Former OU pitching coach Skip Johnson was introduced as the new head coach at a press conference Tuesday morning.
Johnson was the Sooners' pitching coach last season, and is taking over after former coach Pete Hughes' resignation.
The Denton, Texas, native was introduced by OU Athletics Director Joe Castiglione, who said he had multiple candidates for the job, but felt Johnson was the best fit.
“We wanted someone who had been part of winning championship — who had been to Omaha — and we found that in (Skip) Johnson,” Castiglione said. “His passion, his plan, continually impressed us.”
Castiglione added that though Johnson might be humble, he's still a competitor at heart, which is part of why he earned the position.
“Don’t let his down to earth demeanor trick you into thinking he isn’t a competitor. He might try to trick you into thinking that, but he is a fierce competitor," Castiglione said. "You’re not going to out hunt him. You’re not going to out fish him. And believe me, don’t try to go bowling with him. Whether it’s rolling strikes or throwing strikes, Skip is a fierce competitor and he conveys that to all those around him.”
Johnson said that while he is a competitor and wants to win championships, his main focus is on the relationships he builds with players and coaches.
“You can go win national championships, but it’s the relationships that matter to me," Johnson said. "It’s getting the phone call at 2 o’clock in the morning, or the guy struggling in professional baseball where he comes in your office and talks to you, that’s what matters. We can win championships — there’s no doubt I want to win championships as badly as anybody — but the relationships mean everything to me. Always have and always will. That’s the reason I’m here.”
Johnson already has a close relationship with the team, according to sophomore pitcher Ryan Madden. Madden said that the team is comfortable going to Johnson with any problems they have, so they were excited to hear he would be the new head coach.
“I’m definitely really excited and I think I speak for everyone on the team,” Madden said.
Johnson had a conference call with the team yesterday to notify them of his hiring. He said he could hear everyone yelling, which made him happy that the team was as excited as he was.
Madden said that Johnson told the team, “Guys it’s me. We’re not going to change. You know what I’m about and what we’re going to be about.”
Despite being named head coach, Johnson said he will still work with the pitchers and is in the process of hiring a pitching coach.
