D1Baseball's Kendall Rogers: I think South Carolina can 'land one of these so-called big fishes'

For the first time in nearly seven years, South Carolina is in the search for a new baseball coach after Mark Kingston was let go on Monday morning.

Ray Tanner and the Gamecocks will need to move somewhat quickly in today’s college baseball landscape due to the pressures of the transfer portal and NIL but as the only SEC job currently open, along with the program’s rich history, South Carolina could be in position to go make a strong hire.

That was the message Monday night from D1Baseball‘s Kendall Rogers, one of the top national voices in the sport, as he joined the Sports Talk Media Network for an interview.

“I think Ray kind of felt like it was necessary to make a move now because I think the time is right for them to go out and get a splashy name,” Rogers said. “You know, the last go-round, Mark wasn’t some massive name. He was a (respected) coach, don’t get me wrong. But he was not a huge name. I think this go-around, I think he can go out and land one of these so-called big fishes.”

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What would a big fish be for the Gamecocks?

The first two names Rogers threw out were ECU head coach Cliff Godwin and Louisville head coach Dan McDonnell, while also agreeing with host Phil Kornblut that Duke head coach Chris Pollard would also fit the description.

Godwin has been on the shortlist of targets for multiple SEC athletics directors of the years but has to this point always chosen to stay at his alma mater. It would unquestionably be a great hire if South Carolina could convince him that this is the time to make a move.

“The thing I wonder about with Cliff is, he’s been at East Carolina for several years,” Rogers said in the interview. “Obviously, his dream is to get that program to Omaha. But, you know, if you’re Cliff Godwin and you love ECU, but ultimately everybody wants to coach in the SEC (and) your time’s kind of running out. Like, you don’t really know when Mike Bianco’s going to hang it up. It doesn’t look like there’s going to be a job opening up anytime soon with other programs around the league. So if you’re Cliff, you kind of wonder if your time’s running out. South Carolina’s a place that he knows well. He knows that region in and out from a recruiting standpoint. He’s been in that area before. And I think that would make a lot of sense.”

McDonnell is arguably one of the best coaches in college baseball history, transforming Louisville into a national power with five trips to the College World Series. But the lingering question there — and it’s a massive one — is whether he’s ready to adapt to the modern college sports landscape.

“If Dan was able to adapt to the NIL era, I think he would be a really good hire,” Rogers said.” My issue with Dan is that, not to offend some Clemson people at all, but he’s kind of a little bit like Dabo in the sense, where in college baseball, he doesn’t want to use NIL. And if you’re going to compete in the Southeastern Conference against those teams, you’ve got to dab in the NIL. So, you know, if he will change in that regard, I think that would be a great hire. So that’s kind of a caveat for me.”

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While it’s too early to know who the hire will be, Rogers seems convinced that the Gamecocks can go out and get the type of name that can take over the program and re-energize the fanbase. But if it got past some of those sitting head coaches, Rogers wouldn’t be against giving Monte Lee another shot.

Specifically, Rogers was asked his thoughts on a staff with current North Greenville head coach Landon Powell and former Gamecock assistant Jim Toman, who is currently available, serving as assistants on a Lee staff.

“If you’re able to put that staff together, and let’s say Monte was the head coach and you’re able to put that staff together and Landon and Jim were assistants, I think that’s a great pitch,” Rogers said. “I think you have to exhaust a couple of your options to get to that point. But if that’s your worst-case scenario, in my opinion, I mean, that’s a hell of a worst-case scenario. So I wouldn’t have an issue with that.

“I think people will go back to the fact that Monte couldn’t get through a regional at Clemson. But we all know that that takes a lot of luck, man. Like, sometimes things just don’t fall your way. It’s not like Clemson went in the game and you were like, oh, man, this looks like a horribly coached team. They just had some really bad breaks. So, yeah, I would have no issue with that option.”

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