Despite having only a few players remaining from that title team, the Commodores are contenders as aNo. Several high-profile jobs opened after this season, including Arizona, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Minnesota, but Yurachek said he never worried about Musselman leaving Arkansas. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Jordan Bischel, Central Michigan: In two seasons at CMU, Bischel has led the Chippewas to a 58-20 record, the 2019 Mid-American Conference title and their first regionals appearance since 1995. Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. With the 2022-23 regular season completed, the numbers show a clear trend: Women's college basketball is growing, fast. All rights reserved. Competition for regional berths will be ferocious, and the SEC should have a legitimate chance to set a record with 11 regional teams. At least nine coaches make $400,000 or more in . Thailand's 'most beautiful transgender woman' and husband wear $580K in attire at extravagant wedding, Desperate mountain residents trapped by snow beg for help; 'We are coming,' sheriff says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, Convicted killer Alex Murdaugh's new mugshot revealed after double life sentence, Rebel Wilson says she was banned from Disneyland for 30 days for taking a bathroom selfie, No. If you feel like you're losing control over your gambling experience, call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-888- 532-3500(Virginia) 1-800-522-4700 (NV, TN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, TN), 1-855-2CALLGA (IL), 1-800-270-7117 (MI). Turner, who was listed as an officer on the tax return, was credited with $2.2 million in total compensation in 2019. This years team is again the HL favorite and will be eyeing a return to regionals. Given the unprecedented nature of the last year, no coach enters the season on a particularly hot seat. The Aggies arent used to getting the opportunity to sneak up on people, but theyll have that chance in 2021, and that makes them even more dangerous. Here's what you may have missed in men's college basketball on Saturday, Feb. 11, a day full of upsets. Outlook:Expectations are lower for this A&M squad after the departures of Lacy, DeLoach and Roa, but it would be a mistake to sleep on this program, which has been one of the most consistent winners in college baseball during the Rob Childress era. His pay was higher than Arkansas Dave Van Horn and Louisvilles Dan McDonnell, who each earned $1.1 million and advanced to the 2019 College World Series. Anderson ranks second among all active coaches with 1,325 career wins and his track record has earned him the right to decide his own future. His 90-94 mph turbo sinker should induce ground-ball contact by the boatload, and he can miss bats with an above-average sweeping slider as well. Also keep a close eye on power-hitting, rocket-armed catcher Taylor Smith, a bounceback from Incarnate Word, where he was the 2019 Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. Bianco receives his base salary under a state contract, plus compensation from a contract with the Ole Miss Athletics Foundation, a private non-profit organization that declined to release the agreement. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. To view this category, sign up by purchasing, Friday D1 Digest: Postseason Stock Report, Midwest Power Rankings: Wright State Continues Upward Climb, Updated February 28, 2023 | More on the Top 25, D1 Digest: Mean Skenes Deals, FGCU Gets Upset & Program Record, Nebraskas Big Upset Sets Stage At Cambria Classic, Cambria Classic: Eberts Day One Notebook, Shriners College Classic: Everything That Caught My Attention Friday, On The Rise: Portland Pilots Continue to Build, WATCH: Ohio State vs. Mississippi State (Frisco College Classic), WATCH: California vs. Oklahoma (Frisco College Classic), Sorensons Off The Top Of My Head: Weekend Three Preview, Georgias Lineup Depth on Display in Win Over Georgia Tech, Talking Vanderbilt Baseball with The Tennesseeans Aria Gerson Highway To Hoover, PitchCom, Other Devices Speeding Up The Game, SEC Weekend Preview: Tournaments and Rivalries Galore, Auburns Irish Came In Hitting, Hasnt Stopped, SEC Midweek Game Primer Feb. 28, March 1. He led the Spartans to a share of the 2011 Big Ten regular-season title and they reached the NCAA Tournament the following year for the first time since 1979. Smart ranks in the country in terms of annual salary, making $7,133,600 for the 2021 . No. Coaches Corner Kendall Rogers - May 21, 2021. Razorback Report: Senior Day to include 1, Arkansas vs. Kentucky: How to watch and listen, betting line, team comparison. Only one major conference baseball job turned over during the 2020 offseasonMike Fox retired after 22 years at North Carolina and his longtime assistant Scott Forbes was promoted to replace him. And for the most part, Smart is well-compensated for the job he has done. Star power:Third baseman Logan Sartori made an instant impact as a junior collegetransfer last spring, hitting .364/.446/.600 in the shortened season. MLB DRAFT 2021:Which college playerwill be MLB's next superstar? 