* * * Head Coaching Jobs Watch * * *

[ORUTerry]

Fox Sports Link

[Old Titan]

Lost in the shuffle:  San Diego names their new head coach today:

San Diego Names Gonzaga Assistant New Head Coach

This is of note due to previous speculation on this board that ORU recruit and November San Diego signee Clinton Houston of Flower Mound, TX might be eligible to reconsider his choice due to their coaching change.

[ORU Eli]

Poor Aggies.

[Guest Rob Marshall]

If so, then who does A&M go after? Wonder if Tubby wishes he had waited a few days or so? Wonder if the Aggies will go after someone like Mark Turgeon?

Lon Kruger ... more money, back coaching again in a BCS conference with significant television exposure, and a chance to live where it's warm at least 350 days a year!  Plus, aTm is in A LOT better shape than it was when Billy Clyde arrived in College Station.

[Old Titan]

Lon Kruger ... more money, back coaching again in a BCS conference with significant television exposure, and a chance to live where it's warm at least 350 days a year!  Plus, aTm is in A LOT better shape than it was when Billy Clyde arrived in College Station.

That would be great - would love to see Kruger back in the Big XII.

[Old Titan]

FoxSports.com reporting that Gillispie-to-Arkansas is a done deal, press conference to introduce him to come as soon as Tuesday.  A&M scrambling to counter-offer:  might not be too little, but may be too late.

Heath Out at Arkansas, Gillispie Rumored Next Coach

WOW!

A reporter for the Houston Chronicle reports on his blog site that, as of 3:00 p.m., Gillispie was seen in his office in College Station, dressed casually, returning e-mails, and looking in no particular hurry to go anywhere.

I LOVE this stuff!  Next, they'll be reporting what he had for dinner!

[ORUTerry]

I'm not sure what the attraction would be for him to move from College Station. He has proven that he can recruit in Texas - supposedly has great contacts throughout the Lone Star state. He could build a dynasty with just Texas kids. Reports indicate that he is a 'rock star' down there and they certainly have enough money to throw at him. He can win it all at Texas A&M as easy as he could at Arkansas and maybe even Kentucky - and if he doesn't, no alum is going to harass his kids or put a 'for sale' sign in his yard.

Why bother with the hassles? Especially if the Aggies are going to match the money?

[Titanic Eagle]

I'm no insider, but I was told a couple weeks ago by folks who are minor-level Razorback boosters that Gillespie to Arkansas was a done deal.  But nothing's done until it's done.  Supposedly A&M is offering 10 years and $25 million; we'll see if Arkansas matches. 

A couple days ago, someone on Razorback boards posted flight records showing an Arkansas booster flying his private plane from southern Arkansas to College Station to NW Arkansas.  I don't know what Gillespie had for dinner, but I'm sure it's been posted on a board somewhere.

btw, Heath would be a great fit for ORU should an opening arise.

[Guest Rob Marshall]

I'm no insider, but I was told a couple weeks ago by folks who are minor-level Razorback boosters that Gillespie to Arkansas was a done deal.  But nothing's done until it's done.  Supposedly A&M is offering 10 years and $25 million; we'll see if Arkansas matches. 

A couple days ago, someone on Razorback boards posted flight records showing an Arkansas booster flying his private plane from southern Arkansas to College Station to NW Arkansas.  I don't know what Gillespie had for dinner, but I'm sure it's been posted on a board somewhere.

btw, Heath would be a great fit for ORU should an opening arise.

Well, at Arkansas you are THE school in the state and you don't have to beg fans to support the basketball program.  aTm traveled so few fans to the Big 12 tournament for being the #2 seed, it was shocking.  While support has obviously risen for basketball among the Aggie faithful, it's nowhere near what Billy Clyde would get in Fayetteville.  Regardless of how high he brings the program, he's still just one of several D-I BCS conference schools in the state (UT, Texas Tech, Baylor along with C-USA and Mountain West schools like Houston, Rice, UTEP, SMU and TCU seeking some attention too).  Sure, where Gillispie has taken aTm in a very short amount of time is remarkable, but it's still NOT nearly the "basketball school" that Arkansas is.  Honestly, he'll arguably have an easier time winning a National Championship at Arkansas than at aTm.

Okay, here's one from left field.  Fresh off his $900K buyout, how about Stan Heath taking over at UMKC to work for another former Kent State guy (the Roos new AD was an Associate AD at Kent State, but I'm not certain his timeline overlapped with Heath's there or not)? 

[Guest Rob Marshall]

I'm no insider, but I was told a couple weeks ago by folks who are minor-level Razorback boosters that Gillespie to Arkansas was a done deal.  But nothing's done until it's done.  Supposedly A&M is offering 10 years and $25 million; we'll see if Arkansas matches. 

You're right TE, the Aggies are going to throw $25M (10 year deal) at Billy and Arkansas probably can't match that.

However, Billy Gillispie isn't interested in being the #2 men's basketball coach at the #2 program in Texas (RB @ UT is still THE man). In Fayetteville, Billy Clyde would have the opportunity to restore the glory of the 90's when the Hogs won a national championship, went to three (3) Final Fours and six (6) Sweet Sixteens!  UofA is the ONLY BCS school in the state with a still fantastic basketball ONLY facility that was consistently sold out (21K) back when the Hogs were fun to follow, plus there are no pro teams in the Arkansas.  Seems like too much to walk away from, don't you think?

Great job! ... head coach, Arkansas men's basketball ... GREAT job!!! 

[Bogus Smith]

...plus there are no pro teams in the Arkansas.

RM, don't forget about the Arkansas Rim Rockers!! 

