Coach Dean

[LPTiger 5,167]

Many of us, myself included, have not been too kind to Coach Dean.   After reading Maddie Penta's most recent interview, I think I have misevaluated him.   Maddie is a bona-fide stud, an All-American.   She could go anywhere in the country.  Instead, she talks about loving Auburn and finding people here who truly love her and support her - something she said she didn't have in high school despite an outstanding career.   More important, she says her sister is joining her at AU this year.   If things were not good/great at AU, her parents and Maddie would not allow her sister to come here.   Also, she would not stay here.  If Coach Dean and his staff are good enough for All-American Maddie Penta and her parents, well he is good enough for me.    War Damn Maddie and Coach!!!!!

[blakem 296]

I, personally, do not think it’s fair to judge his body of work based off of a singular players opinion(whether good or bad). I think we need to see how AU performs without Penta before we know a verdict.

[Big Fat Barner 143]

Just because he treats his star pitcher this way, doesn’t mean he treats all of his players this way, hence why we had four starters leave. My opinion on Coach Dean won’t change till he at least gets us to supers. And since Maddie Penta is such a stud, what does it tell you about Dean’s coaching that he has arguably one of the best pitchers in the country and still has not managed to get the team past regionals? Unless Dean and co. somehow find a way to make it to supers, I will come back on this forum after the season and continue to call for Dean’s firing and the athletic admin will continue to ignore its softball program. 

[RedDirtFan 39]

19 hours ago, LPTiger said:

Many of us, myself included, have not been too kind to Coach Dean.   After reading Maddie Penta's most recent interview, I think I have misevaluated him.   Maddie is a bona-fide stud, an All-American.   She could go anywhere in the country.  Instead, she talks about loving Auburn and finding people here who truly love her and support her - something she said she didn't have in high school despite an outstanding career.   More important, she says her sister is joining her at AU this year.   If things were not good/great at AU, her parents and Maddie would not allow her sister to come here.   Also, she would not stay here.  If Coach Dean and his staff are good enough for All-American Maddie Penta and her parents, well he is good enough for me.    War Damn Maddie and Coach!!!!!

@LPTigerI'm glad you're content with Dean. I gave Dean the benefit of the doubt at first and found myself burned.

The only reason he still has a job is Maddie Penta. She's found solace in his coaching and I'm happy for her. He'd be crazy not to put her on a pedestal. Most of the other SEC or Power5 coaches do. However, those coaches either multitask or surround themselves with a staff that they trust to coach and develop the other elements of the game. A few indicators:

• The first 15 minutes of practice (precious time under the NCAA restrictions) is spent with Dean & Co arguing over what to work on. If you show up to a meeting unprepared in the real world, you won't do it twice if you like your job.
• For whatever reason, they still don't have a hitting coach. Ever wonder why the hitters peak their freshman year? They're still coasting from the muscle memory that made them successful before coming to Auburn. There's no approach when the players step into the box.
• I have a lot of respect for Lindte, but he's not a 3B coach. I think the number of base running mistakes this year is cause for a new strategy.
• Dean doesn't respect Carosone. Who knows why? She's a student of the sport and is very accomplished, which is why I see her move to Associate Head Coach as an indication that Dean will not get another extension and Carosone will take the reigns.
• No other program in the country has players go for their personal best on weights during the season and the strength/conditioning coach doesn't condone it.

We can hypothesize all we want, but only the players and coaches can speak to what's going on in the program. 1 player doesn't make the program. 4 players left (3 starters) after another dead end in Regionals and 3 more left after school started. That's your barometer of trouble ahead. For the young ladies' sake, I pray that I'm wrong.

[Gowebb11 9,339]

58 minutes ago, RedDirtFan said:

The first 15 minutes of practice (precious time under the NCAA restrictions) is spent with Dean & Co arguing over what to work on. If you show up to a meeting unprepared in the real world, you won't do it twice if you like your job.

This is awful for a little league coach, much less a HC at an SEC program. 

[LPTiger 5,167]

On 11/1/2023 at 4:43 PM, RedDirtFan said:

@LPTigerI'm glad you're content with Dean. 

