James Madison University

Sorry if I offended anyone out there in the pitching world.  I was a pitcher as well and I know the difficulties of managing pitching.  Plus usually half your program and three quarters of your scholarships go to pitching.  However, my experience leans towards the belief that good pitching is so hinged on defense and catching that it is difficult to see  programs put it together.  Spanky is known as a pitching guy (3 books) lots of interviews and hyperbole.  But his teams rarely were under 5.50 ERA in his 15 years.  JMU had some of the very best offensive talent in the country yet did not compete well because of pitching.  I know this sounds like I am arguing for a Pitching Coach, but actually the Coaching staff together has to deliver.  Can Head coach come from pitching Coach?  Sure.  Would I start there ....No.  I would seek a young coach that understands the overall game and that has a solid understanding of the whole process.  as a side note, while watching the CWS and seeing how every pitch was held up by Kuhn and the game delayed made me think about how much enjoyment I will get watching our Dukes.  Great Coaches are great leaders.

The Dukes are getting ready to make an announcement — and it is not going to be a game-changer. I'll wait to see if the rumors are true but I am shaking my head. 

Can you share any of the details?  What did you hear?

The buzz appears to be the VMI HC.  I've heard good things about the guy, just not sure why it took so long to make this announcement if this is actually the case when it comes considering VMI's season was done over a month ago.  Unless of course he was not the first option and administration was waiting for someone else.  Either way this is the rumor.

If you are referring to Ike, he was not VMI HC last year.  He stepped down after 2013 season.

Yes...former VMI coach Ike.  I should have been more descriptive my apologies.

Thanks.  I have been hoping for a return of former Assistant Head Coach Sullenger.  Great recruiter and well respected baseball mind.  I know he had a lot of support within the JMU family.

That's my conclusion. Not taking anything away from the selection, but if Coach was the number one selection, then this would've been done a while ago so that the recruiting process could restart sooner. AD compounding errors.

The process has strict procedural requirements during the search.  The candidates once selected must be treated uniformly and fairly.  The ratio of minority candidates must also be considered.  The financial cost has to weighed against the other contracts in State and in-house.  Then the fun begins.  Slow process.

Just got confirmation that it is Ikenberg from VMI.  Time will tell on this but does not look like JMU is planning to climb out of also-ran anytime soon.

 

I am sure the rest of the CAA will be very happy with the JMU decision.

As a JMU grad, I hope it is Coach Ikenberry.  He's a great man who I expect will do very well at JMU.  Go Dukes!!

 

Wow, what a slam......

 

Marlin Ikenberry is certainly qualified for this position.

 

Coach Ikenberry did an outstanding job while at VMI consistently placing a competitive team on the field and always recruiting exceptional talent.

 

This at a school with a very different/difficult environment - an environment unattractive to most top Mid-level D1 players.

 

This is a major step up for Coach Ikenberry in terms of recruiting potential over VMI, but he coached in the Big South which is equally if not better than the CAA in my opinion. I doubt anyone in the CAA is jumping for joy, if they are - I believe they will regret it.... 

 

I'm sorry you are so disappointed because I do enjoy reading your posts, but i think Coach Ikenberry is an outstanding selection and I will be watching closely as he grows the JMU program.....

Guys this is a home run hire for JMU. Ike is incredibly well respected in the coaching community and will be an upgrade if given the tools to succeed (asst coaches salaries would be a concern). He will hit the state of Va recruiting trails hard especially in Richmond and Nova. Ike is a great man and a great coach. If I am a JMU fan I am really excited today

Everyone will have a different opinion I guess but I cannot believe the JMU landed here. I think this program has a ton of potential but with this announcement, I'm going to say they will continue to be a CAA bottom feeder. Nothing personal. I just think are many more qualified individuals to lead this program - and some were applicants for the job. It's a decision that screams - baseball is not important at JMU. 

 

I have no skin in the game at JMU but I have been really interested to see how this would play out. And I could not be more shocked at the announcement. 

