10th in a 13-team league. Gotta win the next two but sure going to be tough.
SEC Softball
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Last: 7 yr ago by mullokmotx
Lost again today, 2-1 to missourri. That's 6-11 in conference and 8 straight SEC road losses. If we are going to spend that much on a new softball facility we need a head coach that can win in the SEC. It's been 4 years in a row that A&M has been sub .500 in SEC play. It's time for a change.
Hate to say it, but I might be leaning in that direction myself.
I like Coach Jo (gave my daughter a few looks while she was in HS), but I am getting the thought that we peaked a few years ago and have been sliding every year since. With all the softball players in this state we should be fielding a better team.
I like Coach Jo (gave my daughter a few looks while she was in HS), but I am getting the thought that we peaked a few years ago and have been sliding every year since. With all the softball players in this state we should be fielding a better team.
Florida only had 10 hits total in the last 2 games with MSU. They'll probably be more ready to play us than they were MSU next weekend.
I think we have now played 5 1 run games in the SEC and lost them all. Fortunately we only need 1 more win or 1 loss by Arkansas to make the SEC tournament. Tonight it was the ball that Kristen couldn't field cleanly. Glad we got the run in the 7th to tie it, but with a runner on 2nd with 1 out we got nothing more.
I think we need to give Jo the opportunity to win in a new stadium.
I think we have now played 5 1 run games in the SEC and lost them all. Fortunately we only need 1 more win or 1 loss by Arkansas to make the SEC tournament. Tonight it was the ball that Kristen couldn't field cleanly. Glad we got the run in the 7th to tie it, but with a runner on 2nd with 1 out we got nothing more.
I think we need to give Jo the opportunity to win in a new stadium.
Same sad story four years in a row!
"I think we need to give Jo the opportunity to win in a new stadium."
Probably so but I don't seen much improvement in the meantime.
Probably so but I don't seen much improvement in the meantime.
It's sucks because coach Evans is good not great. In softball that'd normally be fine, but not in the sec. If the hundred year decision boasts are real, then all coaches in all sports need to be held to it.
She has a knife in a rifle fight. I feel for her but life isn't always fair. How far are we out from this stadium? 3 seasons?
quote:
She has a knife in a rifle fight. I feel for her but life isn't always fair. How far are we out from this stadium? 3 seasons?
Agree but we've seen a trend since the move to sec play. Facilities are great but they are less important (not saying not important) for the non revenue sports
We will be playing in the new stadium in 2018
quote:
She has a knife in a rifle fight. I feel for her but life isn't always fair. How far are we out from this stadium? 3 seasons?
The more I see each season from the team and the coaching staff, the more I'm skeptical a new stadium will fix everything.
We've had the same problems for years now, and I've not seen any adjustments by the staff. We're always a team that tries to smash the ball around the park, and while that can you some distance, as it has for us, the pitching just has not ever come along and the offense has had some issues failing to adjust against better pitching.
Evans hasn't been to the WCWS since 2008, that's 8 years ago which is a long time to wait for success. Clearly this team will struggle to even advance past the Regional round so we're looking at 9 years going into next season. While I feel for Evans that she's had a horribly outdated facility for about 10 years now, she's still recruited good offensive players. Why has she not been able to recruit a single elite level pitcher in almost a decade? Even James Madison has an elite pitcher this year that is carrying them. Show has not lived up to billing so far and Harrington when healthy is just above average. Why has she not hired an elite recruiter that specializes in recruiting pitchers and then developing them? It's clearly what is holding the program back. She's now assured a 4th straight losing record in the SEC. The new facility in 2018 will give A&M everything it needs to become a national elite program again, but the real question is whether or not Evans should still be the coach when it opens. My guess is that Woodward will give her at least 1-2 years to recruit to it, but the leash should be very short going forward as she will have been at A&M for almost a quarter century with very little to show for her time outside of a 2-3 years. That's just not good enough at A&M now.
No coach in any sport should get 20+plus years at a school unless they have won at least a national title or are coming pretty damn close almost every year.
