Fallen Angel : Garrido Will Run Baseball Camp, Then Start New Job

Augie Garrido was back at Titan Field Monday for the first day of his summer baseball camp, but it will be only a brief return to Cal State Fullerton before Garrido takes over as coach at Texas.

Garrido said he plans to fulfill his commitment to the camp in the next two weeks, then be on the job in Austin when classes start Aug. 28.

Texas’ program, which hasn’t had the kind of success recently that it did in the 1980s under Cliff Gustafson, also appears under the threat of an NCAA penalty.

Gustafson resigned in mid-July when questions were raised about finances related to the Texas summer baseball camp.

The university said an internal audit revealed an unauthorized bank account maintained in connection with the camp, into which some camp-related revenue was deposited and used for both camp and non-camp purposes. The fund was against school policy.

Texas officials made the NCAA aware of the fund, and the school is continuing an investigation.

Texas notified the NCAA of two possible rules violations. Gustafson’s son, Deron, received money from the fund, although he has been classified as a volunteer assistant coach at the school the last two years.

The senior Gustafson has been quoted as saying he gave the money to his son as a gift, and not for being an assistant coach. The audit also indicated three players were improperly paid a total of $600 from the unauthorized account for their work at the summer camp.

“We don’t see it as a serious violation, but we have reported it,” said Bill Little, a Texas assistant athletic director.

Garrido said he is prepared to accept whatever penalty is handed down by the NCAA if violations did occur.

“We’d accept it, and move forward from there,” Garrido said.

Texas has not been to the College World Series since 1993 after making 17 trips in the first 26 years of Gustafson’s 29 as head coach.

Recruiting in recent years has been a particular concern.

“You know there are some problems there, or they wouldn’t have needed a new coach,” Garrido said.

Texas has signed 17 players, but Garrido said “everyone says the program probably is at a low ebb” from a talent standpoint. Garrido said 12 of the recruits are transfers from community colleges.

“They’ve got their team, and I’m not going to do anything to disrupt that,” Garrido said. “And I’m not going to do anything to disrupt anything here [at Fullerton]. I’ll honor the commitments Texas has made, just the way I will the commitments players have made to Fullerton.”

Garrido said his main duty for Texas in the next month will be hiring a coaching staff. He said he is committed to hiring at least one assistant with a Texas background. Tommy Harmon, a former Longhorn All-American who was the top assistant for Gustafson, is one of several possibilities to fill that role.

Garrido’s associate head coach at Fullerton, George Horton, is the top candidate to succeed Garrido. Another Titan assistant, Rick Vanderhook, also has indicated plans to remain at Fullerton, although Garrido said Monday he plans to discuss with him possibilities at Texas.