1 ball. 

 

2) Withdraw your verbal commitment and look for a last-minute deal with another school between now and the early signing period. The main risk is that no comparable school will have any money or roster spots available for you.

 

3) Buy time to evaluate the situation by offering to sign after the early signing period, explaining to the recruiting coordinator that you don't want to encumber a roster spot and scholarship money unless the new coach truly wants you. The main risk is that they will pull the offer altogether, which would actually be important information about their perception of your value.

 

Of course, the new coach has an option that can trump all of these. He can decide which of the verbal agreements he chooses to be bound by and which NLI's he actually sends out for signature.

 

Knowing what I know now--some years removed from when my son reported to an SEC school in the midst of a coaching change--I would advise against signing an NLI without evidence the new coach truly values you as his own recruit.

So some personal knowledge from a recruit side of it.  Son is friends with a '16 who is verballed as a pitcher. They are hearing nothing from AU.  Since the pitching coach is also on suspension, they are getting no proactive communication.  They've heard the same from a verballed position player (also a '16) that they're friends with.

 

They are keeping options open, but haven't gone so far as to break their verbal commitment.  A ton of uncertainty.  From what they're telling me is that everyone with a verbal is waiting to see who the hire will be to see if they will remain committed, then if they do, they'll be waiting to see if the new regime honors the previous staff's commitments.

 

Not a fun time for them as the early signing date rapidly approaches.  They are certainly hoping for some announcements before Nov 1, but haven't decided if they would withhold signing their NLI.  The primary reason that they are even considering signing it "coach unknown" if allowed is that it's the kids dream school and it isn't an affordable option without the athletic money.

 

They're VERY hopeful Butch Thompson gets the job and honors Golloway's offer.

 

As for the MSU side of it, they're possibly going to lose a pitching coach, so maybe some pitchers follow him to Auburn, but you're looking at an entirely different scenario.  The remainder of MSU staff remains intact and his offers to his recruits remain intact.  The dynamic of what AU has to offer may be significantly different (worse) than what MSU was working with and therefore Thompson's (assuming it is him) may have his hands tied or severely limited.  I wouldn't expect a big disruption with MSU recruits.

 

 

With that information and perhaps more as things unfold, this could be a very good thread for future parents of players in same situation.

 

I hope you're able to share the story as it unfolds Nuke.

Will certainly share what I'm able as I learn.  I know that the Sunday he was fired was a recruit visit weekend.  Son's friend was there for his official visit and spent much of the weekend with HC.  They left Sunday am to return home with no idea that anything was amiss.  They learned everything that transpired at the same time and just like everyone else, from the media reports.

In my very best Elmer Fudd voice " Verwy, verwy, carefullwy"

 

Seriously though, the kids are in the lerch and at the mercy of the programs...it sucks for them but if Thompson lands in The greatest village on the great plains....i bet their program soars and soon. That guy is phenomenal.

 

"Thompson won the Baseball America's Assistant coach of the year in 2014. He's regarded as one of the best pitching coaches in the country. Only Louisville and North Carolina have more strikeouts as a program since 2012. No team has induced more double plays in that time."  Michael Bonner, The Clarion-Ledger

FWIW. In 15 years Auburn has fired 4 of its 4 head coaches.  

 

"Butch Thompson is set to become head coach at Auburn Baseball."

 

http://www.d1baseball.com/colu...msus-butch-thompson/

 

Great for Auburn, Feel bad for the pitchers at MSU

 

So, an update on my son's buddy.  He was contacted last week by Coach Thompson.  According to the family, Coach Thompson had a long phone conversation with his travel coach to cross check and validate the notes they had on him.  Must have felt comfortable with what he learned from that discussion because he has let him know that the original offer made will be honored.

 

Interestingly, and I'm not sure if it's simply the ousted regime trying to make it more difficult for the incoming (i.e., removing all the "w's" from the White House keyboards), but the new staff didn't know what the offer was that had been made.  He basically told the young man that he'd take it on his honor that he'd share what the offer was with him and that this is what would be extended.

 

Definitely a good way to build trust and a deeper relationship with an incoming athlete.  I don't know what the outcome has been with all commits, but at least it's turning out well for one.

Domino effect is crazy.  Pitching coach who recruited my son gets Thompson's old job. Someone will get that job and another domino will fall somewhere else.  This recruiting stuff isn't for the faint hearted.

Ironic, indeed.  He was also recruiting my son.  It is a very small world.  advice to all is to burn no bridges.  Today's assistant coach at Obscure University becomes the RC or head coach at State U with great frequency.  I advised my son along the way to make sure that he was transparent and open and did things the right way with anyone who showed him any interest.  Good advice for anyone on the recruitment trail.

And to further Nuke's comments, I learned yesterday that the new PC @ MSU saw my son pitch several times the Summer before his HS Senior year so he is somewhat familiar with my son.

Baseball world is very small indeed.

So a bit of a fly in the ointment since the last update.

 

Word is that the previous staff had seriously over committed beyond the 27 allowable scholarships (by double digits).  So they have basically told all the previous 2016 verbals to look for homes elsewhere and are only going to keep a couple of those verbals and at a reduction of the original offer.

 

Not sure that either of them are signing during early signing period.

 

So as Shove It stated previously, players are always at the mercy of the regime and a turnover of that regime can wipe the best of plans.  Certainly can't blame the current staff as they are trying to play the hand they've been dealt.  My friend has said that, whatever the outcome for his son, Thompson has handled himself with complete class, professionalism and transparency throughout this transition and that they have nothing but respect for him, even if their son never gets to set foot on campus.