Eastern Michigan head basketball coach stepping down

[tornado]

Very few details but this is very odd timing - and it would not seem likely he'd make as much money as an NBA scout..

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/19794404/report-emus-rob-murphy-leaving-for-job-with-orlando-magic

https://twitter.com/umhoops/status/235408656303259649

Murphy is coming off his first year there and actually was thought by many to have done a good job..

http://www.emueagles.com/news/2012/3/22/MBB_0322122119.aspx

There is an ongoing investigation into the EMU women's basketball program for numerous violations and their coach just up and quit a couple months ago - so let the speculation begin.......- wonder what's up...

http://www.fullcourt.com/lee-michaelson/5797/emu-head-womens-basketball-coach-annmarie-gilbert-resigns

[Da Coach]

Rob Murphy is a relatively young guy (39), so maybe he has hopes of moving up once he gets into an NBA job. But scouts are about the lowest level of NBA jobs, and NBA scouting jobs do not pay nearly as well as a D1 head coaching job. Most scouts are older guys on the way down or who have connections and need a job, and many are part-timers. Few of them ever move up to coaching positions in the NBA. So this move is really a head-scratcher

Murphy said this when he was hired in April, 2011-
"this is not a stepping stone for me" and "I plan to build a program from the ground up."

By all reports he was well liked at EMU, and he was born and raised in Michigan (Detroit). His first team at EMU finished 14-18, but they were 9-7 in the MAC and were the surprise winners of the weak MAC Western Division where they were the only team with a winning conference record.

Don't know, but it is suspicious that maybe there is something more to his abrupt leaving at this late a time than appears on the surface.

[Da Coach]

Rob Murphy apparently will not be leaving Eastern Michigan after all. His contract had a clause that required him to pay EMU 1 year's salary ($210,000) as a penalty for leaving before the end of the 5-year deal. So he has reconsidered and will remain the EMU head coach.

http://www.freep.com/article/20120816/SPORTS08/120816027/1051/