Instant Reaction: What Do You Think About Alabama's New Baseball Coach?

Alabama named Rob Vaughn head baseball coach and retained Jason Jackson to serve as associate head coach.

Yes, the Alabama Crimson Tide has a new baseball coach, it's the name that had been floating around Tuscaloosa over the past few days, Rob Vaughn. 

On their way back from the Super Regional at Winston-Salem, N.C, where the team got bounced by Wake Forest in the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional, BamaCentral's Austin Hannon and Will Miller pulled over and provided some instant analysis: 

Vaughn, the 2022 and 2023 Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year, is the 33rd head coach in Crimson Tide baseball history, and will be formally introduced at a press conference on Tuesday. In addition to Vaughn’s hiring, interim head coach Jason Jackson was retained on the coaching staff. Jackson will now serve as the associate head coach of the Crimson Tide while continuing his role as pitching coach.

Vaughn comes to Tuscaloosa after spending the previous six seasons at the University of Maryland. He led the Terps to a 183-117 record, including an 84-54 mark in Big Ten play, finishing atop the conference standings in both 2022 and 2023 while earning Big Ten Coach of the Year in consecutive seasons. He was a part of the staff for the three winningest seasons in Maryland history, including the only 40-win seasons for the Terps in 2014, 2015, 2022 and 2023.

Maryland put together a 42-21 record in 2023, claiming the first Big Ten Tournament Championship in program history and a second consecutive Big Ten title. The Terps also advanced to a third straight NCAA Regional and eclipsed the 40-win mark for the fourth time in program history. For his efforts, Vaughn was named the 2022 ABCA/ATEC East Region Coach of the Year.

Maryland’s high-powered offense set the program records for runs (578), hits (684), walks (385) and RBI (552) in 2023. The roster was highlighted by Big Ten Player of the Year Matt Shaw who compiled a .361 average with 23 home runs and 66 RBI across 55 games. He became Maryland’s all-time home run leader with 52 for his career and tied for the Big Ten lead in batting average at .412.

Ironically, Maryland was the team that ended Wake Forest's season in the 2022 NCAA Tournament. 

SEE ALSO: Alabama Baseball’s Historic Season Comes to a Close in Super Regional Loss to No. 1 Wake Forest