A coach that cannot get above .500 in conference play for four years running has bigger issues than simply building a new stadium will fix.
A coach that cannot get above .500 in conference play for four years running has bigger issues than simply building a new stadium will fix.
Facilities make a huge impact on recruits, even in softball. We have the worst in the SEC. The majority of the girls on our roster wanted to be Ags. In addition, seven of our usual starting nine are underclassmen.
We have a very young and talented team but do not have the pitching depth. Show is probably the only current pitcher on staff that was a national recruit. We need to recruit more depth but it is difficult if you don't have the facilities to lure them. Better facilities will help bring talent, talent brings more wins, more wins brings more talent.
It is tough to argue about talent, depth, and performance without correlating it directly to facilities. Coaching plays a huge part without a doubt but so does the system.
Girls are verbally committing in 8th and 9th grade. Brooke Vestal, a huge national pitching prospect, has been committed to OU since her 8th grade year. OU has had recent success which helps in recruiting and continued success. Patty Gasso is from California and recruits southern CA well. The facilities and program she has built attract talent from all over. OU was the first school outside the Pac12 to truly commit and invest to it's softball program and it has paid dividends.
We must follow the elite programs that made the decision to handle softball with the same approach as football.
We have a very young and talented team but do not have the pitching depth. Show is probably the only current pitcher on staff that was a national recruit. We need to recruit more depth but it is difficult if you don't have the facilities to lure them. Better facilities will help bring talent, talent brings more wins, more wins brings more talent.
It is tough to argue about talent, depth, and performance without correlating it directly to facilities. Coaching plays a huge part without a doubt but so does the system.
Girls are verbally committing in 8th and 9th grade. Brooke Vestal, a huge national pitching prospect, has been committed to OU since her 8th grade year. OU has had recent success which helps in recruiting and continued success. Patty Gasso is from California and recruits southern CA well. The facilities and program she has built attract talent from all over. OU was the first school outside the Pac12 to truly commit and invest to it's softball program and it has paid dividends.
We must follow the elite programs that made the decision to handle softball with the same approach as football.
It's also insane how deep the SEC. We just lost a series to the #16 team in the nation... who is in 9th place in the conference.
We'd be at worst 4th in the big 12... if not higher.
We'd be at worst 4th in the big 12... if not higher.
I hate to say it because I'm a huge fan of Coach Evans but the pitching situation isn't working out - last night's game notwithstanding. Rhi Kleising isn't getting it done, and I don't blame her solely but these girls just can't get consistent and really struggle finding the strike zone. If Coach Evans can't figure out the pitching situation then she probably needs to be let go.
We will lose the rest of our SEC games (unless we can find a a way to steal a game against Florida at home) and finish with a 9 game SEC losing streak. That is absolutely unacceptable and inexcusable.
We will lose the rest of our SEC games (unless we can find a a way to steal a game against Florida at home) and finish with a 9 game SEC losing streak. That is absolutely unacceptable and inexcusable.
At a select level Texas is catching up to the California teams. The problem is in Texas(where 90% of our recruits come from) there are only 3-4 programs that consistently put out elite recruits. In California there are probably 20 programs, and 4-5 fill most of the top college programs in the country.
For an example, my daughter plays on one of the top 16u teams in Texas. We have 4 SEC girls on our team. Last summer when we went out to PGF we started off our week going through a practice with the SO Cal Coppers then playing them in a game. The way they approach softball at a club level is way different then how Texas programs have been until recently. It was very eye opening for our girls and coaches. Off of our team 2 girls would have started for that team(one going to Florida, one coming to A&M). We are closing the gap rather quickly across the state, but it will take some time.
The state of Texas puts out a lot of great talent and that elite talent it growing. But we have to keep them in state.. Bama, Tenn, OU, etc can't come in here and cherry pick our top girls. On the other side, Texas schools can't go into Cali and pick trough their seconds and think they are going to preform better than our Texas girls(see tu). Facilities would help tremendously in helping us keep our top talent and maybe steal a few studs from out of state going forward.