Congrats to Ike and i believe this is the right hire, Ike is a guy who gets out and isnt afraid.  He will recruit the right kind of kids to JMU, I also believe they are a bear sleeping and they are about to be awoken. Great Hire within 3 years JMU will be in top tier of CAA.  

 

and yes Big South much better than CAA 

I agree it is a good hire for both the short-term and long-term.  Coach Ike is well liked, known and respected in Virginia (and region) and a tireless recruiter.  Over the last 7 years (with 3 sons) I saw him everywhere at travel showcases, Legion games and high school games.  He always had time to talk to people, and lets face it this is a people business.   I'm a big Ike fan.  He knows baseball as a former D1 Head Coach & catcher.

 

The question is how long will it take for him to turn this program around, and how much rope is the Administration giving him.  JMU's had the reputation as a hitting ball club.  I would expect JMU to spend more cycles on pitching and defense in the coming years.  We'll see.

 

 

From my observation, Coach Ike has also been known to recruit the Tidewater area, which JMU has lacked in a major way in recent years.  JMU has one player on the present roster from the Tidewater area.  Just so happens that one player, Kyle McPherson, was also the CAA Rookie of the Year.  I would expect those recruiting numbers to change dramatically.

Nice to hear the positive remarks about Coach Ike.  I too admire him and agree that he is a nice guy and a hard worker.  Unfortunately, that is how most of his teams performed.  Yes he turned around VMI but almost anyone with a pulse could accomplish that.  The JMU job is a discussion about vision.  For years...and I mean many....JMU was the premier program in Virginia.  Currently I rank them at of near the bottom depending on if you include Virginia College, EMU, Ferrum, and GW.  Fot years I scouted the Valley and also routed quality players to JMU.  JMU played a top notch schedule and was always competitive with the top programs.  It was usually pitching depth that kept them out of the top tier in college baseball, but they were always in or around the top 30. 

Coach Ike will not fix this problem but he may make the program competitive again.  Big deal.  I had hoped that the AD might understand that with College Baseball on the rise that JMU could lift its prominence through excellence in the program. 

Coach Ike is a fine leader, but he runs a program with a total budget less than the salary of UVA's head coach.  The operating budget for this program is 156,000 dollars plus salaries.  This is why many of the top candidates backed out...and yes I have spoken to some.  The overall experience at JMU as a campus is excellent.  The overall experience as a player at JMU is below par.  I would send a quality player to the program because the baseball teaching and experience is sub-standard, and at least 6 schools in Virginia alone offer much more.

I know this seems very negative, but I attended JMU and regard it as my own.  I want the best for the program and I know Coach Ike will do his best.  But I was hoping for much more.

Lastly, I was involved in the UVA turnaround in Baseball.  It involved a lot of moving parts, an aggressive Booster group, and revamped quality facility, and a singular vision to get to be the best.  They understand the process and took the steps to get there.  it involved Legislative action to change salary structures, Title IV re-balancing, AD changes, budget changes, and knowing who the best minds in College Baseball were and are today.

JMU played it safe, saved a lot of money, covered the AD "risk" by settling for "competitive" instead of great.

I would love be very wrong about all of this.  But I am not.

Oklahoma Ball,

 

I understand what you are saying and you bring up some valid points.  But doesn't this go beyond the HC.  The HC is the field & program mgr, a point man for recruiting, managing games and bringing alumni back into the fold....getting them to contribute & participate. The HC and AD have this responsibility together.  My oldest son's former program is conducting a national search right now.  The AD hasn't been shy in asking for donations from former players.  This is the reality of college baseball...it is a cost recovery model for most programs that don't have large boosters or contributors.  .  

