[Jonathan Carone]

I would be interested to see Jackson as head coach Sykes as top assistant and retain Murray. Of course Haffner would be a hr but it would be a tough step for him.

Definitely need a guy with strong LU ties. Someone with skin in the game, more than a paycheck. LU could go to Omaha with the right coach and all Christian players. It can be done.

I don't know if the head coach needs to be a Liberty guy, but I'd love if someone on staff was a Liberty guy.

[Jonathan Carone]

I did some digging around on Rick Robinson just to learn more about him. Quite a few of our former players have played for him at Young Harris. He's a very strong Christian and Liberty is somewhat of a dream job for him. He could even have interest coming here as an assistant.

[huntandfish]

Wow what a day on Liberty Mtn. I have to say not a big Toman fan but very shocked. I do agree we need a Liberty guy either at the assistant level or as the HC. I think it needs to be a guy that played for Coach Worthington and can bring back some of the values he instilled in us old guys. Not sure who is out there but I have some ideas about guys that love LU but can flat out coach. Guys that are more interested in winning at LU the right way then moving to the next job.

[flameshaw]

Wow what a day on Liberty Mtn. I have to say not a big Toman fan but very shocked. I do agree we need a Liberty guy either at the assistant level or as the HC. I think it needs to be a guy that played for Coach Worthington and can bring back some of the values he instilled in us old guys. Not sure who is out there but I have some ideas about guys that love LU but can flat out coach. Guys that are more interested in winning at LU the right way then moving to the next job.

I agree, it would be great to see. Not sure that JB recognizes the true value in that though. He hasn't been here long enough to appreciate the past and how much it could help things. They are out there, some have already made their interest known. We can hope.

[BJWilliams]

One thing about "big 3" hires is JB tends to go for what most would call "splash hires". Even bringing Ritchie back was one to a degree. Whoever JB hires, you have to think he is going to want someone to "win the press conference" and I would not be surprised if he opened the vault to get that person.

[ballcoach15]

Good post BJ. I agree. I think AD will go big.

But I think New coach will be from ACC school or SEC school.

Of all the names mentioned above the Dallas Baptist coach would be a good one.

[Purple Haize]

Wow what a day on Liberty Mtn. I have to say not a big Toman fan but very shocked. I do agree we need a Liberty guy either at the assistant level or as the HC. I think it needs to be a guy that played for Coach Worthington and can bring back some of the values he instilled in us old guys. Not sure who is out there but I have some ideas about guys that love LU but can flat out coach. Guys that are more interested in winning at LU the right way then moving to the next job.

I agree, it would be great to see. Not sure that JB recognizes the true value in that though. He hasn't been here long enough to appreciate the past and how much it could help things. They are out there, some have already made their interest known. We can hope.

I would say it's actually a negative in JB's mind

[Cider Jim]

Never heard of him until today, but Heefner has quite the resume':

http://dbupatriots.com/coaches.aspx?rc= ... h=baseball

Interesting info about Dallas Baptist: two of their campus buildings are replicas of Monticello and Independence Hall, and "The Athletic Department also features a Christ-centered Patriot Discipleship program, entitled 'Champions for Christ'."

Their athletics program is DII, except for baseball, which is D1 and a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, which means a lot of traveling.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Baptist_University

[Jonathan Carone]

Heefner is the longest of long shots. He'd be an incredible get, but he's in a great situation at DBU that would be very hard to leave.

[olldflame]

Heefner is the longest of long shots. He'd be an incredible get, but he's in a great situation at DBU that would be very hard to leave.

Maybe (although I have a feeling the folks in Austin could persuade him).

DBU has very nice facilities but ours our nicer. I'm confident we could offer more $$$. The program there is ahead of where we are now, but that is mainly because of him. The biggest factor would be the wealth of local talent he has there. 26 players on his roster from Texas and several more from Arizona. He couldn't replicate that in VA, and would have to recruit on a more regional/national basis. I don't know enough about DBU to compare the mission/atmosphere with Liberty.

[Cider Jim]

Don't be surprised to see Ryan Folmar's name get mentioned. from Oru.

Played ball at Oklahoma State but is from nearby Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

http://www.oruathletics.com/sports/bsb/ ... n?view=bio

[BJWilliams]

Heefner is the longest of long shots. He'd be an incredible get, but he's in a great situation at DBU that would be very hard to leave.

Maybe (although I have a feeling the folks in Austin could persuade him).

DBU has very nice facilities but ours our nicer. I'm confident we could offer more $$$. The program there is ahead of where we are now, but that is mainly because of him. The biggest factor would be the wealth of local talent he has there. 26 players on his roster from Texas and several more from Arizona. He couldn't replicate that in VA, and would have to recruit on a more regional/national basis. I don't know enough about DBU to compare the mission/atmosphere with Liberty.

