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SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE
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Pirate Notebook No. 270
Friday, June 2, 2006
By Denny O'Brien |
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Too soon for
verdict on Godwin
�2006 Bonesville.net
Billy Godwin deserves an "Incomplete" on
his coaching report card for 2006. Posting a definitive evaluation � good or
bad � would be both impractical and unfair at this very early stage of his
East Carolina tenure.
If a grade were assigned based solely on
East Carolina's results, Godwin no doubt would receive an undesirable mark.
Under normal circumstances, that would be fair given the Pirates' failure to
extend one of college baseball's most impressive postseason streaks.
But considering the short runway Godwin was
given following the dismissal of Randy Mazey last fall, Godwin's scenario
was far from ideal. He was given little time to implement his philosophy,
and that affects everything from recruiting and personnel evaluation to
staff selection and scheduling.
Which is why it will take at least two more
seasons before there is clarity on Godwin's ability as a Division I head
coach.
What we do know for certain about Godwin is
that he was a successful coach at a junior college that is widely considered
one of the best at its level. You will be hard-pressed to find another Juco
program with more tradition than Louisburg College, and Godwin did nothing
but enhance that reputation.
We also know that Godwin is a man of strong
faith and high moral standards who is well-respected by his players and
peers, and as an alum is a passionate representative of ECU. Part of the
outcry against Mazey was just the opposite, which has been claimed by some
to be the primary reason for his removal.
What we don't know is whether or not Godwin
is capable of leading a program of East Carolina's stature a rung higher on
the baseball ladder. The Pirates have only two steps remaining � first a
trip to Omaha, then a national title � and the ECU fan base and
administration are already mentally conditioned to anticipate a College
World Series berth in the very near future.
As unfair as it may sound, that now is the
expectation at East Carolina. And with a venue that is among the best in the
country � not to mention a prep talent pool that isn't far behind � patience
may not be a luxury with which Godwin is rewarded by ECU's diehards.
Yet that's one of the key ingredients that
will be required with Godwin as skipper.
When he arrived at East Carolina, it marked
his first appearance on a Division I roster. Anytime there is a giant leap
in classification, adjustments are required in almost every aspect of a head
coach's role within the program.
Though the field's dimensions and equipment
are essentially the same, the responsibilities are far more demanding. Those
include the caliber of athlete that you must recruit, the level of scouting
that is required, the amount of travel involved, and the mental pressures
that are packaged with a 56-game gauntlet that includes very few
lightweights.
It could take time for Godwin to prove
himself capable of crossing each of those challenges off of the checklist.
That's why it is fair to question AD Terry
Holland's rationale when he extended Godwin a long-term contract. Of all the
moves he has made during his brief tenure at ECU, it is one of very few that
is subject to debate.
The removal of Mazey, John Thompson, and
Bill Herrion were no-brainers, and the hiring of Skip Holtz looks like a
home run. That much can't be said about Ricky Stokes just yet, but there are
few people on the planet who are qualified to criticize any decision Holland
makes about hoops.
Baseball is different.
It is the one program at ECU that is
high-profile enough to attract a ready-made head coach from a successful
Division I program. At the very least, East Carolina would have had its pick
of No. 1 assistants from elite programs.
South Carolina's Jim Toman and Virginia's
Kevin McMullan, a former ECU assistant, were definitely interested, and both
are widely considered among the top recruiters in the country. Both would
have been safe bets to keep the program on its path to Omaha.
With Godwin, it's just too early to tell.
But he definitely deserves enough runway to prove himself one way or the
other.
Double-edged boost
Godwin may be well on his way towards
proving that his hiring was a smart one. Yesterday he announced that
Bill Jarman would oversee the pitching staff,
a move that no doubt should lower the Pirates' team ERA and attract more
talent into the fold.
Jarman, who spent 2006 as the head coach at
Division II Lander University, was one of the cornerstones in Coastal
Carolina's success over the past decade. In addition to supervising a staff
that averaged more than 40-wins per season from 1995-2005, he also was the
Chanticleers' recruiting coordinator.
The ability to both attract and develop
talent is key to redirecting ECU's path towards Omaha. Jarman provides both.
The Leggett approach
Bullpen depth was a glaring weakness for
ECU this season, and perhaps the No. 1 reason the Pirates didn't land an
eighth-consecutive berth into the NCAA Tournament.
Developing a deeper pen of arms is
paramount to ECU's return to the postseason, which is why Godwin should
consider Clemson coach Jack Leggett's scheduling approach.
Instead of one mid-week game, Leggett
schedules two during much of the season. That forces him to develop five
capable starters, which he finds invaluable to postseason success.
A similar approach could help East Carolina
in the future. It would provide more opportunities for inexperienced hurlers
to log innings � and that could pay dividends by bolstering confidence and
developing seasoned arms for bullpen duty late in the season.
It also would enable Godwin to delay the
season opener by a week or two, which is a win-win for everyone involved.
Warmer temperatures typically bolster ticket sales and could possibly lower
the injury toll.
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02/23/2007 02:03:06 AM |
