Louisville coach Dan McDonnell says rumors wrong, he will listen if LSU calls

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If LSU calls, Dan McDonnell will listen. And how could he not? There are certain doors you don’t close before learning where they might lead.

But the University of Louisville’s baseball coach says he’s not waiting on a call from Cajun country, is not “hunting” the LSU job, has not spoken to university officials and has not made a recent trip to Baton Rouge, despite what you may have heard.

“I don’t know how that started,” McDonnell said Wednesday afternoon. “Anything I heard from a third party, it was, ‘Hey, I’m not going there. I’m not discussing it. I’ve got nothing to say.’ I cut it off quick cause I didn’t like the rumor itself. That’s where it stopped or stalled. That’s as far as it’s gone.”

It's at least conceivable things could go farther. Though DI Baseball reports former Oregon State coach Pat Casey has emerged as the front-runner to replace LSU's retiring Paul Mainieri, McDonnell is said to be high on the short list for one of the most coveted jobs in college baseball.

McDonnell admits a strong affinity for traditions traced to former LSU coach Skip Bertman. “I think there are jobs out there that out of respect you’re curious to listen,” McDonnell said. “I think it’s healthy to listen, so I would never say I wouldn’t listen to somebody to talk about their situation.”

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