I can see your point to a degree because of how long he has been there olldflame, but I don't think it would be impossible or him to replicate that here with Virginia talent if he were to be hired. With that said, I do expect to see a fairly diverse pool of players using not only the talent base here in VA but also the connections he has established down in Texas and Arizona and then extend from those places

[Jonathan Carone]

Heefner is getting looks from Texas. He's not going to make a downward move because of money.

[olldflame]

Heefner is getting looks from Texas. He's not going to make a downward move because of money.

It's only a downward move at the moment because of what he did to elevate the program at DBU. I agree it's a long shot. I'm just enough of a Kool-Aid drinker to believe the long range potential for Liberty baseball is better with the right man in charge. Heefner is only 38 and is not a native Texan, so it's highly unlikely he will spend the rest of his career at DBU. He will most likely wait for the right high major offer.

[BJWilliams]

It is a longshot that we get him, but I don't think he is a "Texas man". Not to mention, he would be a) stepping into a program with unbelievably high expectations down in Austin and b) replacing one of the legends in college baseball in Coach Garrido. If Heefner is not even a third as successful in his first couple years as he was, they may try to run him out of town, because UT-Austin.

[olldflame]

It is a longshot that we get him, but I don't think he is a "Texas man". Not to mention, he would be a) stepping into a program with unbelievably high expectations down in Austin and b) replacing one of the legends in college baseball in Coach Garrido. If Heefner is not even a third as successful in his first couple years as he was, they may try to run him out of town, because UT-Austin.

Uhhhhhhhhhh Texas has not offered him the job BJ, but I think I can say with a fair amount of confidence that if they do, he will take it.

[BJWilliams]

I didn't say that they did. I'm saying that if he WAS offered the job, and he accepted it, he is taking a significant step up from DBU, in facilities, AND in fan/alumni expectations among other things. Texas is a very proud program in many aspects, and you have to think that if he is brought in, that the fanbase is going to expect wins...and lots of them...yesterday. Youre talking about a program that had a coach win two CWS for them, won over 800 games in 20 seasons and only finished below .500 twice. You have to think that being in Texas he thinks about what he would be coming into IF that job were offered to him.

[olldflame]

I didn't say that they did. I'm saying that if he WAS offered the job, and he accepted it, he is taking a significant step up from DBU, in facilities, AND in fan/alumni expectations among other things. Texas is a very proud program in many aspects, and you have to think that if he is brought in, that the fanbase is going to expect wins...and lots of them...yesterday. Youre talking about a program that had a coach win two CWS for them, won over 800 games in 20 seasons and only finished below .500 twice. You have to think that being in Texas he thinks about what he would be coming into IF that job were offered to him.

He knows exactly what he would be getting into. I highly doubt he would have interviewed for the job if he was worried about high expectations.

[BJWilliams]

Fair enough...Anyway, Im sure JB has fielded a few inquiry calls on the cell since that release went out if not before

[flameshaw]

Fair enough...Anyway, Im sure JB has fielded a few inquiry calls on the cell since that release went out if not before

Beej, maybe you should focus on the LU1 fight schedules and polishing up your binoculars. Things could start happening at any moment.

[Purple Haize]

Fair enough...Anyway, Im sure JB has fielded a few inquiry calls on the cell since that release went out if not before

Beej, maybe you should focus on the LU1 fight schedules and polishing up your binoculars. Things could start happening at any moment.

Maybe trim up the gillie suit

[thepostman]

Fair enough...Anyway, Im sure JB has fielded a few inquiry calls on the cell since that release went out if not before

Beej, maybe you should focus on the LU1 fight schedules and polishing up your binoculars. Things could start happening at any moment.

Never will get old.

[olldflame]

A couple of days ago I was thinking "what are we going to talk about on ff the next few weeks til football practice starts?" I guess now we know. Thanks JB.

[BJWilliams]

Fair enough...Anyway, Im sure JB has fielded a few inquiry calls on the cell since that release went out if not before

Beej, maybe you should focus on the LU1 fight schedules and polishing up your binoculars. Things could start happening at any moment.

Im in Portsmouth and long since hung up the binoculars flameshaw...the only thing Im watching out for at this point is my boys

[Jonathan Carone]

I've found out Robinson is definitely interested. That one's confirmed. A fun connection with him is that Sikes worked for him previously. I could see them reuniting if Robinson gets it.

There's another coach that would be a great get is interested but I've been asked to not to mention his name yet. Sorry to be Sly on that one.

Also - on the subject of Heefner - he turned down Baylor last year. He ain't coming to Lynchburg.