2009 College Basketball Coaching Changes Thread

[collegesportsinfo]

Dbackjon PMd me and recommended I create the 2009 Coaching Changes thread on CS.com. So here it is...


It's that time of the year again. As in previous years, here's a run-down of the current openings. Plenty of time to fill in the blanks by all of us:

2009 College Basketball Coaching Changes

School Openings and Hirings included:
Alabama
Appalachian St
Arizona
Boston University
Cal-Poly
Elon
Georgia
High Point
Tennessee State

[dbackjon]

thanks - and good to see you.

A number of FCS schools on here - App State, Cal Poly, Elon, Tennessee State.


And of course, Arizona...

[collegesportsinfo]

Thus far for 3/17/09:


Current Coach Openings and Candidates


Alabama:
Former Coach: Mark Gottfried
Interim Coach: Philip Pearson
Potential Candidates: Frank Haith (Miami coach), Oliver Purnell (Clemson coach), Anthony Grant (VCU coach)
Other Potential Candidates:
Leonard Hamilton (Florida St coach), Tim Floyd (USC coach), Tubby Smith (Minnesota coach), Mike Anderson (Missouri coach), Mike Davis (UAB coach), Brian Gregory (Dayton coach), Sean Miller (Xavier coach), Brad Stevens (Butler coach), Steve Alford (New Mexico coach), Cliff Warren (Jacksonville coach), Dana Altman (Creighton coach), Jeff Jones (American coach), Russ Pennell (Arizona coach),


Appalachian State:
Former coach: Houston Fancher.
Potential Candidates: Murray Bartow (ETSU coach), Mike Leaf (Winona St. coach), Matt MacMahon (App St assistant), Dalonte Hill (Kansas St assistant), Darren Metress (Augusta St coach)
Longshots: Phillip Pearson (Alabama interim coach), Dennis Felton (former Georgia coach), Buzz Peterson (former App St/Coastal Carolina coach)


Arizona:
Interim coach: Russ Pennell
Potential Candidates: Tom Izzo (Michigan St coach), Mark Few (Gonzaga coach), Randy Bennett (St. Marys coach), Jaime Dixon (Pitt coach), Sean Miller (Xavier coach), Rick Pitino (Louisville coach), Tubby Smith (Minnesota coach), Reggie Theus (former NMSU coach), Lon Kruger (UNLV coach), Russ Pennell (current interim coach)

Boston University:
Former Coach: Dennis Wolff
Potential Candidates: Tom Herrion (Pittsburgh associate head coach), Andre LaFluer (UConn assistant), Richard Pitino (Louisville assistant), Ed Pickney (NBA assistant), Pat Duquette (Boston College assistant), Pat Skerry (Providence assistant)
Others:
Steve Masiello (Louisville assistant), Walter McCarty (Louisville assistant), Tim Welsh (former Providence coach), Orlando Vandross (BU assistant), Frank Sullivan (former Harvard coach)

Cal-Poly:
Former coach: Kevin Bromley
Potential Candidates: Bob Cantu (USC assistant),Greg Gottlieb (Cal assistant), Jeff Oliver (Cal St San Bernardino coach), Bob Burton (Cal St Fullerton coach)
Other Potential Candidates & Longshots: Jim Saia (Fresno Pacific coach), Cameron Dollar (Washington assistant), Dedrique Taylor (Arizona State assistant), Scott Garson (UCLA assistant), Steve Henson (UNLV assistant), Kyle Smith (St. Mary's assistant), Dick Davey (Stanford assistant), Jay John (Cal Assistant Coach), Donny Daniels (UCLA assistant), Brad Holland (UCSB assistant)


Elon:
Former Coach: Ernie Nestor
Potential Candidates: Doug Novak (Citadel assistant), Vince Alexander (USC Aiken coach), Jeff Battle (Wake Forest assistant), Larry Harris (NCSU assistant), Matt Ridge (Davidson CC coach), Jim Corrigan (ODU assistant), Ryan Odom (VPI assistant), Lewis Preston (Penn St assistant),
Longshots: Chris Mack (Xavier assistant)
Former Candidates: Buzz Peterson (former Coastal Carolina coach)


Georgia:
Former Coach: Dennis Felton
Interim Coach: Pete Hermann
Potential Candidates: Leonard Hamilton (FSU coach), Mike Anderson (Missouri coach), Jeff Capel (Oklahoma coach), Dino Gaudio (Wake Forest coach), Brian Gregory (Dayton coach), Brad Stevens (Butler coach), Reggie Theus (former NMSU/Sacramento Kings coach), Mike Davis (UAB coach)


High Point:
Former Coach: Bart Lundy
Potential Candidates: Matt Ridge (Davidson County CC Coach), Russ Willemsen (Tenn Tech assistant), GG Smith (Loyola asst), Dave Odom (former Wake Forest/SC coach), Marlon Sears (High Point assistant)
Others Possibilities: Bob Staak, Paul Westhead, Rusty LaRue


North Florida:
Former Coach: Matt Kilcullen


Tennessee State:
Former Coach: Cy Alexander
Interim Coach: Mark Pittman



Texas - Pan American:
Former Coach: Tom Schuberth
Potential Candidates: Mark Slessinger (Northwestern State assistant), Kevin Johnson (former Centenary coach)



Virginia:
Former Coach: Dave Leitao
Potential Candidates: Jeff Capel (Virginia coach), Sean Miller (Xavier coach), Tubby Smith (Minnesota coach), Anthony Grant (VCU coach)





Hirings:

Southeast Missouri St.
Former Coach: Scott Edgar (Zac Roman as Interim coach)
New Coach: Dickey Nutt (former Arkansas St. coach)

[dgreco]

look for Loyola Marymount. Bryant coach Max Good left to be assistant coach for Bill Bano(sp). He left mid season and Good took over. He could end up the fulltime coach or they could look outside.

