ND Baseball!

[fightingirish26]

Stiffler isn’t the guy. Two years ago we were in the CWS. We have regressed so far in his two years that we now aren’t even competitive in conference. We finished in last place in the ACC with a 9-21 conference record and didn’t make the ACC tournament. We beat the likes of Rice, Redford, Tennessee Tech, and Toledo but regularly got swept by conference opponents. Just terrible.

I remember sweeping Rice on the road in the first series of the season and thinking this could be a fun year. Woof.

 

[Irish#1]

Stiffler isn’t the guy. Two years ago we were in the CWS. We have regressed so far in his two years that we now aren’t even competitive in conference. We finished in last place in the ACC with a 9-21 conference record and didn’t make the ACC tournament. We beat the likes of Rice, Redford, Tennessee Tech, and Toledo but regularly got swept by conference opponents. Just terrible.

I don’t see him righting the ship. We finished last in the ACC with a 9-21 conference record. No excuse to regress that much in two years. We weren’t really even competitive in the ACC. Got swept by Florida State, Clemson, Virginia Tech, NC State, North Carolina, and Louisville—six conference opponents.

He better show a significant improvement next year or he may be gone. You have to at least be competitive.

 

[Irish#1]

Good point and I’m happy I don’t have to figure that out. Your buddy is well paid I’m sure, though.

I just know that I didn’t pay a dime for college, never saw class in the spring, and had a fat girl writing my papers. We just played ball, whoop some ass, then got drunk.

I guess it wasn't Christie.

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Stiffler isn’t the guy. Two years ago we were in the CWS. We have regressed so far in his two years that we now aren’t even competitive in conference. We finished in last place in the ACC with a 9-21 conference record and didn’t make the ACC tournament. We beat the likes of Rice, Redford, Tennessee Tech, and Toledo but regularly got swept by conference opponents. Just terrible.

It's my understanding that Rice has been down the past few years, particularly this year. I remember getting a little antsy for the season with that first series sweep, but it was fool's gold.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

This field is absolutely loaded.

 

[Ndaccountant]

He better show a significant improvement next year or he may be gone. You have to at least be competitive.

I would ha e fired him this year. We have seen all that we need to.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Firing Stiffler after only two years would be an entirely ignorant administrative move for anyone let alone an incoming A.D. It would have to be based on something far more than wins and losses if that were the case. Something would have to be happening behind the scenes off the field that was already causing rot so out of control that he would need to be removed immediately.

I'd be very curious to see if Bevacqua fires Stiffler after only three seasons. I would expect a guy with degrees from Notre Dame and Georgetown to be very measured when it comes to his decision making as opposed to rash, emotional and entitled. Aoki was gone after 2019. Jarrett left after 2022. Stiffler will be entering year three in 2025. That's considerable coaching turnover and a lack of stability if you're going to trash a guy after only three seasons, and this program is used to stability considering the tenures of Manieri and Aoki more recently. Considering how Aoki and Jarrett left only three years apart, combined with how good those Jarrett teams were, regression was likely. We're seeing it. Give the guy a couple more years to build something. Or just have a temper tantrum and can him now or in a year.

Unless 2025 is a complete and utter disaster, continuity needs to be considered here. Either it goes really really bad or we find out how Bevacqua ticks early on in his tenure.

 

[Ndaccountant]

Firing Stiffler after only two years would be an entirely ignorant administrative move for anyone let alone an incoming A.D. It would have to be based on something far more than wins and losses if that were the case. Something would have to be happening behind the scenes off the field that was already causing rot so out of control that he would need to be removed immediately.

I'd be very curious to see if Bevacqua fires Stiffler after only three seasons. I would expect a guy with degrees from Notre Dame and Georgetown to be very measured when it comes to his decision making as opposed to rash, emotional and entitled. Aoki was gone after 2019. Jarrett left after 2022. Stiffler will be entering year three in 2025. That's considerable coaching turnover and a lack of stability if you're going to trash a guy after only three seasons, and this program is used to stability considering the tenures of Manieri and Aoki more recently. Considering how Aoki and Jarrett left only three years apart, combined with how good those Jarrett teams were, regression was likely. We're seeing it. Give the guy a couple more years to build something. Or just have a temper tantrum and can him now or in a year.

Unless 2025 is a complete and utter disaster, continuity needs to be considered here. Either it goes really really bad or we find out how Bevacqua ticks early on in his tenure.

