Something special is happening in the state of Arizona. Jay Johnson came into Tempe with little on the resume that would give an indication of how things would play out. To say he’s been a pleasant surprise would be an understatement. University of Arizona baseball is on a roll in this, Johnson’s second season, and the winning tradition continues. Coach Johnson took a route that might be considered somewhat unconventional, but frankly, we’ve seen enough of these “unconventional” paths that we’re beginning to see how some athletic directors are starting to dig a little deeper when it comes to staffing.
In this episode, Coach Johnson describes Tucson as more of a college town than most other PAC 12 towns. He also talks about what he learned from his football coach father, playing four sports in high school, knowing early on that he wanted to coach, balancing dreams vs. current responsibilities, working with San Diego’s Rich Hill for eight years, the disappointment of not making the postseason at Nevada, and how he landed the position at Arizona.
Notable quotes:
- “We need to make sure that we’re doing what we need to do to demand out of the players what we need for them to become the best.”
- “That looks like a team of your kind of players.”
- “Have a plan. Be Specific with that plan. Execute the plan with consistency so that expectations are clear.”
Follow Jay Johnson on Twitter.
Follow Arizona Baseball on Twitter.
photo credit:Â University of Arizona Athletics
Intro Music: Matt’s Blues, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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