Coaching Carousel Begins

[user1]

The question was who among Division I schools 's going to fire
(or replace) their coach first...........

Answers

--Of course Cincy was the first, then Mizzou was the 2nd, then Oklahoma State & Indiana fell in line, but here are a couple more that happened just today:

Weber State (8-17, 4-10, Big Sky Conference, RPI=259)
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3552599

Northern Colorado (3-24, Independant, RPI=325)
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060227/SPORTS/60227001

How about a pick-em to see which present MVC coach is the first to go?

[BradleyBrave]

The question was who among Division I schools 's going to fire
(or replace) their coach first...........

Answers

--Of course Cincy was the first, then Mizzou was the 2nd, then Oklahoma State & Indiana fell in line, but here are a couple more that happened just today:

Weber State (8-17, 4-10, Big Sky Conference, RPI=259)
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3552599

Northern Colorado (3-24, Independant, RPI=325)
http://www.coloradoan.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060227/SPORTS/60227001

How about a pick-em to see which present MVC coach is the first to go?

You gonna sponsor that one T?

[BUBravesMan]

my pick is Dr. Tom

[SFP]

my pick is Dr. Tom

My pick is Porter. There is no way they will fire Dr. Tom, they may let him retire though.....

[BTID]

my pick is Dr. Tom

My pick is Porter. There is no way they will fire Dr. Tom, they may let him retire though.....


I doubt Moser gets the axe. The Redbirds are very young, and they showed well Saturday at Wichita. Don't know if that says more for ISU or how crummy WSU looked. Interesting that Weber State finished last in the Big Sky (how long has it been since that happened?) and Northern Colorado who joins the Big Sky next year, is in the market for some improvement.

[patrick_o'brian]

yahoo sports has bobby huggins possibly going to SOUTH FLORIDA!

[cpacmel]

Moser signed a 7 year deal with ISU. That's a huge buyout for a guy who is just finishing his 3rd year.

Also, the Weber State coach (Cravens) was a finalist for the ISU job, but it went to Moser.

[user1]

Moser signed a 7 year deal with ISU. That's a huge buyout for a guy who is just finishing his 3rd year.

Also, the Weber State coach (Cravens) was a finalist for the ISU job, but it went to Moser.

Moser will get 1-2 more years, but he employs a very low scoring "style of play", that may wear a bit thin on the B-N fans just as Mo's style did.
PM has been given a pass by many of the ISU faithful because he has only been here 3 years AND he has had a couple things that were out of his control (Gordon flunks out, Dunson & Dentmon bolt) that he has had to overcome.
But if Porter doesn't produce a winner by year 5, he will be on a very hot seat.

There are at least three MVC coaches that may soon be replaced not because they are fired, but because of moving up the ranks.
Altman, McDermott, and Turgeon are sitting right where Bruce Pearl was last year and where Bruce Weber was the year before. If they have a decent showing in the MVC Tourney and in the NCAA, they will be given offers they can't refuse to go elsewhere.

Talk centers almost every year on Waltman and Merfeld. But just a year ago, despite less than stellar records, Merfeld was given a contract extension through 2009. Evansville has a history of keeping coaches longer than most schools, so they will give him at least through 2007, then if he hasn't produced, he'll be feeling the heat.
Waltman is still coaching under the contract he signed in 2000, that covers through 2007, when Waltman turns 65.
I have to believe Waltman's last year will be 2006-2007, as he just cannot possibly build much of a winner out of what he has now.
We all saw how good his team was without David Moss, and that's how good they'll be next year unless they get a Larry Bird somewhere.

[BU fan]

Don't know if this was posted, but it is being widely reported that Dick Bennett will retire at Washington State and his son will take over

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2347307

[user1]

The title of the article is misleading, but they are talking about Colorado College, a D-III school.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-bkc-colorado-college-coach,0,7509444.story?coll=sns-ap-sports-headlines

[chitownBUB]

Here are the possibilities for Mizzou
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/colleges/university_of_missouri/13978108.htm

[user1]

A couple articles I have read this morning list these schools as likely to fire or replace their coaches shortly.

Rutgers
Marshall
South Florida
SMU
TCU
Duquesne
Fairfield
Idaho
Idaho State
Ball State
Indiana State
Cal-Riverside
ECU

(let's come back to this list in a couple months and see how many are right)

Gregg Doyel also reports this:

'The NCAA is looking into the Chicago State athletic department three years after finding major violations by the women's basketball program. Two Mid-Continent men's basketball teams told SportsLine.com they've been advised to find non-conference replacements for 2006-07 in case Chicago State gets a department-wide death penalty.

