Jay Johnson opens up on the impact Skip Bertman has had on him at LSU

When Jay Johnson was hired as the head coach of LSU, he joined a managerial line that has been one of the best in college baseball since Skip Bertman took over the program nearly four decades ago. Johnson has lived up to the expectations so far, taking the preseason No. 1 Tigers to the College World Series in just his second year on the job.

Mikie Mahtook had Johnson on the Mik’d Up w/ Mikie Mahtook podcast this week to discuss this year’s LSU team. And while Bertman hasn’t been a coach or AD at LSU in 15 years, Johnson says his impact is still profound on the program.

“The best part of this job is the personal relationship I’ve got to develop with him,” Johnson said. “Because in the profession I have, you always aspire to be the best. He is the unquestioned GOAT. No doubt about that. I studied him as a young coach so now talking to him like three or four times a week and getting to hear or re-hear some of those stories because I have some familiarity with him has been amazing.”

Bertman coached the Tigers from 1984-2001 before taking over as athletic director from 2001-2008. He won five national titles as head coach of LSU and took the team to 11 College World Series.

Johnson will be coaching in his third College World Series this year. He previously led Arizona to Omaha twice during his stint leading the Wildcats prior to taking the Tigers job.

Bertman isn’t the only legendary coach Johnson gets to interact with on a regular basis. He also has a relationship with his predecessor, Paul Mainieri.

Mainieri was hired as the head coach before the 2007 season and ran the program until the end of the 2021 season. Like Johnson, he took LSU to the College World Series in his second year on the job. He took the 2009 Tigers all the way to lifting the trophy at the end of the College World Series.

“Last night will be that night I remember forever and he’s a big part to do with that and same with Coach Mainieri,” Johnson said. “He couldn’t have been better as far as helping me get off to a good start here and just little things I needed to know about the program and the roster and all those types of things. Getting to spend time with two guys of that level and caliber of coach here is honestly, probably, from the personal standpoint, one of the best things about coaching here.”