Coaching Carousel 2009

[Jazzfan]

March 19, 2009
Coles gets three-year extension

OXFORD, Ohio -- Charlie Coles got a three-year contract extension Thursday from Miami of Ohio, giving him a chance to become the winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history.

The 67-year-old Coles missed the end of last season because of heart problems, and had four operations in the next few months, including one to reshape his heart. He recovered and decided to return for the final season on his contract.

Coles has won 193 games in the Mid-American Conference, one shy of Bob Nichols' league record.

"I thought I could walk away after this year, but I found out that I just couldn't," Coles said. "I love doing what I'm doing, so to be able to continue coaching is a dream come true."

Coles set the school record for coaching wins last season, when the RedHawks went 17-13 and lost to Akron in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference tournament. He is 224-168 in 13 seasons at Miami. He also spent six years at Central Michigan.

"We are very excited to have Charlie continue to lead our program," athletic director Brad Bates said. "His experience, intellect, passion, wit, pedagogy and charm inspire those of us fortunate to interact with him regularly."


sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3996206

[Jazzfan]

March 19, 2009
Five-year extension for Dayton coach

MINNEAPOLIS -- Brian Gregory came to Dayton from Michigan State with high hopes of building the mid-major program into a regular guest at the NCAA tournament.

On the eve of the 11th-seeded Flyers' opening-round game against No. 6-seeded West Virginia, Gregory got a vote of confidence from Dayton's administration that he's on the right track.

Gregory said Thursday he has agreed to a five-year contract extension to stay with the Flyers through the 2017-18 season.

"I'm just really pleased that the administration feels that, with the way the program is moving forward, that the best thing for the program would be to extend my contract out another five years," Gregory said. "I'm really excited about it. I've said all along this is the place I wanted to be. It's the perfect fit for me."

After narrowly missing out on an NCAA tournament berth a year ago, Gregory got Dayton (26-7) over the hump this season and into the Midwest Regional. The Flyers face the Mountaineers in the first round Friday.

The 42-year-old coach is 124-67 in six seasons since being hired off coach Tom Izzo's staff at Michigan State. This is the second NCAA tournament appearance for Dayton under his watch. He has had only one losing season, in 2005-06, and has won at least 61 percent of his games every other year.

In the last two years, the Flyers have won 49 games, their highest two-year total in more than 50 years. This season, he took a team with only one senior, forward Charles Little, to a second-place finish in the Atlantic-10 and the school's first NCAA tournament bid since his first year in 2004.

"To make that type of commitment means a lot to me as a coach," Gregory said, "because I do think the progress that we're making, with that commitment and that continuity, we're going to be able to continue to move forward. That's really important in the program."

Gregory said he'll meet with the administration when the season is over to iron out the details of the deal.

"I'm just really pleased that they feel confident with what we're doing," he said. "It's great for me. It's great for our program, and I couldn't be happier."

sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3995549

[BasketBallJones]

With at least four ACC basketball coaches under some degree of pressure -- Florida State's Leonard Hamilton, Maryland's Gary Williams, N.C. State's Sidney Lowe and Virginia's Dave Leitao -- entering the final month or so of the season, here are seven potential hiring candidates that ACC athletic directors would be smart to scout:

So far, the only ACC job opening is at Virginia. Maryland made the NCAA and won a first round game, so I can't imagine they would dump Gary Williams. FSU also made it into the Dance, so I think Leonard Hamilton's job is safe. And if NC State wanted to fire Sidney Lowe, wouldn't the AD have done it already?

I don't think there will be any firings in the Big 10, and so far there haven't been any firings in the Big 12 or SEC that I'm aware of. With few prime jobs open, it appears right now that BB will be here another year. Below is a link to an article about how the bad economy is putting a damper on coache's being fired.

www.nytimes.com/2009/03/15/sports/ncaabasketball/15coaches.html?_r=1

[Jazzfan]

Monday March 23, 2009
Smith is pleased with the direction of the program and focused on the future

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- After taking Minnesota to the NCAA tournament in his second year at the school, Tubby Smith says he plans to coach the Gophers next season too.