[Da Coach]

Another Div I coaching spot opened up this afternoon. Kyle Macy resigns at Morehead State (KY), following a second disappointing year in a row. He was 106-144 in 9 seasons, but he did have a couple very good years. In 2002-2003 his team tied for the Ohio Valley Championship.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/basketball/ncaa/02/28/bc.bkc.moreheadst.macyr.ap/index.html

Div I coaching changes--
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2332918

[Da Coach]

Here is the next coach to leave---

Gary Garner (former Drake coach) has been fired at Southeast Missouri State after going 7-20.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2350329

The other MVC/Bradley connection here is that former Bradley player, Michael Rembert, transferred to SEMO last spring and sat out this past year to have 2 years of eligibility there. I hope this coaching change doesn't hurt him.

[Da Coach]

Here is a Gregg Doyel article with a bunch of coaching rumors some of which I haven't seen anywhere else. It either means Doyel is on the cutting edge with the breaking rumors, or maybe he's just making this stuff up.

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/9272381

Note the #9 rumor suggests that Matt Margenthaler, the coach at Minnesota State (formerly Wenona State- they played at Bradley last fall), and formerly an assistant at Western Illinois, might have a shot at the Idaho State job.

[squeaky]

One of those rumors (#5) was about Neil Dougherty at Texas Christian U. He just finished his 4th year there and the writer says--
Two of the state's worst programs, SMU and TCU, are thinking of firing their coaches. Neil Dougherty has run the Horned Frogs into the ground at 5-23. Both schools have apathy and economic issues. Football controls their budgets, but neither football program makes enough money to buy out one basketball coach and hire another. And the basketball boosters at both schools just don't care anymore.

I remember that Dougherty was hired about the same time Bradley hired Jim Les. At the time, he was a rising superstar as a highly respected assistant under Roy Williams at Kansas. He had built the reputation as one of the greatest recruiters in college basketball. But now he's run a respectable major program "into the ground". Now they've moved to the Mountain West where he is buried at the bottom. Maybe Bradley fans should appreciate what they have!

http://gofrogs.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/mtt/dougherty_neil00.html

One success Neil Dougherty achieved while at TCU was that he won the 2004 Fasion Award. CollegeInsider.com matches coaches from different regions in a fashion contest, then plays them off in the Fashion Final 4. Dougherty knocked off Drexel's Bruiser Flint to win the 2004 championship! However, that might not be enough for the fans at TCU to want to keep him as their coach.
http://www.collegeinsider.com/fpi/brackets.html

Looks like he won last year, too! (2005)
http://www.collegeinsider.com/stlouis/

[chitownBUB]

Here is the next coach to leave---

Gary Garner (former Drake coach) has been fired at Southeast Missouri State after going 7-20.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2350329

The other MVC/Bradley connection here is that former Bradley player, Michael Rembert, transferred to SEMO last spring and sat out this past year to have 2 years of eligibility there. I hope this coaching change doesn't hurt him.

This is tough for Mike Rembert, and you have to hope the new guy coming in doesn't decide to "clean house".

[#300]

Another D-I Coaching position is open.
http://www.sanmarcosrecord.com/articles/2006/03/02/news/news2.txt
Texas State finished 3-23

[Da Coach]

Here is one more vacancy--
http://goduquesne.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/030306aaa.html

Danny Nee resigns after the worst season in Duquesne's history, 3-23.

[Da Coach]

And 1 more--
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/sioncampus/03/03/truth.rumor.college/index.html

Rod Barnes will step down after the season at Mississippi. This one is a little bit of a surprise. They have been linked with some pretty good recruits this year. Assistant Tracy Dildy has a lot of connections to Chicago and maybe those recruits will look elsewhere, now. Justin Ceresoli must be a little unhappy now, too.

[Bravesfan]

Moser signed a 7 year deal with ISU. That's a huge buyout for a guy who is just finishing his 3rd year.

Also, the Weber State coach (Cravens) was a finalist for the ISU job, but it went to Moser.

Moser will get 1-2 more years, but he employs a very low scoring "style of play", that may wear a bit thin on the B-N fans just as Mo's style did.
PM has been given a pass by many of the ISU faithful because he has only been here 3 years AND he has had a couple things that were out of his control (Gordon flunks out, Dunson & Dentmon bolt) that he has had to overcome.
But if Porter doesn't produce a winner by year 5, he will be on a very hot seat.

