The OFFICIAL Coach Paw has gotta go thread.

[WarAJEagle 5]

Baring a comeback (down 4-0 in the 2nd), we're about to get swept by USC at home. Given, they are defending champions, but this is underachievement at its finest.

[80Tiger 899]

I am going to have to agree. 4 years in and not alot to show in my opinion. His teams trademarks are poor fielding and decision making in the field and on the basepath. His game coaching abilities seem to be average at best. I have had conversation with a recruits father and they do not seem to hold Paw in high regard.

[Mikey 16,635]

When Coach Paw had the best hitting team in Auburn history and failed to make even a slight splash two years ago, it was evident that he didn't have what it takes to win at Auburn. Since then, it's just been a question of how long it would take for the wheels of progress to grind.

In my opinion, it's been long enough. The team is not playing hard, doesn't hustle and makes many mental errors. While Coach Paw is a nice guy in person and can handle the overall program, he's the worst game manager I've seen above the rec-league level. To top that off, he can't inspire his players to hustle and be alert. We get guys picked off, commit needless errors and never take advantage of the other team's mistakes.

I just hope something is done after this season instead of wasting another year or two before the necessary action is taken. The humiliating sweep at UAT and series loss at Vandy, those being the SEC's two worst teams (other than Auburn) should be enough to close the door on Coach Paw's tenure at Auburn.

PS: I know we're not the SEC's worst team numbers-wise at the moment, but we are playing the worst and will probably end up in or near the cellar.

PPS: Swept by USCe. 3 errors, several mistakes not recorded as errors, untold numbers of runners left on base (16). Same ol' same ol'.

[jared52 4,354]

This weeken probably spelled his doom as AU coach. AU wasn't even competitive this weekend.

[TigerTaz 109]

Paw Ball has got to go. Like the guy as a person but he can't coach in the SEC. He needs to go back to mid-major level.

[BigBlue 0]

I agree

[Mike4AU 1,739]

I have only two words to say:

Casey Dunn

[Sandstone 0]

I have only two words to say:

Casey Dunn

^^^^ yep

[ShocksMyBrain 9,368]

[TigerTaz 109]

That sums it up...and get as many errors as you can !

[AUtiger98 24]

I have only two words to say:

Casey Dunn

Agree. Casey would be my choice.

Also, I think we were tied for 1st in the West going into the Bama series. Then we are 1-8 in the league since. Not good at all.

[TigerFreak 6]

I have only two words to say:

Casey Dunn

Agreed 100%. I would love for Casey Dunn to come back and coach for us.

[TigerTaz 109]

My one concern about Casey Dunn... has he been to the NCAA Tourney at Samford? I don't believe he has. Not sure if they are on track to make it this season or not.

[Mike4AU 1,739]

Samford is an extremely small, private university, with only about 4600 total enrollment, of which only 2800 are undergraduates. It is also very expensive and baseball players don't get full rides to attend. Frankly, I'm not sure if it is even eligible for the major college baseball tournament. Even if it is, I am not concerned at all about SU not making that tourney under Dunn. For the record, memory tells me that Dunn's SU team has beaten AU more times than not.

[80Tiger 899]

I like Casey Dunn a lot. Good guy, good AU guy and so far good coach. Let's just don't box ourselves into it having to be an AU guy (see Steve Renfro). The Hal Baird model worked great. A guy with a professional background that knew baseball inside and out. I believe there are a tremendous amount of potential coaches within the professional ranks that would love the opportunity to coach at a D1 program such as Auburn. Our last two hires (younger guys with college type background) has not worked.

[Mikey 16,635]

I'd rather have a guy with at least some college coaching experience than someone straight from professional baseball. There are a lot of crooks and turns on the administrative end, plus recruiting, that a college guy needs to know and a pro guy never even needs to think about.

While Hal Baird did play some pro ball, he also had several years of college experience at East Carolina before he came to Auburn. Why this path hasn't worked for Coach Paw I don't know.

The basics, such as when to bunt and when not to are the same. In Pawlowski we just happened to acquire a guy that's lost as a manager once the game starts.

[Sandstone 0]

Casey has recruited well, put kids into the draft, won a ton of games and helped Samford reach levels they never have previously. His name and pedigree will do well in the Alabama high schools and I think he has plenty of personality to be a great recruiter on a bigger platform. He can afford to hire good assistants and would represent AU well. Slam dunk, go hire him Jay. You've given him a few more years of experience since the last time the seat was open, so don't make another mistake based on his youth. Go hire Casey and get it done as soon as the season is over.

[Mike4AU 1,739]

Well said!

[AUn Collierville 1]

Coach Pawlowski is a class individual and I wish he had achieved more success at AU. The baseball program took a big hit when Hal Baird retired and has yet to recover. Casey Dunn just might be the guy that could turn that around.