RD, I have no insight into the softball program.  I have been down on Dean.   If I remember correctly, he has never won a game at a Super Regional.   I probably overreacted to her interview with my glass half full mentality in all things.   I miss the way we played under CCM.   

[OlderWhiskey 954]

Just for accuracy's sake, James Madison took a game from LSU in the Harrisonburg Super Regional in 2016.

[RedDirtFan 39]

2 hours ago, LPTiger said:

RD, I have no insight into the softball program.  I have been down on Dean.   If I remember correctly, he has never won a game at a Super Regional.   I probably overreacted to her interview with my glass half full mentality in all things.   I miss the way we played under CCM.   

Hey LP, based upon your response, I sense that my post was overly aggressive, and I must apologize. That was not my intent. I am sincerely happy that you’ve found an appreciation for Dean as a coach. 

I’ve had a different and visceral experience. I just want the best for our Tigers. 
 

I respect your perspective. 

[RedDirtFan 39]

PS…the hostile environment that Meyers fostered doesn’t warrant more W’s. In the end, the players lose. 

[LPTiger 5,167]

12 hours ago, RedDirtFan said:

Hey LP, based upon your response, I sense that my post was overly aggressive, and I must apologize. That was not my intent. I am sincerely happy that you’ve found an appreciation for Dean as a coach. 

I’ve had a different and visceral experience. I just want the best for our Tigers. 
 

I respect your perspective. 

@RedDirtFan No need for apologies at all!!!   I'm not qualified to have much of an opinion on softball as I only watched one game last year.   I'm much closer to the baseball program, and you don't see any drama under CBT's leadership.

[AU1947 157]

Just a thought that just maybe CMD offered the sister to keep Penta there.... 

[Big Fat Barner 143]

12 hours ago, AU1947 said:

Just a thought that just maybe CMD offered the sister to keep Penta there.... 

she didnt play at all during fall ball, but she did compete in the PGF game so I still think she would’ve earned a roster spot on her own merit, but I am confused as to why we didnt see her during the fall. 

[tigeraddikt 1,615]

On 11/1/2023 at 3:13 PM, Big Fat Barner said:

Just because he treats his star pitcher this way, doesn’t mean he treats all of his players this way, hence why we had four starters leave. My opinion on Coach Dean won’t change till he at least gets us to supers. And since Maddie Penta is such a stud, what does it tell you about Dean’s coaching that he has arguably one of the best pitchers in the country and still has not managed to get the team past regionals? Unless Dean and co. somehow find a way to make it to supers, I will come back on this forum after the season and continue to call for Dean’s firing and the athletic admin will continue to ignore its softball program. 

A female stud? hahaha I know whatcha mean; that just made me giggle.

[blakem 296]

On 11/25/2023 at 9:41 PM, Big Fat Barner said:

she didnt play at all during fall ball, but she did compete in the PGF game so I still think she would’ve earned a roster spot on her own merit, but I am confused as to why we didnt see her during the fall. 

I believe she was injured

[Golden Eagle 370]

On 11/25/2023 at 9:20 AM, AU1947 said:

Just a thought that just maybe CMD offered the sister to keep Penta there.... 

No.  Mariah, and the other freshman signees, were all highly-rated high school players. 

MARIAH PENTA
Hometown: Chesapeake City, Maryland
High School: Bohemia Manor High School
Club: Newton Rock
Position: Utility (Middle Infielder/Outfielder) 
Bat/Throw: Right/Right
Highlights: Ranked the 15^th overall recruit of the 2023 class by Extra Inning Softball … an all-county and all-conference selection at Bohemia Manor … held a .500 batting average with four home runs … earned county player of the week honors … competed with Newton Rock club organization … knocked four doubles and 10 doubles for a .500 on-base plus slugging percentage … adding a .436 batting average … helped Newton Rock finish as runner up at the 2020 Triple Crown Nationals … member of the Junior National Honors Society … a three-time honor roll member … also earned the Student-Athlete Education Award … outside of softball, competed in gymnastics, volleyball, soccer and swim … a second generation student-athlete … her mother, Susan, was a standout softball student-athlete at the University of Delaware … is the younger sister of current Auburn softball student-athlete, Maddie Penta. 
Dean on Penta: "She is a very athletic player, who has the ability to play multiple positions. Mariah has shown tremendous growth in her hitting, especially in developing consistent power."

