Duke Coaching Profile: Candidates To Replace Chris Pollard

Josh Jordan, Assistant Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, LSU

Duke has been aware of and preparing for Pollard’s departure ever since former Virginia coach Brian O’Connor left his post for Mississippi State, and Jordan has been target No. 1 from day one, according to multiple sources.

Jordan spent a decade as Pollard’s top assistant in Durham from 2012-22 and was a key piece in the Blue Devils’ rise to national prominence. He’s also been critical to LSU’s recruiting efforts since then, having had a hand in putting together the Tigers’ national title-winning team in 2023. He joined the Duke staff as recruiting coordinator in June 2012 and was promoted to associate head coach and recruiting coordinator by Pollard three years later. In addition to managing Duke’s recruiting activities, Jordan worked with the Blue Devils’ catchers and outfielders, helping to guide them back to the postseason for the first time in over half a century.

Jordan would have to refuse this job not to get it and is the favorite by a wide margin for that reason.

Jim Penders, Head Coach, UConn

Penders and UConn have been inseparable for decades. He played there, coached there, and for the last 21 seasons, he’s been the face of the program.

In that time, UConn has become a model of consistency in cold-weather college baseball, stacking up league championships and postseason trips at a level few northern programs can match. The Huskies have finished atop the Big East standings six times—most recently in four straight seasons—and they’ve added four conference tournament titles along the way. Ten NCAA Tournament bids, three super regional appearances, and two near College World Series misses in the last four years have followed, all under Penders’ guidance. His career win total is nearing 800.

Pulling him away from that kind of legacy, especially at his alma mater, would be a challenge. But Virginia was prepared to try if it couldn’t land Pollard and Duke would be wise to do the same if can’t snag Jordan.

Chris Lemonis, Former Head Coach, Mississppi State

Lemonis was fired at Mississippi State in April, just four years removed from winning the national title atop the Bulldog program in 2021. The 55-year-old skipper is eager to find his way back into a dugout before the academic calendar flips to 2025-26 and would make a lot of sense for the Blue Devils if the search gets beyond Jordan.

Lemonis obviously brings championship pedigree to whichever school hires him as well as non-SEC recruiting experience after successful stints at The, Citadel, Louisville and Indiana. It’s not often that recent title-winning head coaches are available for the picking, presenting Duke with a unique opportunity should it choose to take advantage.

Derek Simmons, Assistant Coach, Duke

Simmons is widely expected to follow Pollard to Virginia, but a return to Durham shouldn’t be completely ruled out just yet. Like Michael Earley a year ago—who was initially expected to leave for Texas with Jim Schlossnagle before ultimately being promoted at Texas A&M—Simmons could emerge as a serious candidate to lead Duke if top targets pass, according to a source.

Simmons joined Pollard’s staff ahead of the 2025 season after a strong run at Indiana, where he handled recruiting, worked with hitters and infielders and helped guide the Hoosiers to several record-setting offensive years. Known as a polished recruiter and sharp developer of talent, Simmons has compiled more than a decade of experience across multiple programs and has been part of nationally-ranked recruiting efforts everywhere he’s been. If Duke is looking for continuity with upside, he fits the mold.

Ty Blankmeyer, Assistant Coach, Vanderbilt

Blankmeyer has made quick impacts at every stop he’s made in his young career. Before landing at Vanderbilt ahead of the 2025 season, he spent two years shaping Duke into a more complete team in the field and at the plate. His defensive influence helped the Blue Devils post the best fielding mark in school history in 2024 and navigate a flawless run to the ACC Tournament title. Offensively, they crushed a program-record 116 home runs that year and crossed the plate more than 500 times for the first time ever. Before that, Blankmeyer had a brief but successful stint at Wake Forest, where he played a key role in improving the Demon Deacons’ defensive and base running metrics.

Blankmeyer comes from strong baseball lineage. His father, Ed, is the all-time wins leader at St. John’s, where Ty played for four seasons and helped the Red Storm win the Big East in 2015. At just 31 years old, Blankmeyer would be a very young hire. But his experience at Duke and quick success as an assistant could make him a strong candidate.

Dan Skirka, Head Coach, Murray State

If Duke wants to ride momentum, Skirka offers it in spades, as the 40-year-old just orchestrated one of the most improbable runs in recent college baseball history, guiding Murray State to its first-ever College World Series. Skirka climbed the coaching ladder quietly but has announced himself loudly on the national stage. His rise mirrors the energy of a program ready to break new ground, and if Duke wants to make a splash, there may not be a better moment—or name—with which to do it.

Chuck Jeroloman, Associate Head Coach, Florida

Jeroloman has built a strong reputation inside the SEC as a relentless recruiter and sharp evaluator, helping Florida reload year after year with top-tier talent. Now six seasons into his run with Kevin O’Sullivan, he’s become a trusted architect behind the Gators’ roster construction, with deep ties across the Southeast and a knack for landing impact players. His name continues to surface in coaching circles and many view him as a future head coach.

We included Jeroloman on our Virginia job board and felt he was a worthy inclusion here for many of the same reasons.

Mike Rikard, Senior Advisor, Arizona Diamondbacks

Few in professional baseball carry a track record as rich and respected as Rikard, who has spent more than two decades building and leading some of the sport’s most successful scouting departments.

Rikard was a cornerstone of Boston’s amateur scouting operation for nearly 20 years, playing a key role in the selections of over 90 future major leaguers, including Anthony Rizzo, Christian Vázquez, Jackie Bradley Jr. and 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts. As scouting director, he drafted All-Stars like Andrew Benintendi, Tanner Houck and Jarren Duran. As VP of scouting, he oversaw the selections of top prospects Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery. Under his leadership, Boston’s farm system was ranked No. 1 by Baseball America in 2024.

Now with the Diamondbacks, Rikard also spent five years coaching at Wake Forest, helping the program to three ACC titles in late 90s. His combination of elite scouting acumen and player development insight would be a major asset to Duke.