What LSU coach Jay Johnson said about Paul Mainieri landing with Gamecocks baseball
Jay Johnson thinks Paul Mainieri still has the “fire” to be a head baseball coach.
Mainieri, who led LSU to a 2009 national championship, is expected to be approved today as South Carolina’s next baseball coach.
There is a Board of Trustees meeting set for 4 p.m. News of Mainieri’s hire spread on Monday afternoon.
Johnson, the current LSU coach, said Mainieri called him on Monday afternoon and told Johnson he’d accepted the South Carolina job.
“He’s earned the right at this time in his life to choose what he wants to do,” Johnson said Tuesday at a season-ending press conference. “He’s a great coach, a hall of fame coach. Been very good to me in my time here. So happy for him.”
The 66-year-old Mainieri retired from LSU three years ago after health concerns, but his name has been linked to a few openings the past two years. He led LSU to five College World Series appearances during his 14 seasons (2007-21) there and won more than 1,500 games in his 39 years as a head coach.
“He’s a competitive guy, he’s got that fire,” Johnson said. “He’ll put good people around him and smart. And he’ll probably be really good. That’s probably what will happen. I’m happy for coach if that’s what he wants to do.”
One of those people Mainieri is expected to bring with him is current LSU assistant coach Terry Rooney. Johnson declined to say if Rooney was on his way to be a part of the Gamecocks’ staff. USC interim coach Monte Lee also is expected to remain on staff. There is one more full-time spot to be filled out.
LSU and South Carolina will play each other next season in Columbia, matching up Johnson (formerly the head coach Arizona) with the man he replaced in Baton Rouge three years ago.
“I never even thought about that,” Johnson said of facing Mainieri. “I never coached against him, period. I guess those things matter, but I think they don’t matter as much as people think they do.”
