2020-21 Coaching carousel

[Da Coach]

I do think they could be successful with the right choice of head coach. Their last 3 coaches (Leitao, Purnell, & Wainwright) needed to upgrade their recruiting with the move to the Big East, but instead they seemed to be satisfied recruiting projects, under-the-radar recruits, and midmajor-level talent, and supplementing it with transfers from mid-major and Division II teams.
DePaul sits right in the middle of one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, but they virtually never land any decent talent out of the city.
When did DePaul last win the recruiting battle for the top Chicago talent?
When was the last DePaul player to have success in the pros?
Who were their last All-Big East players?
They need to hire someone who can recruit better players.

[Da Coach]

South Carolina State parts ways with head coach Murray Garvin

https://hoopdirt.com/garvins-contract-not-renewed-at-sc-state/

[Da Coach]

Reportedly, Iowa State will part ways with head coach Steve Prohm.


Coaching changes for 2020-21-


Portland- Fired Terry Porter; hired Shantay Legans
Fordham- Fired Jeff Neubauer; named assistant coach Mike DePaoli Interim Head Coach
Northern Illinois- fired Mark Montgomery; named AZ State assistant Rashon Burno named new head coach
UT-Martin- Head Coach Anthony Stewart died unexpectedly; assistant coach Montez Robinson named Interim Head Coach
Penn State- Pat Chambers resigned related to an investigation for inappropriate behavior; assistant coach Jim Ferry named Interim Head Coach.; to hire Micah Shrewsberry.
Utah- dismissed Larry Krystkowiak
Jacksonville- fired Tony Jasick
Texas State University- Danny Kaspar resigned amid an ongoing investigation; assistant Coach Terrence Johnson named Interim Head Coach.
Wichita State- Gregg Marshall resigned; assistant coach Isaac Brown named Interim Head Coach.
UC Riverside- David Patrick has left UC to take the Associate Head Coach position at the University of Arkansas; Associate Head Coach Mike Magpayo named Interim Head Coach.
Denver- parts ways with Rodney Billups
University of Texas- Rio Grande Valley- head coach Lew Hill died; assistant coach Jai Steadman was named Interim Head Coach
Boston College- Jim Christian fired; assistant coach Scott Spinelli named Interim Head Coach; hired Earl Grant.
New Mexico- Paul Weir reportedly will not return next season.- hired Richard Pitino, who was fired 1 day earlier by Minnesota
Binghamton- Tommy Dempsey let go
Albany- Will Brown let go; hired Dwayne Killings
Eastern Illinois- Jay Spoonhour let go
Central Connecticut State- Donyell Marshall resigns
Eastern Michigan- Head coach Rob Murphy let go
Indiana State- Head Coach Greg Lansing let go; hire Josh Schertz
McNeese State- Head coach Heath Schroyer will step down and assume full-time AD duties; Assistant coach John Aiken promoted to head coach.
San Jose State- has "parted ways" with head coach Jean Prioleau
Indiana- fired Archie Miller
Minnesota- fired Richard Pitino; hired Ben Johnson
DePaul- fired Dave Leitao
Charleston- Head Coach Earl Grant takes Boston College job
South Carolina State- parts ways with Murray Garvin
Iowa State- to part ways with Steve Prohm; hired Las Vegas coach T'J. Otzelberger
UNLV- T.J. Otzelberger left for Iowa State; hired assistant coach Kevin Kruger
Marquette- fired Steve Wojciechowski
George Mason- fired Dave Paulsen; hired Kim English
Lamar- fired Tic Price
Eastern Washington- Shantay Legans left to take Portland job; replaced by assistant coach David Riley
Oklahoma- Lon Kruger retires

[braves16]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1371634824633532416

[Da Coach]

New Mexico fills their head coaching position by hiring Richard Pitino, who was just fired by Minnesota yesterday.

[braves16]

https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/unlv/unlv-basketball/unlv-coach-t-j-otzelberger-headed-for-iowa-state-2305680/

[braves16]

Breaking: At the conclusion of the NCAA Tournament, expect #Vols Assistant Coach Kim English to take the Head Coaching job at George Mason. All signs are pointing to him taking the new gig and leading a program for the first time! #GeorgeMason

[Da Coach]

I thought this was funny.... A lot of Indiana fans want Brad Stevens as their next coach, but rumors are that he is not willing to leave his NBA job with the Celtics.
But here is one fan who seems to be imploring divine intervention-

https://twitter.com/rachelmlenzi/status/1373301869804675072

[Da Coach]

University of Albany to hire Dwayne Killings. Killings spent the last 3 years as an assistant coach under Steve Wojciechowski at Marquette.
https://ualbanysports.com/news/2021/...all-Coach.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwayne_Killings

[Da Coach]

Lamar has parted ways with head coach Tic Price.