2022 base salaries for SEC coaches Vanderbilt's Tim Corbin: $1.668 million. Curry led the Tide to a fifth-place finish in the SEC this season, its highest regular-season finish since she was hired in 2013. Corbin was paid $1.2 million in base salary and $234,500 in bonuses that year, university federal tax returns show. Heres how he ended up committing to Georgia anyway, Kirby Smart updates Georgia QB situation, effective run game key for Stetson Bennett, 3 big questions that will define the second half of 2021 Georgia football season, Georgia football: The crazy story on where Ladd McConkey was headed before his UGA offer, Georgia injury update: Hard-hitting Tykee Smith return adds edge to No. Head coach:Rob Childress2019 record:39-23-1 (16-13-1)2020 record:15-3 (0-0). What does the 2021 job market hold? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. When youre coaching in the NBA, it comes down to your owner and your general manager, said Musselman, an NBA head coach with Golden State and Sacramento. On the mound, low three-quarters left-hand pitcherMason Hazelwood got off to a great start last spring and has continued to improve his breaking ball in the offseason, giving him a chance to hold his own as a Friday night starter in the SEC. However, they must file a 990 federal tax return about 18 months after the reported calendar year, which was obtained by The Tennessean. The Tigers are 3-3 on the season to this point and have a tough close to the schedule. Join the discussion or start a new one on the Forums. For athletics directors, that means their checkbooks are opening wider for coaches. Thats something the leagues coaches recently voted on and the results were shared by the league on Thursday. First-year coaches Jim Schlossnagle ($1.41million at Texas A&M) and Jay Johnson ($1.2 million at LSU)are giving their programs immediate returns. ALL-SEC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL:Dawn Staley, Aliyah Boston headline 2023 All-SEC Women's Basketball coaches awards, COLLEGE GAMEDAY:Greenville to host women's basketball College GameDay for SEC tournament championship, NATIONAL RANKINGS:How Lady Vols writer Cora Hall voted in the AP Top 25: Regular-season finale shakes up top 10. The other coaches on the list ahead of Pearl, whose Auburn team finished the season 13-14 overall and 6-11 in SEC play in the second year of a five-year extension he agreed to in the wake of the Tigers Final Four run in 2019, are Dukes Mike Krzyzewski (second at $7 million), Villanovas Jay Wright (third at $6.1 million), Texas Techs Chris Beard (fourth at $4.87 million), North Carolinas Roy Williams (sixth at $4.16 million) and Michigan States Tom Izzo (seventh at $3.98 million). Their replacements likely Bryce Miller and Dustin Saenz are talented but mostly unproven as workhorse starters. Our budget is down about $35 million in revenue. This lineup features both power and speed, and a mature veteran core that has been through the rigors of the SEC. After a year that saw only five coaches hired from outside the program, there is a backlog of qualified job candidates. The complete contract was not released. Those two coaches have won the two most recent national titles. LSU men's coach Matt McMahon is also a new hire after Will Wade was fired in March 2022. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he is a member of the Football Writers Association of America, and a voter for the Heisman Trophy and AP Top 25 basketball poll. ABCFT Salary Schedule 2021-2022 Effective 7.1.21. As a result, the SEC is college baseballs deepest conference year after year, and it has justifiably been rewarded with a record 10 regional bids three times in the last decade (2019, 2018 and 2014). In 2019, his first season as head coach, he led Wright State to a 41-15 record and a regular-season Horizon League title. The Pac-12 had the lowest average salary last season at $676, 585, though that is likely skewed because Stanford is not required to disclose coach Tara Vanderveer's salary as a private institution. But theres also a compelling case for a contract extension in both cases. Pitching coach Dan Roszel has worked with Lee to speed up his tempo, and its helped his fastball climb into the 93-95 range and bump 96, along with a putaway slider at 83-85. Since his tenure began in 2003, the Commodores have reached the College World Series four times, won two national titles and put together numerous No. 2 Dan Mullen, Florida: $7,570,000 . Georgia and Kentucky kick-off at 3:30 p.m. 23 Auburn Not included is the $195,000 signing bonus Schlossnage earned and the $170,000 hell get if hes still the head coach come September. Hunter was