In this episode of the College Baseball Show Coaches Corner, we sit down with Terry Rooney, pitching coach and recruiting coordinator at South Carolina Gamecocks, to break down the blueprint for getting South Carolina baseball back to the top of the SEC. Rooney dives into year two of the rebuild, roster construction in the transfer portal era, balancing high school recruiting with veteran talent, and what stood out during a strong fall for the Gamecocks. He also shares insight into SEC pitching philosophy, building a winning culture, working alongside legendary head coach Paul Mainieri, and recruiting stories from his career — including landing Justin Verlander at Old Dominion. A must-watch conversation for college baseball fans, coaches, and anyone tracking the 2026 season.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Intro & welcoming Terry Rooney

01:30 – Year two at South Carolina & program goals

03:45 – Building a roster in the transfer portal era

06:10 – Evaluating South Carolina’s transfer class impact

08:45 – Power arms, power bats & SEC roster needs

11:00 – Leadership, culture & setting expectations

13:40 – Fall structure & pitcher development philosophy

15:25 – Salute to Troops weekend vs Army, Navy & Air Force

16:55 – Pitching identity, analytics & SEC success

19:10 – Recruiting Justin Verlander: the full story

23:35 – Working with Paul Mainieri & rebuilding elite programs

26:20 – Dream teams, football influences & coaching inspirations

29:20 – Life away from baseball & family

32:05 – Closing thoughts on South Carolina baseball’s future

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We kick off our 2026 season preview series by breaking down the top mid-major programs to watch across the country, excluding the loaded Sun Belt, which gets its own episode. Mark, Jared, and Will go region by region to spotlight teams poised to make noise this spring, including UTSA, Dallas Baptist, UConn, Rhode Island, San Diego State, Gonzaga, Cal State Fullerton, Creighton, Missouri State, Austin Peay, East Carolina, Tulane, and others. We dive into returning stars, impact transfers, coaching continuity, breakout players, and more! If you want to know which non-Power 4 teams could crash regionals, host, or pull off postseason upsets, this is the must-listen preview as we count down to Opening Day.

TIMESTAMPS

Intro - 0:35

Explaining the preview shows - 1:40

Southwest Region - 2:32

Northeast Region - 6:00

West Coast - 13:53

Midwest - 22:02

Southeast Region - 28:23

Player Coach Superlatives - 39:30

- Player of the Year Candidates Each Region - 39:45

- Best Pitcher Candidates Each Region - 46:00

- Breakout star or Freshman for 2026 Each Region - 51:45

- Coach Likely to be on the lists for P4 jobs - 58:20

- Dark Horse Team that could surprise people - 1:01:20

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Auburn associate head coach Karl Nonemaker joins The College Baseball Show Coach's Corner for an in-depth conversation on building a winning culture with Auburn Tigers baseball, recruiting the right fit, defensive excellence in the SEC, and lessons from Auburn’s 2025 season. Nonemaker breaks down how Auburn evaluates players beyond tools, why defense and athleticism are non-negotiable, leadership development inside the program, key transfer portal additions, returning impact players, and how a demanding non-conference schedule prepares teams for the SEC grind. We also dive into player-led leadership, fall standouts, early-season tournaments, the Savannah Bananas experience, and some fun off-the-field stories.

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Introduction & welcoming Karl Nonemaker

01:00 – Nonemaker’s coaching journey & return to Auburn

02:35 – Recruiting philosophy: culture, fit & competitiveness

04:25 – Why defense matters so much in Auburn’s roster building

06:05 – Breaking down Auburn’s 2025 season & leadership core

08:30 – Veteran pitchers, breakout performances & staff depth

10:45 – Player-led leadership & Auburn’s captain selection process

12:10 – Transfer portal additions & fall standouts

14:55 – Returning impact players & positional versatility

16:30 – Non-conference scheduling & early-season tournaments

18:00 – SEC grind, rivalries & road preparation

19:30 – Auburn vs. the Savannah Bananas experience

22:20 – Coaching dream teams & influences

23:40 – Life outside baseball & family balance

26:10 – Game-day routines, meals & coaching habits

28:40 – Final thoughts & looking ahead to 2026

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