McSween is no stranger to the Crestview area, having previously served as a teacher, football coach, and Head Softball Coach for the Bulldogs back in 2013. McSween brings 15 years of high school baseball experience to Crestview, along with six years as a head coach between Vernon and Laurel Hill.
After serving Crestview for 27 years, Gillis has cemented a successful foundation for the baseball program. McSween looks to build upon that foundation with a few additions of his own.
“I think a lot of what I’ve learned has been from him. He’s definitely been a really good mentor. There are things that I do differently, I’ve also been around some other coaches I’ve coached under and you just kind of pick and choose from different coaches that have been successful, and kind of blend them all together,” McSween said. “He’s really established a well-run program and we’re not coming in here trying to blow the motor up and doing everything different because a lot of what he did has worked for a really long time.”
During his time at Vernon, Coach McSween led the Jackets to their first winning season in four years with a 17-8 overall record. He then took his talents to Laurel Hill from 2020-2024, coaching the Hoboes to some of their best seasons in baseball.
With his first year at Crestview, McSween isn’t too ambitious with his goals but aims to keep Crestview among the ranks in District 1-6A baseball.
“For the first year we just want to be really competitive in every game. We want to put a good product on the field, something for the community to be proud of. We got three teams in our district this year, us, Navarre, and Pace. So, one of our long-term goals would be to put us in position to compete for a district championship,” McSween said.
After the controversy that followed the hiring of Jon Hudson, McSween was quick with his response from athletic director Tim Hatton’s call.
“I was taken aback a little bit. But it was a very quick yes I can tell you that. I’m very grateful for the opportunity from Mrs. Hayden and Coach Hatton and everybody involved that’s giving me this opportunity,” McSween said. “I’m from here, played here. My dad has helped Coach Gillis here for 15, 16 years. It’s a community, it’s a program I care a lot about and want to make sure it’s taken care of and brought in the right direction.”
McSween is joined by Chris Sweatt, Shoal River’s Corey Armstrong, and former Laurel Hill assistant Dalton Bullock. All of which have a connection to Crestview High School, making a staff that truly understands the standards that Bulldog baseball is held to.
The 2026-27 baseball season doesn’t start for another eight months, but McSween is getting a head start on making sure his team is prepared for the season set out before them.
“It starts right now. It starts in the summer. We just had summer tryouts; we’re going to start working out starting Wednesday. We’re not worried about anybody else, we just have to play up to our level of expectations, play a clean game, and the great thing about baseball is anything can happen,” McSween said.