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March Madman

Coaching rumors, gossip plentiful

By Tom Keegan
March 18, 2006

Auburn Hills, Mich. — Unfortunately, the attention schools deserve to receive for reaching the NCAA Tournament can be overshadowed by the coaching search gossip.

There was no shortage of that being whispered Friday in the Palace.

Much of it centered on former Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins. The vast majority of his players never graduated, and he repeatedly mixed drinking and driving, but if you think that means Huggins won’t land a lucrative job, you’re dreaming.

Huggins can coach, recruit and schmooze big-money boosters with the very best, and those three ingredients make him an attractive candidate to schools willing to overlook a stack of baggage tall enough to serve as a step ladder to the moon.

Recruiting gurus believe a trio of hot prospects, including O.J. Mayo, the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2007, will go wherever Huggins goes. Also, there is supposedly a group of fat cats ready to back any athletic department financially willing to hire Huggins.

So where will Huggins end up?

When Kansas State athletic director Tim Weiser was asked at a news conference during the Big 12 tournament if he would be willing to hire a coach with a bad record for graduating players, he answered in such a way as to reveal who’s at the top of his wish list: Huggins.

That doesn’t mean K-State will be able to lure Huggins. Another scenario could be in play that would force K-State to look elsewhere.

UNLV coach Lon Kruger, some believe, is intrigued at the possibility of going to Arizona State, where he could coach his son. Kruger couldn’t possibly be accused of playing his son too much. Kevin Kruger averaged 39 minutes and 15 points per game as a junior for the Sun Devils. ASU might have its sights elsewhere, on Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon. If Dixon bolts Pitt, Memphis coach John Calipari would rank No. 1 on the Panthers’ wish list. Failing that, Hofstra’s Tom Pecora or Pitt associate head coach Barry Rohrssen are possibilities. If Pecora moved to Pitt, Rohrssen would be a candidate to replace him.

Tired of having such a low-profile program, Fairfield University is putting together an attractive financial package in an attempt to entice a big-time coach. How big? Would you believe Fran Fraschilla, Pete Gillen or Bobby Cremins? That big.

Give credit to Iowa coach Steve Alford for dodging the Indiana question at Friday’s postgame news conference, rather than lying. Once Alford lands at Indiana, Iowa will be among the most appealing available jobs. Northern Iowa’s Greg McDermott is a possible replacement. With the Wayne Morgan firing so fresh, not much gossip has been generated on that one yet, but it’s worth wondering whether the Cyclones would pursue Huggins.

Missouri? UAB’s Mike Anderson seems the most logical choice. If he goes there, look for Cincinnati interim coach Andy Kennedy’s name to surface. Kennedy played at UAB.

Either Seton Hall’s Louie Orr or Gary Waters, who resigned from Rutgers to make room for assistant Fred Hill, is expected to get the Wright State job.

Penn’s Fran Dunphy and Temple’s Bruiser Flint could get the Temple job.