Rob Smith from Creighton named new Ohio Head Coach

[EvanShaw]

Rob Smith, the pitching coach from Creighton, has been named the new head baseball coach at Ohio. Will be very interesting to see how he does in his first few years replacing Joe Carbone. At first glance I think Ohio knocked this hire out of the park. His pitching staff ranked in the top 20 nationally at Creighton over the past 6 seasons. Ohio already has the best facilities in the conference, and now maybe they'll be able to compete with the likes of Kent etc.

Here's his press conference - click on the On Demand tab on the right of the screen.
http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/ohio.portal#

Story from OhioBobcats.com
http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-bas ... 12aaa.html

[Orange and Brown]

This is a good hire. I think he will have the Cats fighting it out with Kent State year in and year out!

[Steely Dan]

At this point, I'm cautiously optimistic. Let's see where we are in about 3 or 4 years. My intuition tells me that OU baseball will be in a good place. Let's hope so!!!

[baseball16]

Number one thing this coach must do is grab hold of se Ohio talent. Be involved in Ohio hs baseball and open up facilities to district and regionals. He does this he will turn ou around.

[Orange and Brown]

Number one thing this coach must do is grab hold of se Ohio talent. Be involved in Ohio hs baseball and open up facilities to district and regionals. He does this he will turn ou around.

The first thing he has to do is change the mindset of the current players, as far as recruiting goes, he does need to keep an eye on his own backyard, but I look for him to recruit in places that Ohio hasn't before. He will be snooping around Creighton's stomping grounds looking for players because he knows the areas and the high school coaches. If everyone gives him 3 years to get the program going the way he wants it then Ohio Baseball will be top notch!

[highandtight]

Another outside hire by AD. I know several big time donors who are cutting ties

[Orange and Brown]

Another outside hire by AD. I know several big time donors who are cutting ties

there is nothing wrong with an "outside hire"

Ohio fans should consider themselves lucky to have landed a good young coach...

[javon white]

Kent State, although they do not have any southeastern Ohio players this year, have had several the past few years from Jackson (Humphreys), Washington Court House (Shaw), some Wheelersburg and Zane Trace players. Additionally, their coach is from Athens. Perhaps had OU recruited a few of these guys things may have been different.

With that being said, you need to recruit the best athletes but as was mentioned on another thread, OU has completely ignored southeast Ohio athletes in their baseball recruiting much to their detriment. Hopefully, the new coach will occasionally sign a kid from the area as other schools (Kent State for example) have.

They do need to host district and regional baseball games and for goodness sake, get the State American Legion baseball tournament back in Athens.

Good luck to the Golden Flashes!

[Steely Dan]

Another outside hire by AD. I know several big time donors who are cutting ties

Evidently, these "big time donors" only want mediocrity when it comes to the Baseball program. I say good riddance. Don't let the screen door hit you on the way out.

[Orange and Brown]

Another outside hire by AD. I know several big time donors who are cutting ties

If you know any "Big Time" Donors then you are at the wrong school!

[3morethan2]

good hire, watched the press conference and coach smith should have this program at the top in the near future. Nothing is wrong with an outside hire, look at Jim Christian. Smith is kind of like the baseball version of groce, coming in as an assistant coach who can recruit very well and has that same kind of energy and passion for his respective sport.

[LICKING COUNTY FAN]

I agree in hitting his own back yard, but if he wants to win on a bigger stage he needs to really expand the recruiting area to include states where the best players come from.

[baseball16]

I'm not saying he has to recruit only se Ohio. He does need to get the best one or two players from surrounding area. To get ou back into contention he needs to recruit all of Ohio and get to know the ohsbca coaches. Something the latter coach did not do.

[javon white]

Well said baseball16. High school baseball coaches I know did not have a warm, fuzzy feeling about the Bobcats under the prior regime and have not for quite a while, particularly in light of the American Legion fiasco. Those relationships, particularly with the OHSBCA, need to be reestablished. It would probably be wise to also send an olive branch out to the Legion folks.

I think the new coach will do a great job as the AD seems to have a knack for hiring quality coaches.

[gtowntiger78]

It was good to hear that Coach Brewer from Marietta was interviewed for this position.