 

Your UVA example is a total program overhaul and that came from the AD and Administration...in my mind that goes way beyond the Head Coach.  JMU is not in a top conference nor are they a national presence. Your average Joe on the street knew who UVA was and what the ACC is way before O'Connor got there.  Your average Joe has no idea who JMU is or what conference they are in.  To expect JMU to get a national coach is asking alot based on what is being offered, and their history. The JMU program has potential.  Small steps before large leaps.  To put the woes of a program that hasn't been cared for in a few years on it's new HC is unfair IMHO.  Let's see what develops out of this and give it some breathing room.  JMO.

I'm no expert but my son did play in and around JMU (not main baseball field) a few weeks ago. I went to VT and drove (through really) JMU dozens of times.

 

Great school and campus. It seems a shame that they have not jumped feet-first into systematically rejuvanting their baseball program given the leaps and bounds baseball has grown in Virginia. Maybe we can thank VT and Frank Beamer stagnation for that (and I'm a Hokie alum). This sure seems like a tepid compromise between going all-out and doing the minimum. I truly hope the program moves upward toward excellence. Heck, maybe my 2017 will end up there and in the baseball program...

Interesting thread with a lot of good info.  I'm curious - is JMU fully funded for the 11.7?

If they are, Spanky should have been fired years ago. Can't imagine the answer to that question is yes. But I don't know. 

 

JMU is a D1 program that hasn't had a winning season since 2011 when they had a very good team with some top draft picks.  Their teams haven't done anything since.  

 

No D1 coach is going to get a 5 year (losing) pass going into 2016.  It was time for change regardless if they are fully funded or self funded.

 

2015 - 6-18 in CAA , 18-33 overall

2014 - 8-12 in CAA, 17-36 overall

2013 - 11-15 in CAA, 25=30 overall

2012 - 10-20 in CAA, 16-35-2 overall

 

 

Great conversation,

 

The change was long overdue.  The JMU program has had full scholarships for years.  It is easy to forget what a big time program this was.  The recent coaching decisions are deplorable within the AD office.  Spanky received a big increase and a three year contract after 2011.  He then played favorites with his son getting playing time and four years of irrational behavior.  The outstanding assistant coaches were always the reason that Spanky had success but he chose to ride out his contract, and soften the schedule.  It cannot be any softer and he still could not muster 20 wins.  The new coach will be better but not great.  He simply does not have the ability...great guy.  But when you really consider the talent that JMU had from 2001 through 2011 on the offensive side of the stats, the embarrassment is considerable.  I know this program very well the vision and the AD support is simply not there. 

One of the key things that I look for in Head Coaches is coach development.  Spanky has produced no one within the CAA or out of it.  VMI has not produced a notable Head Coach either. 

Player and Coach development is an essential part of NCAA 1 performance.

Oklahoma Ball,

 

I agree with everything you've said.  I know some former and current JMU players. Privately they've told me exactly what you've stated from 2011 and on....it was Daddyball 24x7x365.

 

Also, I agree that one of the key things to look for in a program is coach development.  It is debatable whether current Longwood Coach Mau fits into your criteria as he was an assoc HC for one year at VMI before moving onto Navy where he did a pretty good job considering it is a service academy.  Certainly two tough schools (VMI & Navy) to recruit baseball talent to.  I also think that is a two way street.  You have to have a Coach willing to spend more than a couple years to set roots and become part of that HC's coaching tree. 

we can revisit this in 5 years.

 

Marlon Ikenberry will do a great job for the Dukes. I predict JMU will be back atop the CAA in 5 years and will be in a regional by then as well.  One thing Marlon can do is recruit - VMI was a dog with fleas when he took over there and he turned that program around buy recruiting his ass off and then actually coaching players up once they got there.  He may not be the "big sexy" hire that you were looking for but all the coaches I have talked to seem to agree - JMU will be a force to deal with quickly - especially when it comes to battling over some of the best players in the mid-atlantic and northeast.

 

From what I know about the assistant he agreed to terms with yesterday this will be an EXTREMELY aggressive recruiting staff that will have a huge presence out on the trail.  One thing is for sure - Marlon knows how to recruit Virginia.  And if JMU can be #2 in Virginia (behind UVA most assuredly) then things can change in 2 years.  All this is possible and knowing how Ike does things - it's likely.