Because he's at a program not among the nation's most prominent, Smith's high profile and successful past naturally push his name through the rumor mill when there's a vacancy with another major conference team. The recent resignation of Dave Leitao at Virginia prompted speculation the Cavaliers would pursue Smith, who was raised in Maryland and has family in the area.

But Smith said in a phone interview Monday he's happy at Minnesota, pleased with the direction of the program, and focused on the future. He praised university president Robert Bruininks and director of athletics Joel Maturi for their commitment.

"That's all you can really ask for, in most jobs and in most situations," Smith said. "That's better than a lot of situations where there's change in administration and turmoil. There's been a lot of consistency and continuity here over the years."

The Gophers lost to Texas in the first round and finished 22-11 after making the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2005. It was also their only their second appearance in 10 years. They lose two seniors, both reserves, and have a well-regarded recruiting class featuring Twin Cities natives Royce White and Rodney Williams arriving in the fall.

"We set the bar. The bar is moving to another level," Smith said. "I don't expect anything but the best from these guys. My expectations are to be here as the coach of the University of Minnesota."

Like most coaches at major colleges, Smith has skipped around, from Tulsa to Georgia to Kentucky and now here. It's not a given that he'll retire with the Gophers, of course.

"I'm never sure about anything," he said. "You never say never to anything."

It's not as though Smith believed he could escape the spotlight by moving north. Being favored for other jobs can be a distraction, but "it beats the alternative," he said. "They're just what they are: rumors. People are going to write what they write, and I can't do much about that."

Maturi, speaking from Indiana where the women's team was between NCAA tournament games Monday, said he's certain Smith has been contacted more than once about openings at other places since he was hired here two years ago.

"There's no question in my mind he's one of the top coaches in America," Maturi said. "I don't think anybody debates that. I think some people are surprised that he's at Minnesota. What they don't realize is he's happy at Minnesota. I think he's excited about the future. He loves the community. The community loves him. ... I think he realizes he can win at Minnesota."

Smith has asked for a practice facility on campus to supplement Williams Arena, which is shared by the men's and women's teams. Maturi promised him the university would begin to ask donors for help toward the project once fundraising was complete for the new football stadium, which opens this fall. Maturi declined to put a timetable on the process, but said the goal is to build the facility adjacent to the existing arena.

"I suspect in the next couple of months we will seriously begin looking," Maturi said.

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/basketball/ncaa/mens-tournament/03/23/tubby.happy.minnesota.ap/index.html

[Jazzfan]

Alabama gets permission to speak with VCU's Grant
March 23, 2009

Anthony Grant might finally be on the move.

The VCU coach who was on the verge of replacing Billy Donovan at Florida two years ago has been granted permission to speak with Alabama about its opening, the Ricmond Times-Dispatch reported Monday. A source told CBSSports.com that Grant is expected to meet with Alabama soon, which could serve as a precursor to his exit from VCU after three seasons and two NCAA tournament appearances.

Alabama is searching for a replacement for Mark Gottfried.

He was forced to resign in January.


www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/14189562

[Jazzfan]

USC assistant interviews at Cal Poly
March 24, 2009

Southern California assistant Bob Cantu interviewed Monday for the head coaching vacancy at Cal Poly, a source told CBSSports.com on Tuesday.

Cantu grew-up 30 minutes from, and once worked at, Cal Poly. His strong recruiting ties have helped USC make three consecutive NCAA tournaments for the first time in school history. The most recent NCAA tournament resulted in a trip to the second round, where the Trojans lost to Michigan State last Sunday.

Other candidates expected to interview at Cal Poly, the source said, are Brad Holland and Brad Soderberg.

