From ESPN:
URI's Hurley not talking job future after defeat
Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley, who sources say is the front-runner for the UConn job, had no interest in addressing speculation about potential openings after his team's loss to Duke, saying, 'I could give a crap about who's got an opening anywhere.'
So, this means he is definitely going, right?
shivers.
He's gone.
UConn might be between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Apparently it does not have the money to buy Ollie out, the State legislature said will not pay and if Ollie is successful in challenging his firing “for cause,” it might need a volunteer coach; interesting because it seems to have a large athletic budget. Apparently the very on-the-court successful women’s basketball program generates a large financial loss like all women’s programs, even the very successful, seem to do; sad by true. This a reflection of the general lack of interest in all college sports not called men’s football and men’s basketball; this is by no means a sexist statement but a reflection of reality.
FWIW, I personally enjoy women’s volleyball a lot.
@JayHawkFanToo That was true of UConn w bb until 2016, when they actually had a profit of $1.2 million. Usually, though, you are right--these teams operate at a net loss.
But so do 98% of men's bb AND fb programs acc to this Fox Business article:
An October 2016 study of NCAA athletic data found that just 2% of Division I football teams and men’s basketball programs generated positive net revenue in the 2015 fiscal year. Conversely, no women’s basketball program turned a profit during that time period, with 122 schools reporting a median loss of $997,000, according to the study.
What is overlooked is the money brought in to the colleges from donations--that article says UConn set a record of $81 million after both teams won their titles in 2014. Those funds don't count in the athletic P/L statements.
I think Uconn is going to hope the NCAA hammers Ollie for recruiting violations which will vindicate their "just cause" firing. There was more to this situation then just the poor performance of the past few seasons for them. I imagine Ollie and program will be facing some penalties (unknown how severe) but I've heard that they were caught and it made firing him easy after.
I'd take that Pitt job over UConn if I were him. Low expectations to start. And you would get to build the program from scratch essentially. Should be able to recruit fine in the ACC as well. They would give him 4 full years to get it going before he would get fired, if he was to fail that is.
The UConn job just doesn't seem great when you have penalties looming. The first coach they have since Calhoun can't get the job done. And even in a weak conference. Would make me think it is more a product of Calhoun and not so much a culture of success.
@Kcmatt7 We shall see the character of Hurly revealed in his choice.
If he stays at RI he’s looking to build a legacy in a tough place to recruit.
If he goes to Pitt it depends on how he plays it - money grab, or embracing a rebuild challenge in the ACC.
If he goes to UConn it’s kind of the easy way out. Lesser conference, good money, more job security. Probation is looming so that may be a major deterrent. It also could be a smoke screen for poor performance.
Either move could be a stepping stone to something bigger if done right.
It seems Pitt is offering him 3 million reasons a year to go there as well.
The one thing I would note is Kevin Stallings didn't get 4 years before they canned him. And coming into Pitt with a decimated team and zero ACC quality players coming back your looking at a lose-lose situation right off the bat unless Hurley can recruit transfers and get lucky in the spring recruiting game. This is as bad of a situation as being hit heavy by NCAA sanctions. Unprecedented transfer numbers and a total lack of returning players that fit the league. Tough to take on.
Having said that the Pitt fan-base would embrace someone like Hurley that could come in and make any progress. It's truly amazing the void Dixon left and the fallout that has ensued because of it. Pitt administration should be ashamed of themselves. And if I'm a prospective coach having to work under that same regime I would seriously reconsider
@BeddieKU23 Pitt sounds kinda like KU fb.
@BeddieKU23 I would have something in my contract that says I either get 4 years or I get a $20M buyout for any firing before those 4 years is up. Period. End of story.
Only way I would take the KU football gig too if I was the next HC we hire.
Sean Miller talking to Pitt about HC vacancy.
He just came out and denied it. But I think I would take him if I were Pitt. It can't get any worse. The question is really, why would Miller leave Arizona with that $10M buyout basically no matter what.