With the recruiting classes coming in we will continue to be strong on offense and defense. I see a trend to get faster and more athletic. We somehow have to figure how to get better in the circle. Lastly, we are young and I feel like the brutal SEC schedule is catching up to our great young team.
Good news is we will make post season and with the gauntlet we have gone through this year anything can happen.
For an example, my daughter plays on one of the top 16u teams in Texas. We have 4 SEC girls on our team. Last summer when we went out to PGF we started off our week going through a practice with the SO Cal Coppers then playing them in a game. The way they approach softball at a club level is way different then how Texas programs have been until recently. It was very eye opening for our girls and coaches. Off of our team 2 girls would have started for that team(one going to Florida, one coming to A&M). We are closing the gap rather quickly across the state, but it will take some time.
The state of Texas puts out a lot of great talent and that elite talent it growing. But we have to keep them in state.. Bama, Tenn, OU, etc can't come in here and cherry pick our top girls. On the other side, Texas schools can't go into Cali and pick trough their seconds and think they are going to preform better than our Texas girls(see tu). Facilities would help tremendously in helping us keep our top talent and maybe steal a few studs from out of state going forward.
With the recruiting classes coming in we will continue to be strong on offense and defense. I see a trend to get faster and more athletic. We somehow have to figure how to get better in the circle. Lastly, we are young and I feel like the brutal SEC schedule is catching up to our great young team.
Good news is we will make post season and with the gauntlet we have gone through this year anything can happen.
We're in the process of getting swept again, this time to Missouri, which -- judging by TV at least, doesn't have any better facilities than we do. And it has the disadvantage of playing in a cold-weather state.
Yeah, the SEC is brutal, but we shouldn't be getting swept every other week.
Yeah, the SEC is brutal, but we shouldn't be getting swept every other week.
Looked pitiful in all phases of the game tonight. I am starting to lean towards Jo not being the answer, but we are young.
quote:Missouri's new softball stadium is currently under construction and should be ready for next season.
We're in the process of getting swept again, this time to Missouri, which -- judging by TV at least, doesn't have any better facilities than we do. And it has the disadvantage of playing in a cold-weather state.
"Good news is we will make post season and with the gauntlet we have gone through this year anything can happen."
Really? How can a team that almost at the bottom of their conference and that has lost 90% of their games in the last half get a bid. Not saying it won't happen but I don't understand how that works.
Really? How can a team that almost at the bottom of their conference and that has lost 90% of their games in the last half get a bid. Not saying it won't happen but I don't understand how that works.
To be fair...we absolutely had the toughest schedule if any team in the SEC. And our team is VERY young.
quote:They're not missing the NCAA tournament even if they lose the remaining games. If you don't know then you haven't been following NCAA softball.
"Good news is we will make post season and with the gauntlet we have gone through this year anything can happen."
Really? How can a team that almost at the bottom of their conference and that has lost 90% of their games in the last half get a bid. Not saying it won't happen but I don't understand how that works.
We absolutely will make the post season. We had a very good start to the season and best some really solid opponents. Our RPI currently sits at 22. Or remaining 6 conference games are against the top two teams in the nation.
quote:I was discussing this with my wife the other day who played D1 softball on scholarship. If you really look at it, we may have played the most difficult schedule in softball history this year. That's not hyperbole at all, either. She's never seen anything like it.
To be fair...we absolutely had the toughest schedule if any team in the SEC. And our team is VERY young.
Still not an excuse, however.
okay, at least 4 posters have played the "we're young" card.
why is the team young?
What happened to the recruits from the 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes that should be juniors and seniors now?
why is the team young?
What happened to the recruits from the 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes that should be juniors and seniors now?
quote:Those weren't very strong recruiting classes. That's no big secret.
okay, at least 4 posters have played the "we're young" card.
why is the team young?
What happened to the recruits from the 2012 and 2013 recruiting classes that should be juniors and seniors now?
This is one of the reasons people like me have been harping on the facilities issue.