Holland coached San Diego from 1994 to 2007 and made just one NCAA tournament. He's currently an assistant at UC Santa Barbara. Soderberg coached Saint Louis from 2002 to 2007 and made no NCAA tournaments. He's currently the interim director of athletics at Loras College in Iowa.

www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/14202404

[Jazzfan]

Grant meets with Alabama officials
March 24, 2009

VCU coach Anthony Grant has met with Alabama officials.

The Birmingham News reported the meeting Tuesday afternoon, that Grant met with Alabama athletic director Mal Moore at an undisclosed location. Still, it remains unclear whether Grant was offered the job or if he is even at the top of Alabama's list, because the other logical candidate -- Missouri's Mike Anderson -- is still coaching and thus technically off limits, at least in a formal capicity.

Sources have told CBSSports.com that Anderson might still be option, although there is a growing sentiment that if Grant is willing to jump, Alabama would be wise to go ahead and move that direction. Grant just completed his third season at VCU. He's made two NCAA tournaments, beating Duke in 2007 and losing to UCLA in 2009.

www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/14200445

[Jazzfan]

Mizzou's Anderson sidesteps talk of other jobs
March 23, 2009

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Missouri coach Mike Anderson sidestepped questions Monday of his possible interest in going to Alabama or Georgia.

Anderson was asked during a news conference to respond to reports that he might be a candidate for coaching jobs at the two Southeastern Conference schools and to offer assurances to Missouri fans that he is staying.

His only response: "We're in the Sweet 16. We're talking about the Memphis Tigers today."

Missouri faces Memphis on Thursday.

The Birmingham (Ala.) News has reported that Anderson is one of several possible candidates to replace Mark Gottfried, the Crimson Tide coach who resigned in January.

Anderson is from Birmingham and coached four years at UAB before joining Missouri in 2006. His name also has been linked to the Georgia vacancy.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reported Sunday that Missouri's basketball success this season has earned Anderson an extra $130,000 worth of incentive payments. His base salary is $850,000.

He earned an extra $25,000 for taking the team to the NCAA tournament and another $25,000 for winning the Big 12 Conference tournament.

The team's 83-79 second-round NCAA win over Marquette on Sunday meant an additional $35,000, including $25,000 for reaching the tournament's second weekend and $10,000 for a 30-win season.

www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11540487

[Jazzfan]

North Carolina Central promotes Moton to head coach
March 25, 2009
CBSSports.com wire reports

DURHAM, N.C. -- North Carolina Central has promoted assistant coach LeVelle Moton to the head job.

The school on Wednesday gave one of its top players from the mid-1990s a five-year deal that will pay him $100,000 annually, effective April 1.

Moton joined former coach Henry Dickerson's staff two years ago. Before that, he coached three seasons at a high school in Raleigh.

Dickerson's contract was not renewed after five seasons.

Moton holds the school record with 213 3-pointers and is the third-leading scorer with 1,714 points from 1992-96, when the school was a member of the Division II Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

The Eagles are in the second year of their transition to Division I.

www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11548906

[Jazzfan]

VCU coach Grant has second meeting with Alabama
March 25, 2009
CBSSports.com wire reports

Virginia Commonwealth coach Anthony Grant spent Wednesday touring Alabama's campus and meeting with university officials in a second round of talks about potentially replacing Mark Gottfried.

Grant and his wife, Christina, flew into town at about 10 a.m. CST Wednesday for interviews and a campus tour, athletics spokesman Doug Walker said. It was not immediately clear if the job was offered.

Grant also met with Alabama officials Sunday in Virginia, a person familiar with the meeting said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the talks were ongoing.

Grant declined comment to reporters Wednesday before leaving with athletic director Mal Moore and several trustees for meetings, including one at the residence of President Robert Witt.

The 42-year-old Grant has led VCU to three straight Colonial Athletic Association regular-season titles and two NCAA tournament appearances in the last three seasons, including an upset of Duke. He was also a longtime assistant under Billy Donovan, including 10 years and back-to-back national championships at Florida.