I hope you are right.  I admire your faithfulness in Ike.  I wish he had an administration that understood support and fulfillment.  Your enthusiasm is noble and inspirational.

 

Being on top of the CAA is not much of an accomplishment but it is a worthy two-year goal.

"Not much of an accomplishment"...we better tell those players trying to win the CAA they may as well not try because it isn't much according to you.  Don't you think you're being a tad bit douchy?  Wow.

Thank you for you thoughts.  The question of the CAA being a top tierprogram is not subject to much debate....the CAA has lost a number of high quality programs to other conferences, and added a bunch of "also-rans"... (see Hofstra for reference).

But beyond the weakening of your "end game" of a CAA championship the matter of the rest of the schedule comes in to play.  The program has no credibility and winning the CAA will not establish that.....but it is a step in the right direction. 

The hope is that the program turns around and it will certainly get better.  But as long as alumni and supporters settle for mediocrity then it is precisely what we will get.

I hope you are right and that winning the CAA will lead JMU to National prominence again.  I suppose we can also hope for World Peace as well.

 

Ok, I'll bite... is there a new assistant as well?  I'm not very well plugged-in.

For what it is worth, I happened to bump into Coach Ike at the 17U WWBA last week in Georgia. He said he had been watching games all day, every day, looking for quality players. It seems JMU had not scouted at the event in prior years, so he was keen to address that and scout as aggressively as possible.  I don't think he will get out-worked.  it was also evident from the chat that while he cherished his years at VMI (where he is also an alum), he was genuinely excited by the opportunities at JMU.  If I had a son interested in the school, I would definItely encourage him to talk with the staff to evaluate fit.

Glass half full post...

 

I think this is a GREAT opportunity for uncommitted 2016s and 2017s who may have been overlooked during the recruiting process. There's lots to like:

1) new coaching blood

2) very, very nice stadium

3) in state school (with that in state tuition)

4) need for players

5) competitive D1 conference

6) and, of course, excellent academics.

 

If I were a father of an uncommitted, I'd want my son's HS coach, my son's summer ball coach, and my son to contact Coach Ike.

 

BTW: its also a great opportunity for a 2015 walk on.

Just read that JMU has hired Radford assistant coach Alex Guerra.

 

We also saw Coach Ike at many different fields during the 17U WWBA  

Yes - Alex was the coach I was referring to.  He and Ike will have a larger presence in the next month on the recruiting trail than the prior regime had over the last decade.

 

They also reached out immediately to secure multiple Super6 events at their place this fall and next summer - which is nice.  VT and W&M have been regular hosts in the past and I know it has been a great opportunity for Virginia kids to spend an entire weekend playing games on their fields and getting to know the staffs.  Nothing can replace the value of actually being on the campus for extended periods of time during the recruiting process.

At my house, we are looking forward to what Coach Ike can do to straighten out James Madison and wonder, who's gonna coach pitching? 

Any coaching move that can make JMU better is a win for the kids in VA and DC. Tell the new coach to head toward the nations capital and do some recruiting in NoVa and DC. 

You might want to look at the JMU roster again.  There are several NoVa guys on the team already.

 

In contrast, only 2 from the entirety of central VA.  Which is where Ike's roots are and where he was a recruiting fiend for VMI.

 

I know a lot of Richmond-region players who are excited that the door may have opened up at JMU.  Every year we see guys who want to go there, but who just haven't been able to decipher the inscrutable recruiting plan used there.  Things should be a whole lot different going forward.

Unfortunately it is a year too late for some.  As an alumni I had my hopes up for son playing at JMU.  No love from the previous regime though.  Guess they didn't need an All-State pitcher.  VMI on the other hand was in constant contact and pursued strongly but ultimately not the right school.  I believe Ike is a great grab and will do great things there.

From reading the posts of the thread, why not resurrect these from the 50's.