It already is really bad. The only saving grace is the recruiting class. But his two years have been brutal. Every ounce of potential momentum from Link has been zapped and I see nothing on the horizon that indicates a ceiling beyond .500 ball inches ACC.

 

[Classic Irish]

Firing Stiffler after only two years would be an entirely ignorant administrative move for anyone let alone an incoming A.D. It would have to be based on something far more than wins and losses if that were the case. Something would have to be happening behind the scenes off the field that was already causing rot so out of control that he would need to be removed immediately.

I'd be very curious to see if Bevacqua fires Stiffler after only three seasons. I would expect a guy with degrees from Notre Dame and Georgetown to be very measured when it comes to his decision making as opposed to rash, emotional and entitled. Aoki was gone after 2019. Jarrett left after 2022. Stiffler will be entering year three in 2025. That's considerable coaching turnover and a lack of stability if you're going to trash a guy after only three seasons, and this program is used to stability considering the tenures of Manieri and Aoki more recently. Considering how Aoki and Jarrett left only three years apart, combined with how good those Jarrett teams were, regression was likely. We're seeing it. Give the guy a couple more years to build something. Or just have a temper tantrum and can him now or in a year.

Unless 2025 is a complete and utter disaster, continuity needs to be considered here. Either it goes really really bad or we find out how Bevacqua ticks early on in his tenure.

How closely do you follow ND baseball? Aoki should have been fired much sooner than he was. Most who follow ND baseball were getting frustrated that he was kept as long as he was. Regression? We’ve fallen off a cliff. Winning 40+ games two years ago and now going 9-21 in the ACC, finishing last in the conference, and getting swept six times by conference opponents is more than just regression—-it’s not being competitive. I gave Stiffler a mulligan on his first season, but we were even worse this year. Meanwhile Jarrett has Florida State in the CWS. I know from a parent of a player that morale is low on the team. Players hitting the portal, etc…. Feel free to be optimistic and think folks are having a tantrum. I fundamentally disagree.

 

[stpeteirish]

How closely do you follow ND baseball? Aoki should have been fired much sooner than he was. Most who follow ND baseball were getting frustrated that he was kept as long as he was. Regression? We’ve fallen off a cliff. Winning 40+ games two years ago and now going 9-21 in the ACC, finishing last in the conference, and getting swept six times by conference opponents is more than just regression—-it’s not being competitive. I gave Stiffler a mulligan on his first season, but we were even worse this year. Meanwhile Jarrett has Florida State in the CWS. I know from a parent of a player that morale is low on the team. Players hitting the portal, etc…. Feel free to be optimistic and think folks are having a tantrum. I fundamentally disagree.

You're right more or less. But you have to take into account the mechanics of canning a non revenue coach after only two years. Would anyone good want the job? We're not exactly a baseball power Jarrett's success notwithstanding. Leave a secure job for a place where you get canned quickly if you don't win quickly? Sure if its Tennessee or Miss St but ND is not that type of program.

Besides, Stiffler did well before he went to ND, maybe he just needs more time for his system to kick in. Make him upgrade his staff and tell him next year is it.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

It already is really bad. The only saving grace is the recruiting class. But his two years have been brutal. Every ounce of potential momentum from Link has been zapped and I see nothing on the horizon that indicates a ceiling beyond .500 ball inches ACC.

So don't let his recruits actually get on the field? In light of post pandemic, The Portal, NIL and conference realignment what are the optics of firing this guy after only two or three years and the message it sends to recruits along with potential candidates to fill the position?

How closely do you follow ND baseball? Aoki should have been fired much sooner than he was. Most who follow ND baseball were getting frustrated that he was kept as long as he was. Regression? We’ve fallen off a cliff. Winning 40+ games two years ago and now going 9-21 in the ACC, finishing last in the conference, and getting swept six times by conference opponents is more than just regression—-it’s not being competitive. I gave Stiffler a mulligan on his first season, but we were even worse this year. Meanwhile Jarrett has Florida State in the CWS. I know from a parent of a player that morale is low on the team. Players hitting the portal, etc…. Feel free to be optimistic and think folks are having a tantrum. I fundamentally disagree.

Closely enough to know that it isn't within the culture of the athletic department to fire people after two or three years. Dave Schrage got 4 years. I don't know that this new regime is going to want to start all over again so quickly.

