The Search enters week two (commentary)
It’s been a week since USC athletic director Eric Hyman fired basketball coach Darrin Horn. Since then, Hyman has embarked on a one man search for a replacement. Hyman said last week no one would really know what he would be up to. So far, he’s right.
From Gregg Marshall to Kevin Stallings to Tubby Smith to Tommy Amaker to Frank Martin to John Cooper to….fill in the blanks. The names roll off the lips of national insiders as well as local media like a fifth grader in a spelling bee.
Let’s review the reports. Marshall was called the early favorite, until Stallings wanted the job, then he became the favorite. Until Amaker, who has never indicated an interest in the job this time or previously, became the favorite. Until Martin wanted the job, which, of course, makes him the favorite.
There’s more fishing going on here than at a Bassmaster’s event at Lake Murray.
I have a funny feeling the future Gamecock coach has yet to be actually identified because there’s a reason to think each of the before mentioned coaches won’t be the man.
1-Marshall is not a fit with Hyman’s team concept of his athletic department.
2-Stallings already is the third highest paid coach in the SEC and his contract states that must be the case, so he won’t improve himself financially by coming to USC.
3-Smith may be past his prime, and USC has had those kind of coaches. He has taken Minnesota to two NCAAs but lost in the first round each time. In fact, his two NIT wins this month are his first post season wins with the Gophers.
4-Amaker, Duke educated and Harvard refined…are you kidding me
? And he’s only been to the tournament once.
5-Martin has a great team returning, one that will likely be a strong contender in the Big 12. The Wildcats return 86 percent of their scoring, 91 percent of their assists, and 80.5 percent of their rebounding from an NCAA Tournament team which reached the round of 32. Also, Martin has a top 50 recruiting coming in who is a seven-footer, and the school just built him a new state-of-the art practice facility. Why would Martin leave that for the mess that is Gamecock basketball?
6-Cooper’s time will come somewhere, but he’s not ready to take on the task of building at USC.
That pretty much covers the guessing game that’s been going on around the state.
Now, here are three facts we can share with you:
1-There are five coaches involved with the opening right now including one who would be considered a national level candidate. We don’t know his name. Hyman is waiting on a response from that coach before moving forward.
2-Marshall is not a factor at this point.
3-Hyman would like to complete the process before the Final Four
.
So, the search rolls into week number two and we really know about as much as we did one week ago, which isn’t much. The one thing we do know is Hyman is in complete control of this situation, and he’s intent on getting the basketball hire right…this time.
link: The Search enters week two (commentary)
It’s been a week since USC athletic director Eric Hyman fired basketball coach Darrin Horn. Since then, Hyman has embarked on a one man search for a replacement. Hyman said last week no one would really know what he would be up to. So far, he’s right.
From Gregg Marshall to Kevin Stallings to Tubby Smith to Tommy Amaker to Frank Martin to John Cooper to….fill in the blanks. The names roll off the lips of national insiders as well as local media like a fifth grader in a spelling bee.
Let’s review the reports. Marshall was called the early favorite, until Stallings wanted the job, then he became the favorite. Until Amaker, who has never indicated an interest in the job this time or previously, became the favorite. Until Martin wanted the job, which, of course, makes him the favorite.
There’s more fishing going on here than at a Bassmaster’s event at Lake Murray.
I have a funny feeling the future Gamecock coach has yet to be actually identified because there’s a reason to think each of the before mentioned coaches won’t be the man.
1-Marshall is not a fit with Hyman’s team concept of his athletic department.
2-Stallings already is the third highest paid coach in the SEC and his contract states that must be the case, so he won’t improve himself financially by coming to USC.
3-Smith may be past his prime, and USC has had those kind of coaches. He has taken Minnesota to two NCAAs but lost in the first round each time. In fact, his two NIT wins this month are his first post season wins with the Gophers.
4-Amaker, Duke educated and Harvard refined…are you kidding me
? And he’s only been to the tournament once.5-Martin has a great team returning, one that will likely be a strong contender in the Big 12. The Wildcats return 86 percent of their scoring, 91 percent of their assists, and 80.5 percent of their rebounding from an NCAA Tournament team which reached the round of 32. Also, Martin has a top 50 recruiting coming in who is a seven-footer, and the school just built him a new state-of-the art practice facility. Why would Martin leave that for the mess that is Gamecock basketball?
6-Cooper’s time will come somewhere, but he’s not ready to take on the task of building at USC.
That pretty much covers the guessing game that’s been going on around the state.
Now, here are three facts we can share with you:
1-There are five coaches involved with the opening right now including one who would be considered a national level candidate. We don’t know his name. Hyman is waiting on a response from that coach before moving forward.
2-Marshall is not a factor at this point.
3-Hyman would like to complete the process before the Final Four
.
So, the search rolls into week number two and we really know about as much as we did one week ago, which isn’t much. The one thing we do know is Hyman is in complete control of this situation, and he’s intent on getting the basketball hire right…this time.
link: The Search enters week two (commentary)
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