[ORUTerry]

Being THE university in Arkansas is a tremendous advantage.... everyone in that state calls the Hogs.  They are very passionate about their athletics. If it is going well, then it is a fun ride. If not, then you have a lot of angry hillbillies after your skin. There is a qualitative difference between Fayetteville and College Station - notwithstanding the growth in NW Arkansas over the last several years. The cultures are completely different.

[EasyE112]

Um...watch out for Coach Sutton possibly leaving ORU to go to Arkansas.  Stan Heath was fired today and I have heard mutterings of Coach Sutton to Arkansas.

[ORUsportzFan]

I've said it once before, and I will continue to make this clear...Kruger won't go anywhere  He is UNLV's man now.  For some reason, I won't be surprised if Sutton packs his stuff up and moves out of Tulsa to coach somewhere.  However, I wouldn't be too bummed, because I think that one of our assistants can fill in just fine, maybe even better. 

[ORUsportzFan]

"I will absolutely stay at UNLV" - Lon Kruger.

...Unless he is a Nick Saban, I doubt he will be going anywhere.  By the way, UNLV is my "other" team.

[Old Titan]

This whole Gillispie thing is fascinating.

If he really IS going to Arkansas, he most likely was already talking to them (or his attorney/agent was) during A&M's Sweet Sixteen run, while Heath was still officially the Razorbacks' coach.  That's a couple of fairly significant breaches of the unwritten College Basketball Coach Book of Professional Ethics.

If he's really NOT going, then he just parlayed a bunch of overzealous Hog fans into a seriously fat payday to stay at Texas A&M - either intentionally, or just by stepping back into the shadows and letting the rumor wildfire burn all by itself.

Can't wait to see how this thing plays out...

[tmh8286]

I found this blog on the subject, for whatever it's worth:

Gillispie May Not Be Going Anywhere After All

Posted Mar 26th 2007 10:45PM by Ryan Ferguson

As of 7:01PM CDT, the Houston Chronicle is reporting that Billy Gillispie may not be headed to Fayetteville, Lexington, or anywhere else, for that matter:

It appears Texas A&M men's basketball coach Billy Gillispie is headed for a contract extension and a raise as reward for a record-breaking Sweet 16 season and perhaps to ward off overtures from other programs.

... Texas A&M is perhaps acting fast because of rumors of Arkansas' and Kentucky's interest in Gillispie for their recently vacated head-coaching positions. Reports today have Gillispie already in Fayetteville, Ark., interviewing for the Razorbacks post just hours after Stan Heath was fired. Another report had the school prepared to introduce Gillispie as the head coach as early as Tuesday.

The problem with both those rumors is that Gillispie is in his office at Texas A&M, according to several people in the athletic department, including associate athletic director Alan Cannon and associate sports information director Colin Killian.

Well, well... et tu, Jeff Goodman of FOX Sports?

[From a previous post:  UPDATE - Fox Sports is now reporting that Gillispie may have already agreed in principle to a deal (earlier rumors had 7 years at $1.75 million per year) and could be announced as soon as tommorow. This has the possibility to be a very rapidly developing situation.]

I'm buying it... for now. There are plenty of good reasons for Gillispie to remain at Texas A&M, where he has earned himself job security with back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths. Although Acie Law IV won't be jacking up clutch threes for Gillispie in 2008, the foundation laid by the Aggies head coach in the last two seasons is enough to turn A&M into a top yearly contender in the Big XII.

Should this report turn out to be the real deal, choice picks for Arkansas and Kentucky will have slimmed dramatically. This could spurn movement in the coaching ranks that has far-reaching effects; we might see a young, "diamond in the rough" coach given the opportunity to prove his worth at a big-time college job. Anthony Grant, anyone?

UPDATE (11:20PM EDT, Monday): Jeff Goodman has modified his original news report at FOX Sports. The article now reads:

One source even maintained that Gillispie has agreed in principle to a contract with Arkansas, although one Aggie recruit who spoke to Gillispie on Monday indicated differently.

"He said that everything out there was false, that if he ever left he'd let us all know first, and not to pay any attention to it," said Texas A&M signee B.J. Holmes. "The first time I spoke to him about it was when there was speculation he was going to Kentucky, and I just talked to him again not even 10 minutes ago."

Now I'm buying it completely. Gillispie ain't goin' nowhere.

[tmh8286]

Pitino 'too old' to bolt Louisville, won't return to Kentucky 

  March 26, 2007

CBS SportsLine.com wire reports       

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky's search for its next basketball coach won't include Rick Pitino.

Pitino said Monday that while he enjoyed his eight years with the Wildcats, he's happy coaching Louisville and wouldn't consider returning to the school he led to the national championship in 1996.

"I would never ever leave (Louisville) to go to another college because they're my family," Pitino said.

Though Pitino said he was "shocked" by Tubby Smith's sudden departure last week, he sees too much potential in the Cardinals to consider leaving. Louisville went 24-10 this season and finished second in the Big East before falling to Texas A&M in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

While Pitino acknowledged leaving Kentucky following the 1997 season was a "mistake," he joked that at age 54 he's "too old to leave" Louisville, but understands why there's so much speculation about his interest in the job.

"It's a great job. I had eight years of Camelot, I've said that," he said. "It's the Roman Empire of college basketball."

Florida coach Billy Donovan, who played for Pitino at Providence and spent several years as a Kentucky assistant under Pitino, could be among the candidates to replace Smith. Pitino declined to speculate on whether Donovan is considering leaving Florida.

The defending national champions play UCLA in the Final Four on Saturday and are trying to become the first team since Duke in 1992 to win back-to-back titles.

"Billy is like a son to me and I stopped telling Billy what to do and what not to do in 1987," Pitino said. "He's got a great opportunity right now. He's not thinking of anything else."