There are at least three MVC coaches that may soon be replaced not because they are fired, but because of moving up the ranks.
Altman, McDermott, and Turgeon are sitting right where Bruce Pearl was last year and where Bruce Weber was the year before. If they have a decent showing in the MVC Tourney and in the NCAA, they will be given offers they can't refuse to go elsewhere.

Talk centers almost every year on Waltman and Merfeld. But just a year ago, despite less than stellar records, Merfeld was given a contract extension through 2009. Evansville has a history of keeping coaches longer than most schools, so they will give him at least through 2007, then if he hasn't produced, he'll be feeling the heat.
Waltman is still coaching under the contract he signed in 2000, that covers through 2007, when Waltman turns 65.
I have to believe Waltman's last year will be 2006-2007, as he just cannot possibly build much of a winner out of what he has now.
We all saw how good his team was without David Moss, and that's how good they'll be next year unless they get a Larry Bird somewhere.

Every year we hear Altman this, Altman that. I have a hard time to believe he'd be going anywhere!

McDermott and Turgeon, yes, especially McDermott. But personally, I'm sick of this "coaches moving to better pastures" argument every season when the Valley is trying to become a greener pasture! I think the Valley teams have bent over backwards trying to keep their coaches. I'd like to see more than Altman stick around for awhile.

Les will not be going anywhere, even if he makes the NCAA's two or three years in a row. I'd think he would stay at Bradley for the long hall since he loves coaching there. I don't think the BCS conferences are breaking down their door's to hire Barry Hinson either. Let's hope these two continue to win and stick around at their respective programs for awhile. We need to continue the continuity of keeping coaches around in order for this conference to rise amongst the elites for years to come.

[Bradley Grad 73]

Bradley should reward Jim Les with a big fat contract extension. Maybe they should announce it now and it might even give the team a huge boost. Bradley is lucky to have gotten Les. He will keep them in contention every year.

[tornado]

Yes they should, and soon!

And to add a few more names to the coaching carousel....

Rod Barnes is out at Ole Miss
Fairfield coach Tim O'Toole is out.

[user1]

Newest Rumor,
from the SouthernIllinoisan

Barry Hinson to Missouri!, but since the Valley is on the verge of breaking into the elite (BCS-caliber) conferences, some believe guys like Dana Altman, Greg McDermott, and Barry might just stay where they are and be part of the movement.

[tornado]

my pick is Dr. Tom

My pick is Porter. There is no way they will fire Dr. Tom, they may let him retire though.....


I doubt Moser gets the axe. .....

I'd have to agree, but the the ISU AD has spoken on this issue and here is what he said:

"But I would also tell you that at Illinois State basketball is our marquee sport. What happens in basketball has a dramatic impact on the rest of the athletics department. It's pretty obvious we have some work to do"

With four years remaining on a $250,000 per year contract, ISU is not in a position to even consider making a coaching change. It would demolish an already tight-lined athletics budget and set the rebuilding process back even that much more.

Details on the contract:
"When Moser was introduced as ISU's coach three years ago, it was announced that he would be given a six-year contract. So how does he have four years remaining if he has already coached for three years?

It's simple. He was never given a contract to sign. Larry Lyons, the senior associate athletics director for internal operations at ISU, confirmed that former ISU athletics director Perk Weisenburger had Moser's contract in draft form, but he never had him sign it before being dismissed from his position.

In a nutshell, Moser was paid for his first year while working without a contract. And when he signed the contract, it gave him six more years."

[collegehoopjunkie]

Porter is not going.

But here is an interesting quote by Tom Izzo suggesting he is going to quit!
It was made in response to how well Indiana has played since Mike Davis' announcement of resigning.
"Maybe I should resign or retire and we could get our record back where it belongs,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo joked on Monday."

One D-II head coaching spot opened up this morning
http://www.morningnewsonline.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=FMN%2FMGArticle%2FFMN_BasicArti cle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137834582292&path=!sports

[tornado]

Another D-I coach is gone.
Mike MacDonald of Canisius
http://buffalo.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2006/03/06/daily36.html

Here is a summary of the D-I open spots...

Canisius
Cincinnati
Duquesne
Fairfield
Idaho
Idaho St.
Indiana
Kansas State
Mississippi
Missouri
Morehead State
Northern Colorado
Rutgers
Southeast Missouri State
Texas-Arlington
Texas State
Weber State

I am not counting Wash St, Ok. St., or other places where the job is already slated for takeover by one of the present assistants.