[collegesportsinfo]

It's doubtful that Loyola Marymount would fire Good, who took over for Bayno, when in doing so they gave him a multiyear contract.

[dgreco]

It's doubtful that Loyola Marymount would fire Good, who took over for Bayno, when in doing so they gave him a multiyear contract.

didn't know about the multiyear, Guess Good is at LMU for a few years.

[collegesportsinfo]

It worked well for Bryant too as they got a coach considered better than Good...pun intended.

[dgreco]

I am very happy with O'Shea his recruiting class seems decent too. What makes it better is that he won't jump ship for a better job. He wants to be in RI and it seems he is happy with Bryant.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Good to see you CSI, and thanks for the info. I can't wait till someone has a coach named Ezra...

[collegesportsinfo]

Curious as to how App St fans feel about Pearson being a candidate.

[dbackjon]

Curious as to how App St fans feel about Pearson being a candidate.

You mean Buzz Peterson?

[collegesportsinfo]

No, Philip Pearson, Alabama coach.

[dbackjon]

No, Philip Pearson, Alabama coach.

OK

[Appaholic]

I'd like to have Buzz Peterson back....understand why they wouldn't since he left before, but I think he might stick around this time...loves the mountains, has family here, was well-liked in Boone (main reason Holmes Center finally got built) and has already been chewed up and spit out by a big school.....moderate success allows him a lifetime gig in NC mtns....not a bad deal...he is a good coach at our level and for a football school...

[dbackjon]

Tide first team to ask VCU's permission

Anthony Grant, who has led Virginia Commonwealth University to the NCAA tournament twice in the last three seasons, is again a popular figure as major conference schools look for a coach.

Alabama athletic director Mal Moore received permission from VCU's Norwood Teague over the weekend to speak to Grant about its coaching vacancy, Teague said Tuesday.

So far, Alabama is the only one to have asked, Teague said.

It's not clear whether Grant and Alabama have had any discussions. Grant did not return calls Tuesday and phone and e-mail messages to his agent, Mark Carmony, were not returned.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4012930

[collegesportsinfo]

Updates:

BU Interviews Tony Jones
TSU Hires John Cooper
BG Reportedly Out at Kentucky

[dbackjon]

Gillespie didn't last long at UK.

[JMU DJ]

So there's a report out that Gillispie has been fired at Kentucky

(WHAS11) - Sources are telling WHAS11’s Kyle Draper and Danielle Santoro that Billy Gillispie will not be returning as the head coach of Kentucky next year.

http://www.whas11.com/topstories/storie ... 3bf6f.html

Now there's speculation that Billy Donovan could take over the helm at Kentucky leaving the Florida job open. People in Richmond are already speculating that Grant could be leaving what seemed like a sure thing at Alabama and could potentially be in line to replace Donovan if he leaves....

http://www.timesdispatch.com/rtd/sports ... 04/242059/

Speculation is ridiculous, but if Donovan does happen to go to Kentucky after shunning them a couple years ago... I can only imagine Grant may be high on Florida's to get list. Lot of SEC coaching changes this year, can't say I'm shocked, the SEC blew this year.

[JMU DJ]

So now, sources are saying Donovan is leaving Florida to go to Kentucky. The door is wide open for Grant to step right into the Florida position. Leaving UGA and Alabama in the coaching search.

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/03 ... eaving_UCF

[dbackjon]

Donovan is denying the Kentucky rumors

Alabama hires Grant:

Anthony Grant has been hired as Alabama's coach after three successful years with Virginia Commonwealth, leaving a school with no football program to take over one where the gridiron reigns. Alabama athletic director Mal Moore told The Associated Press on Friday evening that a deal had been reached. A formal agreement is expected to be signed later in the night.

[dgreco]

very good hire for Alabama. Grant has done a lot at VCU. They need to give him some time though.

[collegesportsinfo]

Updates:

Calipari to Kentucky near finalized ($40 million over for 6 years)
Memphis Gets Permission for speak to Mike Anderson

[Beef]

Tony Bennett is leaving WSU to go to Virginia: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/m ... ens-coach/

I wonder if Bone from Portland State would go to WSU...

[dbackjon]

Tony Bennett is leaving WSU to go to Virginia: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/m ... ens-coach/

I wonder if Bone from Portland State would go to WSU...

Or maybe Russ Pennell, Arizona interim coach

[JMU DJ]

Updates:

Calipari to Kentucky near finalized ($40 million over for 6 years)
Memphis Gets Permission for speak to Mike Anderson

Apparently my current school has offered Anderson a pretty sweet contract
http://www.themaneater.com/blogs/sports ... o-georgia/

And Mizzou seems to want to resign him for less
http://www.kansascity.com/385/story/1116206.html

Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Andersons agent has denied that UGA has offered Anderson the position....
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sport ... erson.html


In the end, UGA is going to shell out a lot of money and get the best/biggest name coach they can find...