incredible with his patience and talking to me and talking to my agent and going back and forth, Musselman said. There were maybe some calls, but nothing that was anything more than that, Musselman said. Substitute Pay Schedule Exhibit 4151.10_2022-2023. Texas A&M women eliminated from SEC tournament after loss to Mississippi. Star power:Prielipp didnt allow a run and posted a sparkling 35-6 K-BB mark in his shortened debut season, and he got even better in the offseason, adding some 25 pounds of strength to his 6-foot-3 frame and showing improved overall command and better secondary stuff. It continued to grow a little bit each time we won in the NCAA Tournament, and thats the cost of success, and Ill take that any time.. Some assistant coaches who have been comfortable making good money at major programs may look differently at head coaching opportunities after a year of being off the road for recruiting and of little to no camp money coming in. It was really about how do Hunter and I come to an agreement that everybody feels comfortable with.. Childress is 592-207-3 in 15 seasons at Texas A&M, has made the last 13 NCAA Tournaments, twice guided the Aggies to the College World Series and in 2016 won the SEC Tournament. SEC Dominates USA TODAY Coaches Salaries Database. 6 Stanford, reaches Pac-12 final, Murdaugh juror replaced after having improper discussions about the trial, HUD VASH program's mission to combat veteran homelessness in South Florida, Ohio residents question railway representatives following train derailment. 22): $4,841,937, Josh Heupel, Tennessee(No. 54): $2,925,000, Shane Beamer, South Carolina(No. Click here to get started. During the second round of last season's SEC Tournament, the Crimson Tide went on to lose to Vanderbilt. Next among SEC coaches is Dan Mullen at $7,570,000. Arkansas softball team remained undefeated in the Wooo Pig Classic following Fridays , The dramatics were minimal for Fridays series opener against Wright State for , Kentucky All-American forward Oscar Tshiebwe didnt have his typical game when the , Kamani Johnson will be the only Arkansas player honored on senior day , Will previous happenings affect Kentucky and Arkansas in the regular-season finale at , Everything you need to know about the Razorbacks' final home game of , A handful of things to keep an eye on when the Razorbacks . So, if we assume there will be a more active job market this summer, which schools will be at the front of it? Ahead of a test this weekend at the Frisco Classic, the Bulldogs are starting to build consistency. He has won 40 games twice in three full seasons at Tennessee. 1 spot in 2023-24 making $3.1 million each. Outlook:Theres a whole lot to like about this Alabama squad, and nobody should be shocked if the Tide makes a big leap forward and finishes in the top half of the SEC this year. This figure is from the private schools most recently available federal tax return, which provided compensation for the 2020calendar year based on all income paid by the school or support organizations, including benefits, perks and performance bonuses. CMU again returns a veteran team that projects to again challenge for a conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance. 6 Ole Miss The Aggies nearly missed out on the College Football Playoff last season and are fresh off an upset win over Alabama. The key on the mound might be the continued maturation of second-year freshmen like Zack Lee and Cole Stupp. His salary was nearly $1.2 million in 2020. Georgia coach Kirby Smart is the fifth highest-paid head coach in the SEC. Lamont Paris will make $2.2 million in his first season as the South Carolina men's coach after replacing Frank Martin, who was fired after the 2021-22 season. This season she will be the highest-paid coach in all of women's basketball thanks to a $300,000 split-dollar life insurance payment that carries over from her previous contract. 36): $4,000,000, Sam Pittman, Arkansas(No. Reach Adam Sparks at asparks@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks. 2 starter behind Hazelwood, and thats a major key to UKs chances. Musselmans contract includes one-year extensions for each of the Razorbacks next two NCAA Tournament appearances. After a season with no college baseball, the 2021 campaign has been a wild one with several coaches choosing to announce their retirements, while some programs will be looking for a new direction, and a new head coach. Stroud had more to say about Georgia football at NFL Combine, Georgia TE Darnell Washington scratching the surface entering 2023 NFL Combine drills on Saturday, Stetson Bennett primed to perform at NFL Combine on Saturday, recalls 33-18 win over Alabama, Chris Smith turns in 4.62 40-yard dash but scouts confident he plays faster: He is a playmaker, Kirby Smart at forefront of pending rules changes that will shorten games, Lombardi Award slight shows perception of Georgia football yet to catch up to reality, Where things stand with Jamaree Salyer, Broderick Jones and the Georgia offensive line, Oscar Delp: The meeting of all meetings and how Todd Hartley found his next great TE, South Carolina wanted Oscar Delp. Justin Blood, Hartford: Blood, 41, is entering his 10th season at Hartford and has done an impressive job with the program. The contract includes an amusing clause that Musselman will not owe any buyout if he becomes coach at the University of San Diego where he played on the basketball team from 1983-87 after April 2024. 