[AUBwins 10,075]

If Dean gets canned eventually, can we just do whatever we can to get Diefel? Been extremely impressed with her and here she is praising Bri coming in. You can just tell that her girls must likely love her! I bet she relates to them really well.  I've seen other posts with Bri and she seems to be enjoying her time with the team. 

 

[blakem 296]

If we were to go after anyone, I think call No.1 needs to be to Marissa Young at Duke.

[Big Fat Barner 143]

34 minutes ago, blakem said:

If we were to go after anyone, I think call No.1 needs to be to Marissa Young at Duke.

I like her too. My first call would be Kenny Gajewski from Oklahoma State. I think we could land him with some SEC bucks. My second call would be Pete D’Amour from Virginia Tech, but then I’d call Marissa Young if those two couldn’t. 

[Jad0003 411]

4 hours ago, Big Fat Barner said:

I like her too. My first call would be Kenny Gajewski from Oklahoma State. I think we could land him with some SEC bucks. My second call would be Pete D’Amour from Virginia Tech, but then I’d call Marissa Young if those two couldn’t. 

I used to think Kenny would be a great option, but the Maxwell transfer changed my perception of him. He’s also made questionable assistant coaching decisions recently, so I’m interested to see how they do this year.
 

Deifel at Arkansas or Lombardi at Oregon would be my first calls. D’Amour would be high on my list too, but I’d want to understand his role on the Missouri staff when the head coach was fired for abuse. From the non-power 5, I’d look at Glasco at Louisiana or Ball-Malone at UCF. If you go after an assistant, Malveaux from Tennessee or one of the Gasso brothers would be my top choices. 

[blakem 296]

On 1/19/2024 at 9:08 PM, Jad0003 said:

I used to think Kenny would be a great option, but the Maxwell transfer changed my perception of him. He’s also made questionable assistant coaching decisions recently, so I’m interested to see how they do this year.
 

Deifel at Arkansas or Lombardi at Oregon would be my first calls. D’Amour would be high on my list too, but I’d want to understand his role on the Missouri staff when the head coach was fired for abuse. From the non-power 5, I’d look at Glasco at Louisiana or Ball-Malone at UCF. If you go after an assistant, Malveaux from Tennessee or one of the Gasso brothers would be my top choices. 

Completely agree on Kenny.

[Jad0003 411]

Lots of discussion on Robocoach about Dean’s retirement at the end of this year or next year. His contract runs through the end of 2026 season, so it’ll be interesting to see if he decides to retire early.
 

I think the job will be more attractive than it was in 2017 because the overall timing of the change and the perception around the required “clean up” following the Myers’ scandal. 

[Big Fat Barner 143]

7 minutes ago, Jad0003 said:

Lots of discussion on Robocoach about Dean’s retirement at the end of this year or next year. His contract runs through the end of 2026 season, so it’ll be interesting to see if he decides to retire early.
 

I think the job will be more attractive than it was in 2017 because the overall timing of the change and the perception around the required “clean up” following the Myers’ scandal. 

I saw that too. Did any of those who said Dean was retiring reveal any of their so-called “sources.” I don’t want to get my hopes if they are just making up stuff or assuming. 

[Jad0003 411]

5 minutes ago, Big Fat Barner said:

I saw that too. Did any of those who said Dean was retiring reveal any of their so-called “sources.” I don’t want to get my hopes if they are just making up stuff or assuming. 

No, neither revealed their sources, but both said they were close to the program. The main point of disagreement centered around whether or not he was on the hot seat. One poster thinks is on the hot seat, and the other poster claimed it didn’t matter because he was retiring within the next year or two. I tend to lean towards the latter at this point.

The list of candidates was similar to the ones mentioned above.