Top 5 college baseball teams that desperately need a coaching change ft. TexasÂ
College baseball's hot seat season is in full swing. With the College World Series upcoming, there are plenty of fans wondering why their team is missing out. One of the most obvious is Texas, but the Longhorns aren't the only school seeming to be in dire need of a coaching change. Here are five schools that have probably hit the time to make a move.
Top 5 college baseball teams that desperately need a coaching change
#1. Texas
The Texas Longhorns have a proud college baseball tradition and David Pierce has led Texas to three College World Series appearances. But the 'Horns seem to be mired in a slump and time may be running out in Austin. After a 36-24 season that ended in regional play, Texas may be falling behind.
With the team joining the SEC and watching in-state rival Texas A&M head to Omaha, patience is running thin for Pierce. He's made his name as somewhat of a program builder, but not a maintainer. Texas may well be making a move this offseason, and LSU's Jay Johnson has been mentioned as a potential replacement.
#2. Louisville
Dan McDonnell has built a high standard for college baseball at Louisville. The Cardinals had never been to a College World Series before McDonnell's 2007 hiring. He's taken them to five since then. So why are they unhappy? Timing plays a role.
Not only hasn't Louisville made it to Omaha since 2019, but in three of the last four years, the Cardinals failed to make the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, in-state rival Kentucky is making its first College World Series appearance. McDonnell built Louisville into a power, but the Cardinals have slid back and lost momentum in recent seasons.
#3. Oklahoma State
The Cowboys were a powerhouse that had fallen off when Josh Holliday arrived in 2013. Holliday was a standout player at OSU and had been an assistant under his father, Tom Holliday with the Cowboys. Holliday took OSU to the College World Series in 2016, their first trip since 1999.
But since then, OSU has struggled to be above mediocre. Oklahoma tied for first in the Big 12 once, but not only hasn't it been back to Omaha since, but it has played in just one super regional since 2016. The program might benefit from a fresh start.
#4. California
Mike Neu has made the NCAA tournament just once in seven seasons at Cal. While the Golden Bears weren't exactly a historically brilliant program, they did have six College World Series appearances in their history. Cal had also been to the NCAA Tournament four times in the decade before Neu was hired.
Cal also might feel some urgency paced on the conference realignment situation after the death of the Pac-12. Cal nearly cut the baseball program entirely in the early 2010s, and a shot of relevance certainly wouldn't hurt the team.
#5. Auburn
Butch Thompson is in a tough situation and it's likely only getting tougher. Auburn is in arguably the most competitive division of the toughest league in the nation. With Texas and Oklahoma coming in, it's hard for Thompson to be secure in his ability to deliver a nationally relevant team.
Thompson has taken Auburn to the College World Series in 2019 and 2022. But he's also missed the NCAA Tournament entirely twice in the last four years. Meanwhile, Ole Miss and LSU have won national titles in that span and Texas A&M has made a College World Series trip. A change could be coming at the helm in Auburn this offseason.
Which college baseball teams do you think should make a coaching change? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.