You're right more or less. But you have to take into account the mechanics of canning a non revenue coach after only two years. Would anyone good want the job? We're not exactly a baseball power Jarrett's success notwithstanding. Leave a secure job for a place where you get canned quickly if you don't win quickly? Sure if its Tennessee or Miss St but ND is not that type of program.

Besides, Stiffler did well before he went to ND, maybe he just needs more time for his system to kick in. Make him upgrade his staff and tell him next year is it.

With a new athletic director doing it. The mechanics reach nationally but now you have the coaches already on campus looking over their shoulders and seeing that the baseball coach got a 2-3 year window to do anything. It's typical instant gratification that goes beyond our sports culture. Everyone wants everything right this second and if they don't get it they go full Karen demanding to speak to the supervisor.

"Consequences"

 

[Classic Irish]

You're right more or less. But you have to take into account the mechanics of canning a non revenue coach after only two years. Would anyone good want the job? We're not exactly a baseball power Jarrett's success notwithstanding. Leave a secure job for a place where you get canned quickly if you don't win quickly? Sure if its Tennessee or Miss St but ND is not that type of program.

Besides, Stiffler did well before he went to ND, maybe he just needs more time for his system to kick in. Make him upgrade his staff and tell him next year is it.

Paul Manieri just came out retirement to take the South Carolina job. We could have nabbed him.

Obviously he did well before ND or we wouldn’t have hired him. But there are multiple examples of coaches not being ready for a bigger stage.

 

[Classic Irish]

With a new athletic director doing it. The mechanics reach nationally but now you have the coaches already on campus looking over their shoulders and seeing that the baseball coach got a 2-3 year window to do anything. It's typical instant gratification that goes beyond our sports culture. Everyone wants everything right this second and if they don't get it they go full Karen demanding to speak to the supervisor.

"Consequences"

You act like Stiffler took over a bad program, and fans are insisting on an immediate turn-around. In fact, he took over a strong program and is getting worse every year. He inherited a talented team, and we finished last in the ACC. I know Stiffler will be back next year, but how long do you give him if things keep trending the way they are? I know it’s football vs baseball, but Willingham only got three years, and he was taking over a mediocre Davie program. Again Stiffler took over a CWS team that was eliminated by eventual national champion Mississippi State. I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

Obviously he did well before ND or we wouldn’t have hired him. But there are multiple examples of coaches not being ready for a bigger stage.

He fit what Swarbrick was looking for. Younger guy who had success at a smaller school. The guy who just had his first season at BC that came from Wofford was also a guy they interviewed. He had a rough first year at BC.

Jarrett used ND has a stepping stone. Can't blame him. If this becomes a revolving door gig, they're going to be mired in mediocrity anyway. Give the guy more than two years unless there are character and culture rot that cannot be fixed.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

You act like Stiffler took over a bad program, and fans are insisting on an immediate turn-around. In fact, he took over a strong program and is getting worse every year. He inherited a talented team, and we finished last in the ACC. I know Stiffler will be back next year, but how long do you give him if things keep trending the way they are? I know it’s football vs baseball, but Willingham only got three years, and he was taking over a mediocre Davie program. Again Stiffler took over a CWS team that was eliminated by eventual national champion Mississippi State. I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

Never said he took over a bad program, nor am I "acting" like it. I don't recall last year, but this year I never saw them projected higher than 12th in any of the ACC predictions. I believe Baseball America's College Preview issue had them 12th and didn't really mention them at all in the write up. I can't speak to what the expectations of ND baseball loyalists were, but nationally there wasn't a great deal of noise about them. I don't know whose fault that is, but it's year two of this guy's tenure in a completely new era of college sports. There is at least one person here who is saying that he'd terminate this guy's contract now. Others are suggesting year three is do or die. I suppose if people don't think things can get any worse than they are now, they might want to take a look around at comparable programs in P4 within the Midwest and see what that's looking like?

Anyone with electricity and the internet understands what happened in 2022. That is not lost on me. With that also comes the eventuality that players on that team exhausted their eligibility and moved on from the program. That team is now two years removed from the present. Let the new guy continue to build the program back to that point. The ACC is loaded, the program transitioned head coaches. Who do they go get if they dump this guy in the next 12 months?

Willingham's three year tenure is an exception, not a rule at Notre Dame, which further supports my point.