Pitt saying miller not a candidate
I think the real "revenue sport" of universities is in endowments. Sports are the way for universities to stay in the hearts and minds of their alumni and followers. Imagine no sports?! Why would we all be coming to a website every day to discuss other activities at KU?
The losses showed by programs exist because they are non-profits. The athletic departments are going to spend every penny they can get their hands on. They are driving towards success... and success in sports will bring in huge charitable contributions.
So that is why we see programs losing money continuing to build newer, better facilities and hiring higher-cost staffs. It's all in the pursuit of "victories" which lead to stuffing the coffers.
$3M would place him among the top 10 paid coaches. Kind of high for a mid major coach moving up. Of course Smart makes more and so far he has proven not worth it.
Took the UConn job. I would think it will need to be at least $3M a season and really hard to get out of for the entire 6 years he signed for.
It was a good hire by UConn. A NE guy who can keep recruiting the same way, only now with better resources to actually land talent. Ollie was lucky enough to inherit all the talent he did and could hang his hat on that NC run.
@JayHawkFanToo I never thought Shaka was a good hire for Texas because he didn't ever recruit Texas before he got there and had no ties to the South whatsoever. His problem has never been recruiting big talent. It has been recruiting guys that will be there for 4 years and can just be good CBB players. He should never have to leave the state of Texas to build a NC caliber team. Yet he has had to take a grad transfer this year just to have a starting PF. I just don't think he is focusing on landing solid players from Texas and is just trying to land the big fish instead. Marcus Garrett should never have gotten out of Texas. Grimes should never get out of Texas.
Last season, he only landed one of the top 10 players in Texas. That can't happen. He needs to be landing 3 of the best players from Texas every year.
That is where I think UConn bringing Hurley in is a good move. He is only a 1 and a half hour drive from URI. That means, for the most part, his recruiting style and area is going to be able to stay the same. He might not even have to move lol. He is from the Northeast originally, so he has ties there going back to his childhood. He worked his way through the high school ranks first, which I think helps him a lot with recruiting. Not to mention his bloodline is very strong.
Really, just the complete opposite of Shaka's situation. And because of that, I think Hurley should succeed.
Smart is a text book example of the Peter’s principle. He moved up until he reached his level of incompetence. Interesting that the coach he replaced, Barnes, is now one of the Final Four candidates for the Naismith COY award.
Yes, Hurley will be recruiting the same general area but he will be recruiting a new and higher level of players than he did before. We will have to wait and see if he does well or like Smart he flounders at the higher level.
@JayHawkFanToo Man, you don't like Shaka. It is amazing what a tourney run or two can create for a coach that was a bit middling during the regular season. Incompetent at this level might be a bit strong, but I ain't arguin'.
Considering that Smart never won a single regular season title in the Colonial or A10 Conferences, the Shaka myth/legend is all smoke and mirrors and built around one win over KU. He was a successful mid-major coach but not at the next level up.
Still hasn't beaten KU in the Big-12. How many years will it take Texas Administration to figure that out
Also pretty amazing that Texas was as bad as they were this year with a top 5 draft pick / once in a generation shot blocker on their team. That has to be the coach's fault!!
My own personal hate for Shaka was amazingly high after the VCU loss and the few years following. My hatred has certainly waned a great deal based on the fact that Shaka vs. KU has not even been a rivalry since he came to Texas. He has to at least win 1 game vs. KU before I start really hating him again.
@joeloveshawks but his coaching style translates "well to the Big 12 because it worked once in the tournament ".
Why I will always be dismissive of him.
Hey now..... Shaka is a GREAT coach!
Think about it... he took one real significant achievement (beating Kansas) and built it into a big-time, well-paid career!
Now THAT is a GREAT coach! (or did I mean to say "BS artist"?)
P.T. Barnum might give him an award but he does not need to worry about his HOF induction speech any time soon....or ever.
