2018 MBB Coaching Carousel

[sagegrouse]

Really not surprised at this. Not only is their record terrible, their recruiting might be worse. I don't think he has ever gotten a top-100 player, and recruiting is the life's blood of any program. Being a great Xs and Os coach might get you some success, but it will also get you some recognition for that and therefore players. Things were not going to get better.

I was never impressed with the hire. Pitt is smart to move on. Should've been smart 2 years ago.

Moreover, the good players he inherited -- and there were a few, including Cam Johnson -- bailed on him.

[jimsumner]

Ten millions dollars to not coach Pitt.

Is this a great country or what?

For the record, I'd take a lot less to not coach Pitt.

[rthomas]

Stallings was a disaster from the get-go, Pitt is smart to just cut and run.


Thad Motta is interviewing at Ole Miss today and UGA fans are mentioning him if/when Mark Fox gets fired. Pitt would be smart to talk to him.

Calling Pitt smart? Pitt is a dumb***. They should have never run their previous coach out of town. He has now taken TCU from 4 losing seasons to 2 20+ win seasons.

Jamie Dixon is looking like a pretty good coach, right now.

[kako]

The hire will need to be young as Pitt needs to pay 10M to buyout.

They'd be smart to give a young coach that's had success in the mid or lower majors a chance rather than go with another retread. South Dakota State out of the Summit has made the post-season consistently this decade, though T.J. Otzelberger has only coached them since 2016. And he has a pro prospect in Mike Daum - when he leaves, what will happen? But how worse could Pitt get? Roll the dice. Turned out well for Duke.

[dudog84]

Calling Pitt smart? Pitt is a dumb***. They should have never run their previous coach out of town. He has now taken TCU from 4 losing seasons to 2 20+ win seasons.

Jamie Dixon is looking like a pretty good coach, right now.

Just nitpicking, but Jamie Dixon has always looked like a pretty good coach. Just never did very well in the NCAAs.

[wilson]

Calling Pitt smart? Pitt is a dumb***. They should have never run their previous coach out of town. He has now taken TCU from 4 losing seasons to 2 20+ win seasons.

Jamie Dixon is looking like a pretty good coach, right now.

Pitt did not run Dixon out. He wanted to go to TCU because it's his alma mater. Pitt had been in something of a slide up until then, and then Pitt actually decreased his buyout in order to allow him to pursue a job he wanted. They might not have moved mountains to keep him, but they didn't push him out.

[chris13]

Ten millions dollars to not coach Pitt.

Is this a great country or what?

For the record, I'd take a lot less to not coach Pitt.

I do get why Stallings wouldn't reduce his buyout. Here take 10 million to do nothing or work another year, get your head beat in and then we'll fire you and give you less of a buyout.

Sounds like he was not a good fit from the get go and only took the job because Vandy was thinking of showing him the door.

[RPS]

Yes, his ole buddy Roy, recruited and stole his best player, Cam Johnson. Maybe Roy will help him get another job.

Coaches change jobs all the time despite existing contracts but a player who graduates with remaining eligibility and transfers -- typically the only hoops transfer that doesn't require sitting out a year (Elliot Williams notwithstanding) -- is "stolen"? That's horribly unfair to players, who have all too few rights once they commit to a school. Kids can't transfer freely, leave when their coaches leave, etc. But their scholarships can be pulled for any or no reason on a year-to-year basis.

[DangerDevil]

ESPN reports that Ollie is out at UCONN, for cause.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Coaches change jobs all the time despite existing contracts but a player who graduates with remaining eligibility and transfers -- typically the only hoops transfer that doesn't require sitting out a year (Elliot Williams notwithstanding) -- is "stolen"? That's horribly unfair to players, who have all too few rights once they commit to a school. Kids can't transfer freely, leave when their coaches leave, etc. But their scholarships can be pulled for any or no reason on a year-to-year basis.

