Titans’ Cochell, Tennessee Discuss Coaching Job

Cal State Fullerton baseball Coach Larry Cochell has held discussions with University of Tennessee Athletic Director Doug Dickey about the school’s vacant baseball coaching job and might travel to Knoxville for further talks, Cochell confirmed Monday.

Cochell, 49, has been at Fullerton for two seasons, guiding the Titans to the College World Series in his first season after replacing Augie Garrido, but finishing with the Titans’ worst record since 1973 last year, 30-27.

“I have been contacted by Tennessee,” Cochell said. “I’m extremely happy where I am.”

The Tennessee position has been open about two months since the resignation of Mark Connor, who left a coaching job with the New York Yankees to take the Tennessee job two years ago and has now returned to the Yankees.

Tennessee set school records for losses in a season in each of the past two, finishing 23-36 overall last season, 4-23 in the Southeastern Conference.

Dickey has told the Knoxville News-Sentinel that the list of candidates has been narrowed to five. Other candidates mentioned prominently by the News-Sentinel include interim coach Mike Barnett, Florida State assistant Rob Delmonico, Western Carolina Coach Jack Leggett, Cleveland (Tenn.) State Coach Steve Longley and Miami assistant Turtle Thomas.

Cochell said he first talked with Dickey about two weeks ago, and that he had sought and received Fullerton Athletic Director Ed Carroll’s permission to hold discussions.

Carroll declined to comment.

Cochell coached at Northwestern for one season and at Oral Roberts for 10 before taking the job at Fullerton when Garrido resigned to become coach at Illinois. Cochell also has been a head coach at Emporia (Kan.) State, Creighton and Cal State Los Angeles.