[Mikey 16,635]

Coach Pawlowski is a class individual and I wish he had achieved more success at AU.

Absolutely. I thought that success would come when he was hired here, but it just hasn't worked out for him.

[WarTiger 3,909]

I hadn't kept up with Dunn much over the years, so I went to get myself educated on him a bit. Seems like he would be a great fit for the Auburn program. Samford baseball has had its most successful period in their programs history under his leadership. He's gained valuable experience as a head coach and now might be the time to bring him back and let's see what he can do at Auburn. This is what is up on the Samford website about him.

Casey Dunn was named Samford's head baseball coach in August 2004.

Under his leadership, the Bulldogs have posted 30-plus wins in five of the last six seasons. In 2011, the Bulldogs finished third in the prestigious Southern Conference, and they reached the finals of the SoCon Tournament, finishing one win short of the first NCAA Tournament appearance in program history. The team won a school-record 37 games in 2011.

Dunn's 2011 team featured four players who were selected in the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. Pitchers Grant Sides, Andrew Jones and Josh Martin, along with second baseman Michael Johnson were all taken in the MLB Draft.

Five Bulldogs were also named to the Coaches' All-SoCon team in 2011, and the pitching staff set school records for lowest ERA, fewest runs allowed, fewest earned runs allowed and most strikeouts, while tying the school record for most saves.

In just his second season as head coach, he took the baseball team from not qualifying for the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament to being the league's regular-season champion and the top seed in the league's postseason tournament. The team won a then-school record 34 games, and Dunn was named the OVC's Coach of the Year.

Dunn followed up the success of 2006 with a second-straight winning season in 2007, marking the first time Samford posted back-to-back winning seasons in more than 40 years.

In 2008, the team finished second in the OVC in the regular season. The team posted 33 wins, ranking behind only Dunn's 2011 and 2006 squads for wins in a single season.

Under Dunn's leadership, the 2008 team also produced Samford's highest draft pick when Michael Marseco was drafted in the 11th round of the Major League Baseball draft.

After his first season, Dunn and his staff signed the largest recruiting class in Samford baseball ­history: 20 players, including nine transfers. The class was ranked 69th in the nation by Collegiate Baseball. Samford was ranked 29th among teams in the Southeast, third in Alabama and first in the Ohio Valley Conference.

Dunn and his staff have continued to recruit successfully. Each of their first three ­signing classes were ranked nationally.

Dunn, who was an assistant coach at Auburn University from mid-July 2004 until he was hired at Samford, ­started the baseball program at Spain Park High School in Birmingham. In three years at Spain Park, he posted a record of 53-41. His teams won two Jefferson County titles and a co-region champion­ship, and earned two state playoff appearances. In 2002, Dunn was named the Over the Mountain Coach of the Year, and he was named Coach of the Year by The Birmingham News in 2003.

Dunn played four seasons as a catcher at Auburn (1996-99). As a senior, he earned All-America honors after batting .379 with a Southeastern Conference-leading 86 RBI. He helped lead the Tigers to a 1999 NCAA Regional Championship, the 1998 SEC Tournament title and a 1997 College World Series ­appearance.

At the end of his senior season at Auburn, Dunn was presented with the Cliff Hare Award for the school's top male athlete.

At the conclusion of his collegiate ­playing career, Dunn played two seasons in the Kansas City Royals organization. He played with minor league teams in Wilmington, N.C., and Spokane, Wash.

Dunn graduated from Auburn in 1999 with a degree in social science secondary ­education. He is married to the former Marty Goldthorp. They have a son, Sam, 5, and a daughter, Linlee, 4.

[Mikey 16,635]

Nice find, War Tiger. Teams at any level don't win as many games as Dunn's teams have won if they throw to the wrong bases and routinely get picked off. If we make a change (and we need to) Casey gets my vote.

[Sandstone 0]

Hire Casey...and in a couple years when Timmy retires and moves back to Auburn for good, there's your new pitching coach!

[barnabascollins 0]

I like Casey Dunn a lot. Good guy, good AU guy and so far good coach. Let's just don't box ourselves into it having to be an AU guy (see Steve Renfro). The Hal Baird model worked great. A guy with a professional background that knew baseball inside and out. I believe there are a tremendous amount of potential coaches within the professional ranks that would love the opportunity to coach at a D1 program such as Auburn. Our last two hires (younger guys with college type background) has not worked.

"if they don't think an auburn man can get the job done they oughta close the place down" - Shug Jordan

[80Tiger 899]

Gene Chizik, Pat Dye, Tommy Tubberville, Hal Baird, Sonny Smith. None were AU grads and arguable the most successful coaches in AU modern history. The only exception I can think of was David Marsh with swimming.