Tubby Smith out at Kentucky

Michigan

Either fired or "stongly encouraged" to quit, take your pick on what you want to believe. Reports are he has signed with the Minn.
Timberwolves for $1.8 million a year.

css23

Perfect fit for a mediocre Coach.

Michigan

Correction - Golden Gophers not Timberwolves.

Tubby Smith is leaving Kentucky to take over the head coaching job at Minnesota, multiple sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Thursday.

Tubby Smith is leaving Kentucky after 10 seasons to take the head coaching job at Minnesota.

Smith, who had four years remaining on his contract, will be introduced at a 1 p.m. ET news conference Friday in Minneapolis. He made his intentions known to Kentucky players and athletic director Mitch Barnhart earlier Thursday and also phoned former Minnesota coach Dan Monson, who was fired in November, to tell him he was accepting the job.

Minnesota is expected to pay Smith $1.8 million per year.

In 10 years at Kentucky, where he replaced Rick Pitino, Smith was 263-83 and reached the NCAA Tournament every season, winning the national championship in 1998 -- Smith's rookie season in Lexington. But the Wildcats have not been back to the Final Four since.

This season, in which the Wildcats finished 22-12 overall, 9-7 in the SEC and lost to Kansas in the second round of the tournament, saw a growing faction of Kentucky fans calling for Smith's ouster.

Earlier this month, before the Wildcats played their first-round NCAA Tournament game, Barnhart issued a statement supporting Smith, saying "Tubby's our basketball coach."

But Barnhart also said that he and Smith would sit down after the season to discuss potential changes -- and declined to say whether any of Smith's assistants might be replaced.According to sources, Marquette coach Tom Crean, Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Memphis coach John Calipari, Gonzaga's Mark Few and Notre Dame's Mike Brey are expected to be candidates for what is one of the few premier jobs in men's college basketball.Meanwhile, while watching the defending national champion Gators practice in St. Louis in preparation for their Sweet 16 game against Butler on Friday, Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley did not seem particularly concerned if Kentucky pursues coach Billy Donovan.When asked whether he expected Kentucky to contact Donovan, Foley replied, "It's a free world. There's nothing to prevent them from doing that.""We're trying to win an NCAA championship. He's our coach and he's been tremendously loyal for a long time. That's all I'm going to say about it."Donovan and Foley have been discussing a contract extension but have not agreed to one. Foley said he expected it to get done.Minnesota struggled for years under Monson, who was hired to rehabilitate the Gophers program after an academic scandal under former coach Clem Haskins. Monson cleaned up the program, but the Gophers didn't win; they were 9-22 this season, 3-13 in the Big Ten.

BigRedMachine

Right, it's the Gophers.

He's really been forced out of Kentucky because of mediocrity.

On the other hand, why would a coach leave a Big 10 school to coach at New Mexico??? That one I don't quite understand.

Estil

I actually had a hunch he would probably leave on his own. I'm probably the resident Kentucky Wildcats fan here (I did earn two BAs there), and I was among the minority who did NOT think Tubby should've been fired (a couple of off-par seasons does not make you a bad coach; since his 1998 championship he did go to the Elite Eight in 1999, 2003 (undefeated SEC season), and 2005 where we came up just a double OT short of the Final Four). I don't think he would've been fired, but I suppose a third season of such intense scrutiny would've just been way too much for him. Good luck at Minnesota, Tubby.

Of course, we can't just have a blank coach's chair, so who's likely to take over? Billy at Florida? Benerick at Louisville perhaps?

mreuter

<< <i>

On the other hand, why would a coach leave a Big 10 school to coach at New Mexico??? That one I don't quite understand. >>


Don't question it, New Mexico please take him, we need a change at Iowa.

frankhardy

I am copying this from my post in another thread...

I used to always think that Billy Donovan would be the next Kentucky coach whether it was next season or 10 years from now (depending on when Tubby left). After hearing Andy Katz shoot down the notion of Donovan (Florida's A. D. will do anything to keep him), I am leaning towards John Calipari. He make UMass into a national contender, and what he has done with Memphis is amazing. I think he is a great coach and a great recruiter, and a great coach/great recruiter coaching at a great program means great success most of the time.

One thing is for sure, there are going to be some great coaches getting a call from Mitch Barnheart.

Estil

Say, what about Pat Riley? He used to play for Kentucky, you know.