19 UCLA races past No. The mens basketball job market is off to an early start, as Boston College this week fired Jim Christian. No, SEC assistants don't make the $4 million plus of every SEC West head coach. Others may see this year as an opportunity with fewer major conference jobs open to attract a level of coach who would not ordinarily be in the mix for their job. While Smart ranks eighth in the country in terms of total pay, he is fifth among SEC coaches. Vanderbilts Tim Corbin: $1.668million. Musselman said he and his family love being at Arkansas and that he has built a strong relationship with Yurachek. College baseball fans are in for yet another fun weekend that includes a couple of high-profile tournaments and marquee rivalry series. But several coordinators are making money previously reserved only for well-established power-conference head. Adult School Salary Schedule 2021-2022 Eff. Corbins pay was only available from 2016 to 2019, when he became one of the schools highest-paid employees within the parameters of the tax returns. All rights reserved. BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox! Kentucky doesnt have to be an elite pitching team to compete in the SEC, because its high-powered offense will do plenty of the heavy lifting. A couple of key junior collegetransfers up the middle should make a huge difference defensively. Lemonis receives his base salary under a state contract, plus compensation from contract with the Bulldog Club, Inc., a private non-profit organization that declined to release the agreement. Texas A&M. Corbin started his career as Presbyterian head coach from 1988-93, and now he's taking Vanderbilt to an SEC-best 15th consecutive NCAA Tournament. Also keep an eye on two-way talent Luke Wagner, who could vie for midweek starts as a polished southpaw in the Smith mold and could also push for at-bats in the outfield mix. In 2022-23, Freese will make $1,451,140 and ranks fifth among women's basketball coaches nationally. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Feb. 11, 2021)----- The University of Florida has been predicted to win the 2021 Southeastern Conference baseball championship as voted by the league's 14 head coaches in the annual preseason poll released Thursday. Outlook:Georgia has been a highly ranked national contender over the last three years, and its only natural that outsiders would downgrade their expectations for the Bulldogs after the loss of two first-round weekend starters and a four-year starter at shortstop. Still, Michigan State has made impressive progress as a program under Boss. Reggie Christiansen, Sacramento State: Over the last decade, Christiansen has built Sac State into one of the most consistent programs in California and has led the Hornets to their only three regionals appearances in program history. 20 college football teams we aren't sold on in 2023, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Mizzou shocks Tennessee, Alabama downs Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: Alabama stays unbeaten in SEC play, Tennessee outlasts Auburn and more, SEC Basketball Power Rankings: A new top team emerges, Alabama loses in blowout fashion, Mizzou lights it up again. While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $83,000 and as low as $11,500, the majority of Baseball Coach salaries currently range between $31,500 (25th percentile) to $56,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $73,500 annually across the United States. At most major conference programs, that track record would be plenty. Yurachek thanked donors, whose contributions helped pay for Musselmans new contract. As he polishes his feel for his power sinker and improves his secondary offerings, he could be a big star. St.'s winning moment Coach Bieser's Employment Agreement is representative of the sources of income Autonomy 5 baseball coaches receive as well as the fairly standard conditions and contingencies upon which their employment agreements provide for pay incentives and/or term extensions. Without him, Missouri doesnt have an established workhorse with a track record as an SEC starter. Their coaches' combined pay increased 16 percent over the past three years. Head coach:Steve Bieser2019 record:34-22-1 (13-16-1)2020 record:11-5 (0-0). Question marks:Just how much has Kentucky improved its pitching and defense? As always, D1Baseball has you covered as . Smith is the glue guy off the mound, a polished and ultra-athletic three-pitch strike thrower from the left side. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_Verde. Top newcomer:From the freshman class, Parker Wright is a high-ceiling prospect with arm strength from the right side. LSU announced that Johnson, 44, was its baseball coach on Friday. From my perspective and my wifes perspective, the timing, on a scale from 1 to 10, was a 10 out of 10 because it allowed us to focus on the season and then it allowed us to focus on the portal. Published: May. Baseball coaches also generally have lower salaries and shorter contracts than their football and basketball counterparts, which could make a coaching change more palatable in baseball than in other sports. CSEA CLASS LISTING. Harper received a one-year extension ahead of the 2022-23 season that included a $200,000 raise to make her annual salary $1 million. Copyright 2023 Baseball America Enterprises. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl earned north of $3.9 million this season, placing his salary in the top-10 nationally among college coaches, according to USA Today's annual coach salaries database . This lineup is loaded with speedy, athletic slashers, anchored by a proven group of mature veterans but bolstered by a trio of exciting newcomers. Left-handed pitcher Andrew Vail has made a velocity jump, bumping 96 mph with a quality breaking ball, and he could be an invaluable swingman. 2023 www.tennessean.com. Location impacts how much a baseball coach can expect to make. Photo by: Gus StarkGus Stark. Junior college transfer Drew Garrett can run his heater up to 97-98 mph and could also make a big splash on this staff. He also can earn up to six annual $100,000 pay raises for six NCAA Tournament appearances. That figure has increased in 2022-23 . Coming off a last-place finish in 2022, Mississippi State is trying to get back to the top of the SEC. Classified Salary Schedule Exhibit 4151.8_2022-2023. It surpassed the viewership record set just one week before when 1.087 million tuned in to watch South Carolina face then-No. Star power:Missouri doesnt have an established star who performed at a high level over a full season in 2019, though catcher Chad McDaniel had a solid campaign that year and has impact potential as a switch-hitter with as-yet untapped raw power. Additionally, you can subscribe to Baseball America's newsletter and receive all of our rankings, analysis, prospect insight & more delivered to your inbox every day. CSEA Salary Schedule 2022-2023 Eff 1.1.2023. Pick to click:Outfielder Logan Britt got his feet wet with 16 at-bats as a true freshman last spring, but he looks primed to make a big leap as a second-year player. But unless a powerhouse slips in a big way this spring or theres a surprise retirement, the top of the coaching market should be relatively quiet this summer. After a season with no college baseball, the 2021 campaign has been a wild one with several coaches choosing to announce their retirements, while some programs will be looking for a new direction, and a new head coach. Across the Magnolia State, Mississippi State saw its season end without an appearance inthe SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs need that trio (plus potentially Garrett Spikes) to add some punch to the lineup. All rights reserved. 1 defense, Nick Saban, Alabama(No. Musselman said the clause was a nod to his alma mater and part of a bet he made with his San Diego teammates with whom he continues to stay in touch. Hes also a plus runner, so hell help push the action on the basepaths, but not as much as center fielder Ray Alejo, who can really fly. Enter your information to receive emails about offers, promotions from NCAA.com and our partners. That would seem to reinforce the notion that baseball this summer would have a slower job market. How much does a College Baseball Assistant Coach make in the United States? Vanderbilt, technically, is the defending national champion because the 2020 season was canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic. When he arrived, the Hawks had not had a winning record since 1992. SEC baseball is growing financially as TV contracts are met with an increased interest in the sport. He mixes in a promising 79-82 slider with solid tilt and a quality tumbling changeup at 79. Six of the conference's head coaches have been in their current position for at least 13 years, and all six are ranked in the top 15 all-time in most wins or best winning percentage as an SEC head coach. For the third consecutive year, we asked MLB scouting departments to grade the quality of the 2023 draft class on a 20-80 scale. Musselman said he and Yurachek took a deliberate approach to discussing a new contract because first the focus was on winning NCAA Tournament games, then on recruiting players in the