2014 College basketball coaching carousel thread...

I read something on CBS Sports by Gary Parrish that said Marshall and Smart are only leaving for a top 10 job. Obviously, Tennessee and Missouri do not meet that standard.

He also said Marshall was probably more sought-after than Smart at this point, but obviously Smart was still on everyone's short list.

 

Pat Forde notes that it's now four black coaches who have left the SEC in recent years for lateral moves at best (Tubby Smith, Trent Johnson, Cuonzo Martin and now Haith):

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/frank-haith-merely-the-latest-african-american-coach-to-leave-sec-for-lesser-job-060826346.html

 

The rumor mill says Haith went to Alden for a raise and an extension -- BWAHAHAHAHAH! -- or else he was going to talk to Tulsa.

Rumor mill also says he went from a $1.7M salary to $1.4M.

 

I get that Tulsa is probably tired of having to replace its coach every few years, but finding the next up-and-coming star has worked well for the school historically. Taking a guy who keeps leaving major conference jobs ahead of the firing squad seems like a strange departure.

 

If it wasn't for the strength of Florida and Kentucky, SEC would be Conference USA wearing a different jersey.

The SEC has sold its basketball soul to football. Not a single high profile mid-major coach will leave for Tennessee or Mizzou. Because they aren't very good jobs.

 

Mizzou has potential to be a good job. It has good facilities and is the only big school in a state with a sizable population. It's between two big cities, one of which is college basketball crazy. For whatever reason though, it's never been able to get over the hump from sometimes pretty good, to great.

Missouri had Bill Self and Quin Snyder in a KC hotel, interviewing both. You have to wonder how things would have changed if it chose Self. Self likely would have had a few really, really good years there and would be the coach at Kentucky right now.

 

Would $3 million a year get Marshall's attention?

 

It sounds like Tennessee is sniffing around Tad Boyle.

 

Actually, he went TO a 7-year contract averaging $1.85M...so, he got more security and more money. Doesn't smell like a lateral move to me.

Forde's column is full of holes...he points out that all of the coaches either underachieved or were falling short of expectations, and yet it's surprising that they left?

 

I understand why he left and I don't blame him, but it's not a move up and it's not a lateral move.

It's a step down. It might be a better situation for him, but it's still a move down. I feel the same way about Buzz Williams at Virginia Tech, even if that's not quite as bad.

I'm not saying it was likely, but in theory, Haith could have contended for titles and Final Fours at Missouri. It doesn't mean he would have, but he could have.

He will never contend for anything of substance at Tulsa. He may win a couple games in a tournament every couple years, but he's not going down there to do what Gregg Marshall has done at Wichita State or what Shaka Smart has done at VCU. The heat was turned up and he ran. To be fair, from a financial and job security standpoint, it was probably the right move.

 

ESPN reported Tulsa gave Haith a seven-year contract that will pay him an average of $1.85 million a year.

That's notably void of specific details. We will wait to see what the contract actually says when it becomes a public document, but that sounds like something that's a bit backloaded to bring the average up if he gets to those fifth through seventh years. A seven-year contract that starts at $1.4 million and includes a $150,000 annual raise ends up averaging ... voila! $1.85 million!

I will be surprised if he is making more next year at Tulsa than the $1.7 million he was scheduled to make at Mizzou.

Plus Mizzou is supposed to get a $500,000 buyout.

This can only be seen as a positive for Mizzou, they get rid of the guy without having to fire him.

 

The Tulsa AD must have lost his/her mind.