[Da Coach]

UNLV has hired Kevin Kruger as their new head coach. Kevin Kruger is the son of former UNLV head coach and current Oklahoma head coach Lon Kruger. He was an assistant coach at Oklahoma under his father from 2016-2019, and was an assistant at UNLV from 2019-2021 under T.J. Otzelberger, who just left to take the Iowa State job.

[Da Coach]

I love these kind of articles, even though none of them are official. Porter Moser's name has really gotten a lot of play as potentially the next coach at Indiana! His name is also mentioned with DePaul, Marquette, Minnesota, and a few others-

https://www.google.com/search?q=indiana+porter+moser&rlz=1C1CHBD_enUS912US912&sxsrf=ALeKk02JR9R434Wuuah5VLwrUHCVquo88g:1616442797422&source=lnms&tbm=nws&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiOm_XV1sTvAhUMZc0KHQWpDXMQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1226&bih=563

[Da Coach]

Minnesota to hire Xavier assistant coach Ben Johnson. He is a former Minnesota player, and was an assistant coach there from 2013-2018 under Richard Pitino, who was just fired.

https://goxavier.com/staff-directory/ben-johnson/1301

Ben Johnson also spent four seasons on the staff at Northern Iowa from 2008-12 under Ben Jacobson. According to his bio:
The Panthers went a combined 93-77 during that time, reaching postseason play in all four years, including a run to the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2009-10. That year, UNI won a school-record 30 games and upset top-seeded Kansas in the second round. During his tenure at UNI, the Panthers boasted three First Team All-MVC selections, including 2010 Missouri Valley Conference MVP Adam Koch in 2010.

This hire is a bit of a surprise, and some Minnesota fans are not real happy. Richard Pitino was getting paid $2.5 million per year, and the fans were expecting this hire to be a big name with proven success as a head coach. Instead, they get an assistant coach at Xavier, which has not had a winning record in the Big East in the 3 seasons he and Head Coach Travis Steel have been there. Fans are still wondering why Ben Johnson bailed on Richard Pitino in 2018 to take a similar assistant job at Xavier.
The details of his deal with Minnesota are not known, but the salary will be nowhere near the $2.5 million/year that Pitino was getting.
Minnesota still owes Pitino for 3 more years, a total of $7.5 million.

[egib52]

I do think they could be successful with the right choice of head coach. Their last 3 coaches (Leitao, Purnell, & Wainwright) needed to upgrade their recruiting with the move to the Big East, but instead they seemed to be satisfied recruiting projects, under-the-radar recruits, and midmajor-level talent, and supplementing it with transfers from mid-major and Division II teams.
DePaul sits right in the middle of one of the most fertile recruiting areas in the country, but they virtually never land any decent talent out of the city.
When did DePaul last win the recruiting battle for the top Chicago talent?
When was the last DePaul player to have success in the pros?
Who were their last All-Big East players?
They need to hire someone who can recruit better players.

I whole-heartedly agree with this. They should be pulling Chicago talent to stay home. There is no reason they should be losing recruiting battles to Northwestern, and they need to keep talent in the city. They need to find a coach with strong Chicago ties, and shut down the borders. In the 90s they got a lot of the top Chicago talent. However, as a Bradley/Illini fan, I sure hope they continue to screw this up.

[Da Coach]

Here is an interesting development at Iowa State after their hiring of new new head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
The Des Moines Register just posted an article titled:
"UNI assistant Kyle Green is a leading candidate to join Otzelberger, Iowa State basketball"
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...er/6980266002/

It is a subscription website, so it might not be accessible to most. Here are clips of the significant parts-
Kyle Green, a longtime Northern Iowa assistant, is a leading candidate to join new Iowa State basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger’s staff, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
The Minnesota native has been an assistant with the Panthers for 16 years through three different stints under both Greg McDermott and Ben Jacobson. He also was an assistant at Marquette under Tom Crean during the 2003-04 season. He’s been a head coach at Division II Lewis University and Division III Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Green’s son A.J. was the 2019-20 Missouri Valley Conference player of the year, but missed last season due to hip injuries. A.J. is seen as likely to remain with his hometown Panthers after spending three years with the program following a star prep career for Cedar Falls High School.
Green has led Northern Iowa’s recruiting efforts, which have been largely successful in both Iowa and Minnesota, states Otzelberger noted in his introductory press conference would be emphasized in the Cyclones’ pursuit of players.
Otzelberger, who was announced as Iowa State's new coach last week, has two open spots on the bench after retaining Daniyal Robinson.

Though the article says "A.J. is seen as likely to remain with his hometown Panthers", it still opens the possibility that the 2020 MVC Player of the Year, who missed all but their first 3 games this past season might leave to play at Iowa State under his father, if Kyle Green gets the Iowa State job.