That postseason resume was a big selling point for Alabama. The Tide, which has never had a black head coach in men's basketball, missed the postseason for the third straight year under Gottfried after making the NCAA tournament five years in a row.

"We want to find a coach that we feel can keep us in the championship picture, where we are competing for the SEC championship and NCAA tournament play, that can take us as deep in that tournament as possible," Moore said in January.

VCU pays Grant a base salary of $400,000, with bonuses and incentives that boost his pay to nearly $1 million. Gottfried was making roughly $1 million, but the Tide proved willing to pay a hefty rate to land a high-profile candidate when giving Saban a $4 million-a-year deal three years ago.

The Rams' season ended with a 65-64 loss to UCLA in the opening round of the NCAA tournament after missing a jump shot at the buzzer. Alabama finished 18-14 and lost to Tennessee in the second round of the Southeastern conference tournament.

www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11548463

[Jazzfan]

What's up with the Gillispie situation?
March 26, 2009

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Even here in FedExForum, with four of the best teams in the country gathered for Friday night's games, the question I've been asked most today doesn't involve Blake Griffin or Tyler Hansbrough, or even Ty Lawson's toe. No, the question I've been asked most -- by coaches and other media people -- is this: When is the Billy Gillispie thing going down?

Answer: Soon ... barring a major change of plans.

Multiple sources -- and by multiple, I mean like 70 -- have told CBSSports.com that Gillispie will almost certainly never coach another game at Kentucky, that it's simply a matter of making it official. The prevailing thought is that a humbled Gillispie could possibly save himself by acknowledging missteps and promising to better embrace the celebrity that goes hand-in-hand with coaching at Kentucky, but people close to Gillispie insist he's "too stubborn" for that, and that he'd take his $6 million buyout and walk away before ever greatly altering his personality.

So why the wait?

Sources have said UK would like to have a replacement lined up before it moves on Gillispie, that the ideal scenario has the school introducing its next head coach less than 48 hours after Gillispie is asked to resign. More than likely, that means athletic director Mitch Barnhart is spending today trying to determine -- through intermediaries, of course -- if Florida's Billy Donovan will really jump, and if he won't then the next two likely candidates are Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Memphis' John Calipari, both of whom are still coaching their teams in this NCAA tournament and thus unavailable for the time being.

Here's a prediction: Kentucky will get one of those three.

Which one?

I'll let you guess, for now.

But any list that includes a fourth option is probably a list one name too long, because Barnhart will do whatever it takes to make a home run hire, well aware that he can't take a chance on a relatively young option and risk another mistake. Another mistake will cost him his job, but Donovan, Izzo or Calipari would extend it for years, no question.

gary-parrish.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/6271764/14230077

[Jazzfan]

Gillispie out as Kentucky opts for coaching change
Associated Press

Friday, March 27, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Billy Gillispie is out as Kentucky's basketball coach.

The university says it will announce "a change in the head coaching position of the men's basketball program" at a 4:30 p.m. news conference.

University president Lee T. Todd Jr. and athletic director Mitch Barnhart are expected to attend.

Gillispie was in his second year as coach of the Wildcats, whose season ended Wednesday with a loss to Notre Dame in the National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals.

Gillispie is 40-27. He agreed to a seven-year deal that pays him a base annual salary of $2.3 million.

www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/college/2009/03/27/ap032709ukcoachfired.html

[Jazzfan]

Mizzou looking at ways to keep popular candidate Anderson
March 27, 2009
CBSSports.com wire reports

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Talks are under way to keep Missouri basketball coach Mike Anderson right where he is.

Athletic department spokesman Chad Moller told the Associated Press on Friday there have been "informal talks about what can be done, and what needs to be done" to retain Anderson.

The third-year coach has led Missouri to one of the best seasons in school history, racking up a record 31 wins and a Big 12 conference tournament championship. The Tigers beat Memphis on Thursday to reach the NCAA West Regional final.