Cali is the only upper classman that has started regularly this year.
there was a time in aggie sports --- about 15 years ago --- when I thought facilities was the championship elixir
The problem with the "we're young" argument is that Evans has been through almost 3 full class cycles in the program since her last appearance in the WCWS. How many years does she get to turn this around?
quote:I don't know why you would think that. I don't think I've ever met anyone who thinks that way.
there was a time in aggie sports --- about 15 years ago --- when I thought facilities was the championship elixir
The facilities issue is a factor in the recruiting equation, but it's an issue all to itself.
Unless the facilities are already paid for, it might help have a new coach that can post a winning record in the SEC in order to drive interest in funding the project. Do what Auburn did a couple of years ago and poach a CWS winning coach from a traditional power.
Childress found a way to compete in the SEC by his third year. Evans is not even close to fielding a winning SEC squad. Just making the regionals every year and going sub .500 in conference play annually does not seem like a recipe to generate funding for a high dollar softball facility.
Childress found a way to compete in the SEC by his third year. Evans is not even close to fielding a winning SEC squad. Just making the regionals every year and going sub .500 in conference play annually does not seem like a recipe to generate funding for a high dollar softball facility.
"Really? How can a team that almost at the bottom of their conference and that has lost 90% of their games in the last half get a bid. Not saying it won't happen but I don't understand how that works."
Unfortuitly this statement shows that you really haven't been following softball this season... We will probably end up in Norman again as a 2 seed, but we will make post season. I still believe we can steal a game or 2 against UF and Auburn. With the way our team CAN play and HAS played against some very good teams this year I could see us making a super regional.
the TMF and the athletic department hammered that into the fanbase near the end of the Slocum era. Blamed all the losing on the lack of facilities. Ditto for basketball and baseball.
when putting together a top 5 list of the most important things to have a national championship level program...facilities is for sure on the list, but it's not #1. Probably not #2 either. I'd go with #3 or #4
when putting together a top 5 list of the most important things to have a national championship level program...facilities is for sure on the list, but it's not #1. Probably not #2 either. I'd go with #3 or #4
quote:
At a select level Texas is catching up to the California teams. The problem is in Texas(where 90% of our recruits come from) there are only 3-4 programs that consistently put out elite recruits. In California there are probably 20 programs, and 4-5 fill most of the top college programs in the country.
For an example, my daughter plays on one of the top 16u teams in Texas. We have 4 SEC girls on our team. Last summer when we went out to PGF we started off our week going through a practice with the SO Cal Coppers then playing them in a game. The way they approach softball at a club level is way different then how Texas programs have been until recently. It was very eye opening for our girls and coaches. Off of our team 2 girls would have started for that team(one going to Florida, one coming to A&M). We are closing the gap rather quickly across the state, but it will take some time.
The state of Texas puts out a lot of great talent and that elite talent it growing. But we have to keep them in state.. Bama, Tenn, OU, etc can't come in here and cherry pick our top girls. On the other side, Texas schools can't go into Cali and pick trough their seconds and think they are going to preform better than our Texas girls(see tu). Facilities would help tremendously in helping us keep our top talent and maybe steal a few studs from out of state going forward.
With the recruiting classes coming in we will continue to be strong on offense and defense. I see a trend to get faster and more athletic. We somehow have to figure how to get better in the circle. Lastly, we are young and I feel like the brutal SEC schedule is catching up to our great young team.
Good news is we will make post season and with the gauntlet we have gone through this year anything can happen.
I agree with this. We played a lot of really good Cali trams in the power pool in CO and at PGF.
They have at least six national powerhouses and probably an additional 4-6 really good organizations. SoCal Athletics, SoCal Choppers, Corona Angels, Rico's Firecrackers, OC Batbusters, Beverly Bandits, Dirt Dogs, Cal Cruisers.
We basically have 2 national powers and an additional 2-3 really good organizations. We have lots of talent scattered across the state whereas the Cali teams are two deep in D1 talent on all rosters.
Impact Gold, Sudden Impact, Glory, TxBombers
Cali does have more elite teams and Texas is closing the gap. Facilities will help keep in state talent here and attract out of state talent.
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