The scholarships should not be able to be pulled, and I don't know how often that happens, in basketball at least. As for it being horribly unfair, I would not go that far. By the time you are 17-18, you should realize that the school is permanent, the coach is not. Coaches get fired, get sick, take other jobs all the time. This is not a secret. This is life, with any student or any job applicant or anything else. That's not to say there aren't some tweaks that would be appropriate, but every year we learn that coaches are not permanent.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Georgia has an opening available.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...-ways-mark-fox

[CameronBornAndBred]

Jeff Lebo resigns from ECU.

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/ecu-bas...gns-/17149466/

ECU just negotiated a buyout with their AD. He wasn't very popular, with fans even hiring a plane to fly over the football stadium with a banner saying "Fire Compher". (He was instantly despised when he fired FB coach Ruffin McNeill, and Scottie Montgomery unfortunately hasn't done much to back up his decision.)
So the new AD will get a chance to make a statement hire when he looks at the basketball coach position. Seeing as how the Pirates ended the season at 10-15, it's safe to say the interim guy won't be keeping the job.

[SavDukeGrad]

Georgia has an opening available.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-bas...-ways-mark-fox

The scuttlebutt here in Georgia is that Tom Crean is high on their list.

[TruBlu]

The scuttlebutt here in Georgia is that Tom Crean is high on their list.

You would think Georgia would be gun shy about hiring slimeballs after their experience with Harrick.

[MartyClark]

You would think Georgia would be gun shy about hiring slimeballs after their experience with Harrick.

What have I missed on Crean? I know he has an odd personality and antagonized some people at I.U. Not arguing but I don't know what you are referring to.

[TruBlu]

What have I missed on Crean? I know he has an odd personality and antagonized some people at I.U. Not arguing but I don't know what you are referring to.

Yep. I think I had him confused with someone else in a galaxy far far away. Sorry bout that.

[burnspbesq]

ESPN reports that Ollie is out at UCONN, for cause.

To be completely accurate, the espn.com article says the school has started a “disciplinary process” with the apparent objective of firing him for cause. Whether they are serious about that, or whether it’s a negotiating ploy, time will tell.

ESPN speculating that Dan Hurley is the leading candidate for both Pitt and UConn. If anyone would like to try convincing me that either of those situations are better than URI, I’m willing to listen.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

To be completely accurate, the espn.com article says the school has started a “disciplinary process” with the apparent objective of firing him for cause. Whether they are serious about that, or whether it’s a negotiating ploy, time will tell.

ESPN speculating that Dan Hurley is the leading candidate for both Pitt and UConn. If anyone would like to try convincing me that either of those situations are better than URI, I’m willing to listen.

I think UConn is a terrible basketball job now, with their conference affiliation. Pitt would get the nod over URI in many people's minds simply due to the ACC. That said, URI might be a better fit for Danny Hurley. It's closer to his roots, and much more similar in culture to his roots.

I would not try to convince you either is better, only would say UConn is a death bed for future coaches, and Pitt is debatable.

[BandAlum83]

Not a big shock after a winless season in the ACC. Maybe beating ND could have saved his job. It’s too bad they didn’t give him more time, he was starting five freshmen, his best player from last season transferred away and his most experienced player this season got injured. I feel like he deserved more time to see what he could do.

Who is Pitt going to be able to hire now? They ran off Jamie Dixon who was consistently making the tournament, then gave Stallings the ax after two seasons. What Coach in their right mind would want to go there?

10 million buyout for being axed after 2 years? I think plenty of coaches would take a contract like that.

[DU82]

To be completely accurate, the espn.com article says the school has started a “disciplinary process” with the apparent objective of firing him for cause. Whether they are serious about that, or whether it’s a negotiating ploy, time will tell.

ESPN speculating that Dan Hurley is the leading candidate for both Pitt and UConn. If anyone would like to try convincing me that either of those situations are better than URI, I’m willing to listen.

He turned down a P5 job at Rutgers, his home state, to stay at URI. I would be surprised if he jumped to Pitt.