Chad Holbrook: I can get the Gamecocks back to Omaha

South Carolina coach Chad Holbrook is focused on helping his team play well in the SEC tournament, not his future as the leader of the Gamecocks’ program, as USC enters a must-win game against Vanderbilt on Tuesday morning.

Holbrook said Monday before hopping on the bus for Hoover, Ala., that he is only worried about trying to have a deep run in the SEC tournament, where USC hasn’t won a game since 2012.

“I just take it one step at a time,” Holbrook said. “I’ve got a lot of things to worry about, and the first thing I’ve got to worry about is my team playing tomorrow. I’m going to be OK, one way or the other. I’m not worried about Chad Holbrook. I’m worried about getting our team ready to play the best baseball it can.”

Holbrook said this season has been difficult.

The Gamecocks opened the year in the preseason top five but have not been ranked for the past several weeks as they dropped eight consecutive SEC series to end the year.

USC went from projected to make the College World Series in the preseason to needing several wins in Hoover to avoid missing the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years.

The Gamecocks were close to earning big series wins against Florida, Kentucky and LSU, three teams in the top 11 in the RPI, but dropped all three series.

Holbrook took responsibility for the season.

“It’s not been the easiest season, but when you coach in the SEC, when you coach at South Carolina, I’m a big boy. I can handle it,” he said. “You have to embrace the expectations here. Yes things haven’t gone our way ... but at South Carolina no matter what there’s no excuses. You need to win. It’s my responsibility. I’m the head coach. It starts and ends with me and I get that.”

If USC can get on a run in Hoover and go on one in the NCAA tournament as well, a lot of the struggles of the past couple of months will be forgotten.

Holbrook is holding out hope that USC can do so.

The Gamecocks will have Reed Scott on the mound Tuesday against the Commodores with Tyler Johnson, Josh Reagan and other veterans also available.

“The season’s not over,” Holbrook said. “We’ve got to give somebody a reason to get us in that conversation (for the NCAA tourney).”

Holbrook said he believes he can lead the Gamecocks back to Omaha and playing for national titles.

“I haven’t lost one ounce of confidence in myself,” he said. “I feel in my heart I’m a good baseball coach, a good person. I know the game. I know I can be a successful coach and get the Gamecocks back to Omaha. That’s what I believe.”

This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 1:00 PM with the headline "Chad Holbrook: I can get the Gamecocks back to Omaha."