LSU pitcher Ty Floyd only worked with Wes Johnson for a year, but the Rockmart native said Wednesday he would not be the pitcher he is today if not for the new Georgia head coach.
“He had a huge impact on me,” Floyd told reporters Wednesday as LSU prepares to host Kentucky in the Super Regionals.
“I’m not the same pitcher that I was last year, thanks to him,” he continued. “He’s helped me develop as a person and a player.”
Floyd is not the only Tiger who feels that way.
Catcher Hayden Travenski worked every day with Johnson, who will remain in Baton Rouge until LSU's season is complete.
“There are multiple pitchers he helped propel forward in a big way,” Travenski said. “He's a great baseball mind. Great human. He's going to do great things at that school. And I couldn't be happier for him as a person.”
Johnson was announced as the replacement for former coach Scott Stricklin shortly after the Tigers’ win over Oregon State in the championship game of the Baton Rouge Regional.
He's already held an initial Zoom meeting to introduce himself to his players, while he puts together his staff of assistant coaches.
Head coach Jay Johnson (no relation) had planned on telling his team during a meeting on Tuesday before news of the hire leaked out.
“I love him like a brother,” he said. “I can’t imagine only spending 11 months with somebody and connecting the way that we have. We’re going to get a really good pitching coach. But I love working with him. He made a really big impact on our guys. It’s been great.”
Floyd said on Wednesday that the Bulldogs are getting a good one.
“We were all surprised. I think that was one of the reasons he brought us together because he wanted to tell us to our face instead of seeing it on social media,” Floyd said. “We’re sad that he’s leaving, but we’re also happy for him, because he’s going to have a lot of success at Georgia once he leaves after the season is over.”
Tiger left-hander Nate Ackenhausen agreed with Floyd when asked about Johnson after the game.
"I didn't know anything about it," Ackenhausen said. "We all said, 'Congratulations,' and that's a good step for him. I think he'll be a good coach, and he'll get a lot of recruits. Good for them."
Jay Johnson said Georgia’s getting a good one.
“He’s done a great job with those guys. Between the ears, that’s a huge part of our program and how we operate. I’m not a pitching mechanics guy per se, but you notice I go to the mound a lot. It’s literally to help them in those moments about what’s going on in the game and just get them reconnected to execute the things that Wes has taught them,” Jay Johnson said. “He’s very complete as a coach and a great person. His impact’s not done here. We’ve hashed out everything we need to hash out to be in the right spot.”