Citing unnamed sources, the Kansas City Star reported Friday that Missouri is ready to raise Anderson's $850,000 annual salary to at least $1.3 million and renew his contract for five years.

Anderson has been mentioned as a candidate for coaching vacancies at Alabama and Georgia.

www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/story/11557753

[Raider Rowdies]

Donovan not a candidate at UK
By Kevin Brockway
Sun sports writer
March 27, 2009

Florida coach Billy Donovan quickly dispelled rumors he was a candidate for the Kentucky head coaching position Friday afternoon.

Moments after Kentucky fired coach Billy Gillispie, Donovan, through a statement released by Florida sports information, said: "In response to the rumors circulating about my interest in other jobs, I wanted to address this as quickly as possible. I am committed to the University of Florida and look forward to continuing to build our program here."

Donovan did not immediately return phone calls seeking additional comment Friday.

In 13 seasons, Donovan has led Florida to three Final Fours and two national titles. He's coming off leading his team to back-to-back NIT appearances after leading Florida to nine straight NCAA Tournaments.

Donovan, 43, is in the second year of a six-year contract extension that pays him $3.5 million annually. His 310 career wins at Florida are the most in school history.

Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart did not approach him about asking permission to speak with Donovan.

"Billy is not only a quality coach, but he's a quality person as well," Foley said. "We're delighted that he's our basketball coach."

Donovan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Kentucky from 1989-94 and has often referred it as a "special place" because of its basketball tradition. But it's the second time he's turned down an interest in the coaching vacancy. In 2007, after winning the second of his two national titles,Barnhart briefly spoke with Donovan about the Kentucky job after Tubby Smith resigned and left to Minnesota. Donovan chose to stay at Florida and was later rewarded with a contract extension that nearly doubled his previous annual salary of $1.7 million.


www.gatorsports.com/article/20090327/ARTICLES/903279949?Title=Donovan-not-a-candidate-at-UK

[Jazzfan]

Miller has no reason to leave Xavier
Friday, March 27, 2009

BOSTON -- Xavier's Sean Miller deserves the same treatment Gonzaga's Mark Few receives: respect that he has a great gig with no reason to leave for a perceived higher-profile job.

Few gets romanced every year. He did with Indiana. It's going on now with Arizona. And the consensus is: Why would he want to leave Gonzaga when he loves the Spokane, Wash., area, makes well more than $1 million, can win the WCC every season, plays a national schedule and recruits elite players from the West who can make the jump to the NBA?

No one will fault Few if he never leaves the program he has taken to the top 20 every season.

That same respect should be granted to Miller. Sure, Virginia might covet Miller, and others soon could follow. But Miller has done a phenomenal job and has one of the best jobs in the country.

Xavier loves basketball. As Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said early Thursday (before his team defeated Xavier 60-55), the Musketeers have plenty of players the Panthers coveted. Miller has unbelievable support from the XU administration, and he loves living in Cincinnati. And oh, by the way, the X was just a possession or two from getting to the Elite Eight for the third time since 2004.

"We keep beating at the door, and one time we're going to kick it in,'' Miller said of getting to the Final Four. "I appreciate Xavier and living in Cincinnati. I love the guys we have in the program. They're really about winning and a lot of fun to be around. We lost [Thursday], and the way we lost doesn't go away easily.''

The knock other coaches had on Gonzaga was: Can you get to the Final Four with the Bulldogs? The answer is yes. The same question doesn't need to be asked at Xavier, either. The Musketeers dominate the Atlantic 10. Just look at the size, athleticism and strength of their team, and it's clear they're ahead of the rest of the A-10.

Miller certainly could be enticed by dollars, but Xavier athletic director Mike Bobinski said he doesn't think he'll lose Miller. He shouldn't. Miller has a wonderful thing going, and he seems to appreciate every aspect of his job. Quality of life as a coach can mean knowing where you fit. Miller has found that at Xavier and he, like Few, is consistently maximizing his gig.


sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=4020100&name=katz_andy