(edited to add the news from 3/9)

[Fastbreak]

Rumor per ESPN

John Cheney will be out at Temple, Bob Huggins will replace.

[Da Coach]

Here is another one that is still at the rumor stage, but Joe Lunardi is usually pretty accurate with his reports. Steve McClain, who most people thought has done a good job, is likely to be fired at Wyoming. He has been to 2 NCAA's and 3 NIT's in 8 years. And Wyoming is not an easy place to recruit and win. He has 4 years left on his contract; that's an expensive buyout ($532,000).
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=katz_andy#20060308

There will be others to come, including possibly more from the Mountain West? Surprisingly, the UNLV fans are already unhappy with Lon Kruger, and after todays collapse in the first round of the MWC tournament, the New Mexico fans are nearly unanimous in wanting to get rid of Ritchie McKay (who also still has several more years under contract).

[beamer1]

It is hardly a collapse.
New Mexico was 2-9 away from home and 0-2 on neutral courts.
Their overall 17-13 record is buoyed by their 9-0 nonconference home record,
against easy pickin's like Southern Utah, Alcorn State, Dartmouth, Tex-Arlington, etc.

[Da Coach]

My use of the term "collapse" referred to New Mexico's game yesterday against UNLV. They held a double digit lead most of the game against a weakened UNLV team playing with a couple injured players. They lost their lead at the end, but still would have won easily but missed a bunch of free throws.

Here are some things their fans are saying (and this is some of the milder stuff)-
http://mb26.scout.com/fnewmexicofrm13.showMessage?topicID=2070.topic

[user1]

More coaching changes in the news

Kansas State fired head coach Jim Wooldridge
(Lon Kruger, and Jim Molinari are ex-K-State guys, and Dana Altman coached there)

Idaho fired its coach Leonard Perry

New name on the hot seat?
Dave Odom at South Carolina
Even though South Carolina won their 1st round SEC Tourney game over Miss. St., there were high expectations for the team, as they won the NIT last year and returned everyone this year. They hired him from Wake Forest at $750,000 per year to get them to the NCAA.
They finished the season a disappointing 15-14 and may even be a marginal NIT bid unless they win a couple more games into the SEC Tourney.
Here is an article about the disappointment in Dave odom's "style of play" and lack of excitement.
http://www.charleston.net/stories/?newsID=74884&section=sports

One more, Texas-Arlington
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/college/3712872.html

[tornado]

Two MVC coaches named immediately as possible replacements for Wooldridge at K-State,
McDermott & Lowery



http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/sports/colleges/kansas_state_university/14062047.htm

[Bravesguy]

Heavy rumors of Arizona State letting their coach go
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0310asubkc0310.html

[BU1999]

Two MVC coaches named immediately as possible replacements for Wooldridge at K-State,
McDermott & Lowery



http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/sports/colleges/kansas_state_university/14062047.htm


Here is a much more thorough list of possibble replacements for the Kansas St. job, and the list includes Ritchie McKay!
NAMING NAMES

MATT DOHERTY: Former Roy Williams assistant now at Florida Atlantic after soap opera-like stint at North Carolina ... could have backing of fellow Tar Heel product Eddie Fogler, who is search consultant

MARK FOX: Has the advantage of two strong years as head coach at Nevada and win at Kansas ... Has disadvantage of having been on Tom Asbury's deposed staff at K-State

BARRY HINSON: Bill Self's assistant, then successor at Oral Roberts ... Now has Missouri State poised for NCAA berth

BOB HUGGINS: Made Cincinnati into a national power but lost his job amid controversy after a drunken-driving arrest

TIM JANKOVICH: Former Wildcat guard currently an assistant for Self at Kansas ... Head coach at North Texas from 1993-97

LON KRUGER: Ex-Wildcat from Silver Lake was last coach to lead K-State to NCAA Tournament ... Currently coach at UNLV but also rumored to be candidate at Arizona State, where his son, Kevin, is a junior guard

CHRIS LOWERY: Has led Southern Illinois to NCAA Tournament in both his seasons as head coach ... Became first person to win Missouri Valley title as a player and a coach

GREG McDERMOTT: Hot name to move during regular season cooled slightly as Northern Iowa faded down the stretch

