Oregon Ducks Baseball And The Case To Retain Head Coach George Horton

Oregon Baseball has had ups and downs under George Horton, but is it time for the Ducks to go in a new direction?

The Oregon Ducks have been back playing baseball since 2009. Eight seasons later, the team has not met expectations and after that first sellout game against Fresno State, the defending College World Series Champions at the time things have not quite gone to plan.

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When you set out to hire the best coach in the game, who knows how to win and there are things that get in the way, it makes it tough to point a finger. There was the injury to Cole Irvin that meant Tommy John Surgery and a lost season. There were players that did everything they could at the College level and moved on to get paid.

Austin Grebeck left for the Seattle Mariners, Irvin was Drafted by Philadelphia and soon David Peterson will follow them after a Junior Year to be remembered. Injuries, early departures, a few rough seasons recruiting, and inexperience at key positions have all played a role since baseball returned.

What do the Oregon Ducks have to show for it?

Five NCAA Regional trips and a lone fly ball lost in the sun away from heading to Omaha in a game against Kent State.

A report recently came out from the Daily Emerald about the State of the Baseball Program financially. It isn’t good. The Program is in a close to $20 Million hole. Each game played costs roughly $400,000 and ticket sales peaked back in 2010. Since, revenue has been cut nearly in half.

"We’ve had a couple crummy years; there’s no mistaking that. Hopefully [my bosses] have confidence in me. You can only do what you can do. I would like for them to think I’m the right man to turn it around and get it going in the right direction.Oregon Baseball Head Coach After Being Swept By Oregon State(via the Eugene Daily Emerald)"

Horton’s contract is also one of the most lucrative in the sport worth up to $800,000 per year. Add in his Assistant coaches and the reason for the team being in the red becomes a little more clear. Next season, Horton and the staff have a load of young arms to add to the pitching rotation and Freshman like Gabe Matthews have stepped into Starting Roles and played well.

Next: Marcus Mariota Gets Back On The Field In Tennessee

The Oregon Head Coach will see his current contract expire at the end of June. If you were Oregon, would you give Horton the chance to turn it around?