Rumor about Jeff Capel to South Carolina

[rthomas]

Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel has emerged as a candidate for the South Carolina men’s basketball coaching job, according to a USC source and an industry source.


http://www.thestate.com/gamecocks/story/332827.html

I think this would be a good move for Capel.

[Richard Berg]

Why would he leave OU? Someone fill me in.

[Duvall]

I think this would be a good move for Capel.

Why? It seems like a lateral move at best, and probably a half-step down.

[shadowfax336]

his team had a big win this weekend, Oklahoma is a school with some tradition, and I haven't heard anything about him being unhappy there. He seems to be in a good place

[ArkieDukie]

Unless he wants to be back on the East Coast, I don't see this as being a step up. YMMV.

[killerleft]

Unless the $$$ is just too good to pass up? Can't think of another reason.

[Ignatius07]

Big 12 to SEC in basketball is a step down in and of itself unless you're talking about going to UK or Florida, but especially for South Carolina.

[hc5duke]

Any reason to get out of Oklahoma sounds good to this Texan

P.S. What, no mention of the word "basketball backwaters" yet?

[A-Tex Devil]

Unless there are non-basketball reasons for him to make the move, which would be understandable, as far as basketball goes, it's a step down. Jay Bilas was right about the South Carolina basketball program.

OU has arguably the second best traditional program in the Big XII (OSU and UT may argue). South Carolina may have the occasional year where it makes the tourney, but it is to SEC b-ball as Clemson is to ACC b-ball.

In fact, I'd argue every job in the SEC is better than the South Carolina job with the possible exception of Auburn or Ole Miss.

[SilkyJ]

pretty much agree with everyone. definitely a step down.

moreover, I think Jeff is going to give it a serious go at OU, meaning at least 5-7 years to try and build a program. He came in knowing it was going to be a bit of rebuilding job b/c of the mess sampson left him with, and he's done well considering. I don't think he walked into this thinking he would leave after a couple years b/c it would be difficult to accomplish much in that time.

To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised to see jeff at OU in 10-15 years either. that's a bigtime school that can reward him bigtime (read $$) if he is able to build a big program and do well and I think that he will.

[rthomas]

The other name to surface at USC is Alex English, who was a gamecock and a great pro.

[cbfx3]

It would move him fairly close to where he grew up..

[RelativeWays]

South Carolina. Where basketball coaching careers go to die.

[arydolphin]

To comment on the main purpose of this thread, going to South Carolina would be a lateral move at best for Capel. I think his Oklahoma team is actually pretty good this year, they've just had a horrible time with injuries. The guy that South Carolina should go after, who is the guy that was rumored right after Odom announced he wasn't coming back after this season, is Anthony Grant from VCU. Grant used to be at Florida, so he knows the conference, and he's done pretty well at VCU as we all know.

To comment on what the focal point in this thread has become, I grew up in Columbia and have lived in Charleston since 2001. Other than visiting my parents, there aren't very many attractive things in Columbia. On the other hand, I love Charleston, and everyone should visit here at some point; April, May, and October are the best months to visit. I know that I'm going to have to move away from Charleston this summer, and it's going to be hard to leave. I haven't spent much time in Greenville, so I can't really comment on that part of the state.

[cspan37421]

Just my $0.02, I think unless something is very wrong in OU, Jeff should stay there and quash the rumors lest it hurt his OU recruiting. Once you get to a certain level, and do well, you should stop job-hopping. I think I saw he is 19-10 this year at OU. That's good, not great, and there aren't a lot of openings at better programs. He's got it good.

SC might offer to pay him more, but everyone knows that would be a) a step down and b) even if he did do well at SC, he'd probably be lured away again.

Bruce Pearl job hopped for awhile until he landed at UT, and UT was not considered as good of a job in the SEC as OU is in the Big 12. He's done really well at UT and although he could continue to job hop, it appears he knows he's got a good thing going, so why mess it up? UT is one of, if not the top dog in the SEC, he's loved there, and he seems to have embraced it. Assuming they can pay him well, why wouldn't he stay?

Jeff should stay, get that program back on top of the Big 12 (or near it) and then see if the grass really looks greener elsewhere.

[alteran]

I can't shake the feeling that South Carolina is a place where promising and once-promising basketball coaching careers go to die.

Not a nice thing to say, really, but it sure seems true. I can't help but think there's something screwed up institutionally at that school that makes bball success there nigh impossible. Lord knows that with the talent in that state USC should be a powerhouse.

[uncwdevil]

I think OU to USC is probably a lateral move. Money and geography could make a difference though.

And downtown Greenville, SC is great. I'm serious.

[Classof06]

I don't know about you guys but I think Oklahoma is a much better job than South Carolina. I think Capel would be making a bad decision if he left Norman for Columbia. The Big 12 is a better basketball conference and Oklahoma is just a higher profile program.

[BCGroup]

Sounds like he wants to stay at Oklahoma but not totally shutting down SC.

http://www.charlotte.com/sports_brea...ry/551658.html

[weezie]

I think OU to USC is probably a lateral move. Money and geography could make a difference though.

I just wonder if Capel isn't in line for UVA if Leitao's contract isn't renewed. Isn't Leitao just about at the end down in Cville?
Capel could certainly bring that program around, especially with the state of their recruiting. Think he would take the job?