transfer portal. Baseball coaches make the most in New Jersey . The answer probably lies somewhere in between, with not enough major conference jobs opening to really heat the market up, but more movement than a year ago at the lower levels. Auriemma will make less than Staley this season, but they will be tied at the No. I think hes where he should be now.. Pearls buyout of $8,638,542 as of April 1 is the 20th-largest in the country and fifth-largest among SEC coaches. TOP 25 POLL:Florida, UCLA, and Texas Tech headline the top 25 preseason rankings, *Teams are listed in order of projected finish, Projected regional teams (11):Florida, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Arkansas, LSU, South Carolina, Tennessee, Auburn, Georgia, Texas A&M, Player of the year:Jud Fabian, OF, Florida, Pitcher of the year:Kumar Rocker, RHP, Vanderbilt, Freshman of the year:Dylan Crews, OF, LSU, No. When announcing his retirement, Fox said he enjoyed spending more time with his family and that helped inform his decision. Longevity is likely the biggest factor in the gap: Elzy was hired in 2020, and Calipari has been with the Wildcats since 2009. 8 Arkansas Harper was hired at Tennessee four years after men's coach Rick Barnes and makes $4.45 million less annually. . 1, Florida State surges into D1Baseball's top 25 after Week 2, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Her last raise was in 2021. 1 Florida. 2021 salaries for Buena Park 481 employee records found - Page 1 of 10 Subscribe to this agency | Download records . First off, hes a really good football coach. Top newcomer:Shortstop Ryan Ritter was the top-ranked junior collegeprospect to show up on a D-I campus this fall, and he instantly upgraded UKs defense thanks to his fluid actions, excellent instincts, and a plus arm with easy carry. We'll we don't know due to it being a private school, but. Updated base salaries in the #SEC for coaches w/ new 2021 deals: $1.2M Jay Johnson, #LSU David Pierce, #Texas (soon) Mike Bianco, #OleMiss $1.25M Chris Lemonis, #HailState Dave Van Horn, #Arkansas $1.45M Jim Schlossnagle, #TAMU $1.5M Tony Vitello, #Tennessee What now Corbin. Mulkey, who won three NCAA championships while coaching Baylor from 2000-2021, will make just under $2.68 million this season. Ultimately, few major conference jobs are likely to open this summer due in part to the pandemics effects, both financially and in making it harder to evaluate a coachs progress this year, and in part because so many of those jobs have turned over in the last few years. Pearls salary, which did not face any pandemic-related reductions, was behind Kentuckys John Calipari ($8 million) and Tennessees Rick Barnes ($4.7 million) among SEC coaches this season. No. The pandemics effects will certainly color the 2021 coaching market and more to come in the future, but dont look for it to totally freeze up this summer. MU improved from 106th in total defense in 2021 (434.7 yards allowed per game) to 34th last year and fourth in the SEC (340.8), but under Drinkwitz, the Tigers have slogged through three straight . The next highest-paid SEC coach on this list is Kentuckys Mark Stoops, who makes $5,263,000. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Stoops ranks 15th in the country in total pay. In addition to his sound defense at short this fall, Cole has good feel for his barrel and could hit in the 2-hole, while the more powerful Connor should serve as the everyday right fielder and a key run producer in the middle of the order. He can really spot up with a 92-96 fastball from the left side, along with a legitimate plus to double-plus slider at 88-90 and a rapidly improving mid-80s changeup. Base salariesof SEC coaches are rising. The 2021 regular season for SEC teams begins Feb. 19, with conference play set to begin March 19. He was one of the most improved players on the roster this fall, showing off premier athleticism and exciting bat speed. In some situations, a job change could be a chance for an athletic director to upgrade at coach and come out at least cost neutral. MLB:MVPs who played in college|Cy Youngs by college|Players thatwon a CWS andWorld Series Jeff Duncan, Kent State: The Golden Flashes last four head coaches (Bob Todd, Danny Hall, Rick Rembielak and Scott Stricklin) all eventually left for jobs in the Big Ten, ACC or SEC. USA TODAY sports protects reporter and editor Steve Berkowitz contributed to this report. At this point, no decision in College Station or East Lansing would come as a surprise. Texas A&M on Friday wrapped up an overall rugged first year under coach Joni Taylor, but the season offered a few glimpses . Who are the best baseball players in the SEC this season? Five coaches in this year's College World Series -- Vanderbilt's Tim Corbin, Arkansas's Dave Van Horn, Louisville's Dan McDonnell, Auburn's Butch Thompson and Texas Tech's Tim Tadlock -- all earn at least a $1 million a year.