If this is what college sports is now, then just get rid of the guy I guess. There could be a mountain of bad juju going on behind the scenes that I'm not aware of and the guy needs to go. If that's the case my hope is for the new AD to make the change before the rot settles in.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

2023 ACC baseball predictions, projected finishes

D1Baseball.com previews the 2023 ACC baseball season. They project the ACC’s final standings, regional teams, Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year.

www.ncaa.com

Louisville, Wake Forest Lead ACC Baseball Coaches Preseason Poll

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Louisville and Wake Forest have been selected as the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball co-favorites by the league’s 14 head coaches.

theacc.com

Here are predictions for the ACC 2023. It would appear that whatever was done in 2022 remained there and whatever talent the program had relative to their conference counterparts wasn't impressive enough to the ACC pundits.

2022 was an apex to National relevance for the program. Then Jarrett leaves. A lot of the talent leaves as well from that team. The ACC is clearly stronger, evidenced by Jarrett's 2023 at FSU being a disaster only to a turnaround this year that includes 6 other ACC programs in the Top 25. At some point anyone that hasn't moved on from that season needs to do so. The rest of the world seems to have done that already, and quickly.

I'd rather see how 2025 goes for ND with Stiffler still in charge. The idea that "he's not the guy" is perfectly fine if you subscribe to it. It's going to be a massive challenge considering how good the ACC is. I will leave expectations to Bevacqua and Stiffler.

 

[ab2cmiller]

It's a tall order asking any college that sits north of Louisville to have sustained baseball success. Any coach from a northern school that has multi-year success is picked off by a southern school pretty quickly.

Playing baseball in the cold sucks. Players hate it, fans hate it. Northern teams try to minimize the effect by playing a crap load of early games down south. But it still means plenty of 40 degree games in March with few fans.

I appreciate those years where ND has a reasonable chance to make it into post-season play. But I know it's not likely sustainable.

In reality, the NCAA needs to shift the season by a full month. I know it will never happen for a variety of reasons.

 

[Jiggafini19Deux]

This is a friggin gauntlet. Wake Forest was a preseason darling and they were .500 in the ACC. 4 teams won 40+ games and four teams are going to Omaha. 11 of 14 had winning overall records, and ND was one of those by 2 games.

Cal went 37-19 and they slide into this next season right? (SMU doesn't have a baseball team).

Todd Interdonato was a finalist for the ND job two years ago when he was at Wofford. Look how his first season went at Boston College.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

In most of this board’s lifetime, ND baseball getting a great baseball coach happens at about the rate of ND football getting a horrible football coach.

Pat Murphy, Paul Mainieri, Link Jarrett

Bob Davie, Ty Willingham, Charlie Weis

 

[Irish#1]

Stiffler should get a third year, but there should be some noticeable improvement. Marked improvement by other teams on the schedule or the conference shouldn't be an excuse, but rather a reason there should be improvement in order to be competitive.

 

[irishff1014]

Stiffler should get a third year, but there should be some noticeable improvement. Marked improvement by other teams on the schedule or the conference shouldn't be an excuse, but rather a reason there should be improvement in order to be competitive.

He better hire a better pitching coach. When you have to average 7 runs a game to win you are probably not going to be successful.

.

 

[irishandy]

When Stiffler was hired I think Swarbrick was thinking he would turn out like Jarrett, success at a small school would translate to the same at ND.

Coaching baseball at ND is hard and Jarrett made ND a name again in baseball. Aoki should not have lasted as long as he did at ND.

Our pitching was horrible this year and I would get some pitchers through the portal.

Stiffler has more wins than Jarrett in his career (1 year more), 382 vs 371.

He deserves a third year, hopefully he can make ND competitive.

 

[ab2cmiller]

 

[ab2cmiller]

 

[stpeteirish]

ISD has a write up covering the grad transfers Stiffler has brought in. The OF from Quinnapiac sounds like he'll be a good addition. The three pitchers do not. Very little to get excited about there. Four transfers seems pretty light, especially with two of our high school signees getting drafted and opting to skip college.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

 

[zelezo vlk]

That's awesome, good for him

 

[Irish5Saint]

So the team just opened 0-3 in ACC play and got run ruled twice by Wake Forest.

Not looking good at all for this year.

 

[Classic Irish]

So the team just opened 0-3 in ACC play and got run ruled twice by Wake Forest.

Not looking good at all for this year.

Not looking competitive again in the ACC.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

So the team just opened 0-3 in ACC play and got run ruled twice by Wake Forest.

Not looking good at all for this year.

Yeah I was thinking “don’t get too optimistic about the program based on its early wins vs OOC opponents. Sadly, it looks to be the case.