RITCHIE McKAY: New Mexico head coach was Tim Weiser's hire at Colorado State in 1998 ... Led Lobos to NCAA Tournament in third year at school
http://catzone.cjonline.com/stories/031006/cat_wooldridge1.shtml

[tornado]

Heavy rumors of Arizona State letting their coach go
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0310asubkc0310.html

This rumor was and is right on!

http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/5398894

[user1]

Rumor per ESPN

John Cheney will be out at Temple, Bob Huggins will replace.

whoa, FB-- right on so far...
John Cheney will be gone, announcement this afternoon:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2366357



Also--it is now official, Dick Bennett is gone at Washington State.
Bennett's son Tony will take over next season.
(no it's not that Tony Bennett)
http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/118080

[user1]

Rumor per ESPN

John Cheney will be out at Temple, Bob Huggins will replace.

whoa, FB-- right on so far...
John Cheney will be gone, announcement this afternoon:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2366357



Also--it is now official, Dick Bennett is gone at Washington State.
Bennett's son Tony will take over next season.
(no it's not that Tony Bennett)
http://www.azstarnet.com/sports/118080



Here are even more---
Mick Durham, Montana State is out
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060313/SPORTS/603130318/1006



Bowling Green State University athletic director Paul Krebs is leaving to take over as the Athletic Director at University of New Mexico and be Ritchie McKay's boss.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060313/SPORTS03/603130389/-1/SPORTS



Norm Stewart seems to be putting his name in for the next coach at Mizzou??
He also mentions John Calipari of Memphis, former Utah coach Rick Majerus and West Virginia's John Beilein, native sons
and former players Kim Anderson and Larry Drew.
http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/sports/14086349.htm

[tornado]

Some more reports:

Idaho State will hire Gonzaga assistant Leon Rice, but the Zags are still pretty busy at least until this weekend, so Rice has no plans to discuss the offer until the Gonzaga Bulldogs are done playing.

One of Oklahoma State's top recruits last year, present freshman Roderick Flemings is leaving and will transfer elsewhere.

Barry Collier who was rumored to be out as head coach at Nebraska, will return next year. Oops, too bad, one of the possible spots for Ritchie McKay dries up.

[tornado]

Here is another one that is still at the rumor stage, but Joe Lunardi is usually pretty accurate with his reports. Steve McClain, who most people thought has done a good job, is likely to be fired at Wyoming. He has been to 2 NCAA's and 3 NIT's in 8 years. And Wyoming is not an easy place to recruit and win. He has 4 years left on his contract; that's an expensive buyout ($532,000).
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=katz_andy#20060308

There will be others to come, including possibly more from the Mountain West? Surprisingly, the UNLV fans are already unhappy with Lon Kruger, and after todays collapse in the first round of the MWC tournament, the New Mexico fans are nearly unanimous in wanting to get rid of Ritchie McKay (who also still has several more years under contract).

Wyoming's McClain will get another year
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2367362

[Da Coach]

Speaking of getting another year, Royce Waltman has been given another year by Indiana State. He will be allowed to return next year for the final year of his contract, and then he will be reassessed. This is the kind of situation that hampers a coach's recruiting as has been discussed before. Look for him to be gone after next year.
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/14098606.htm

1 more Division I coach lost his job today. Paul Westphal was fired at Pepperdine.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2370314

All the coaching changes--
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2332918

[Da Coach]

Ball State's Tim Buckley was also "reassigned" Wednesday. At one time he was a rising star and was getting interest from major programs.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2369740

[tornado]

Some more coaching rumors

........Greg McDermott to Iowa State
........Bob Huggins to Mizzou
........Fran Dunphy to Temple
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=73816

[BU fan]

Lamar is looking for a new coach. Billy Tubbs resigns after 3 years--
http://www.suntimes.com/output/campus/cst-spt-ncaant21.html

Note the article right below the Tubbs story. This could have an impact on Ryan Thornton's decision to go to UW-Milwaukee. Iowa State is very interested in UW-M's coach Rob Jeter. He has interviewed for the open coaching job.

And the bottom article is also funny-

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD: Kansas' second consecutive first-round loss in the NCAA tournament caught the attention of police in Lawrence, Kan., during the weekend. The Jayhawks were eliminated Friday by Bradley.

''A police officer came in [Saturday],'' said Jon Amyx, who owns the Downtown Barbershop in Lawrence. ''He thought he had a domestic disturbance [Friday], but it was just three couples who were crying. Men and women both. They were all crying. We've heard about a lot of that.''