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Foxsports: Sources: Maryland's Williams retiring - (updated 5/8)

@DCGoldPants

By @DCGoldPants
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MattFancy

MattFancy

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Honestly, I think some Duke and UNC fans are a little on edge as to who MD gets. It could put a huge dent in their recruiting. Let's face it, Duke and UNC have been raiding the DMV for many years and I think this concerns them.

I'm a UNC fan and I'm definitely interested. Like I said, Maryland is a sleeping giant, and with the right coach, could be a very dangerous team in the ACC. I mean you can find great recruits without having to leave the DMV area. So what coach wouldn't love not having to travel all over the place to get good players.

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Tulane Skins Fan

Tulane Skins Fan

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Didn't realize this, but supposedly Debbie Yow wanted Sean Miller to take over for Gary after 2009, before the alums went ape **** on her. I think she tried to get Miller at NC St this year too. I can definitely see Gary "informing" Miller that he should hang on at AZ in case the Maryland job opens up... which could have been the "sabotage" that Yow complained of.

Would love to see Maryland land Miller now just to screw with Yow.

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MattFancy

MattFancy

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Didn't realize this, but supposedly Debbie Yow wanted Sean Miller to take over for Gary after 2009, before the alums went ape **** on her. I think she tried to get Miller at NC St this year too. I can definitely see Gary "informing" Miller that he should hang on at AZ in case the Maryland job opens up... which could have been the "sabotage" that Yow complained of.

Would love to see Maryland land Miller now just to screw with Yow.

That does make sense. Gary could've told him that he was thinking about retiring so if he wants the MD job, that it will be opening up shortly so don't go to NC State.

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abdcskins

abdcskins

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Article by Andy Katz I just read. Anyone who doesn't think Maryland is an attractive job is trippin or just plain hating. He brings up some interesting points, however, on why the move for some coaches might be dfficult.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/6492859/maryland-job-elite-jump

[FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]To put it simply, Maryland is one of the best jobs in the country.

The Terrapins can boast fertile recruiting territory in the Beltway and surrounding areas. Maryland fans are as loyal and passionate as any in college basketball. The facilities are top-notch.

Yes, North Carolina and Duke are the perennial favorites in the ACC, but there's no shame in being the third-best job in the conference behind those two. That just means it's among the top 10 or 15 in the country. So why wouldn't top-tier coaches run to College Park if athletic director Kevin Anderson calls to find a replacement for Gary Williams, who abruptly resigned Thursday?

Well, after discussing the topic with a number of sources that have direct knowledge on the subject as it relates to these coaches, there are reasons that make moving to Maryland difficult.

Some of the key points that have come up:

• How many coaches leave an elite job to go to another elite job when things are going well?

• How many coaches in their late 40s or early 50s want to rebuild again if they don't have to?

• How many coaches want to go to a team next season that will likely miss the postseason when they have an NCAA tourney team on their own campus?

• How many want to re-invent themselves in a new community and go through the rigors of establishing new contacts?

• How many are willing to go laterally financially if they're already making millions in their current job?

A while back, moving to Maryland from a school like Pittsburgh (see Jamie Dixon) would've been a no-brainer. But now schools like Pitt have emerged as national players, which makes a decision to leave a good situation a tough one to digest.

The big-to-big moves of note recently were easy to explain. Roy Williams went from Kansas to North Carolina. That's two of the top five jobs in the country and Williams is a UNC alumnus. Bill Self left Illinois to replace Williams at Kansas, and that one made sense too.

Herb Sendek going from NC State to Arizona State was a geographic move and one in which he simply didn't feel appreciated enough at his old school.

Ben Howland left Pittsburgh for UCLA. Pitt was a new player in the Big East at the time. UCLA is, well, UCLA and Howland is from Santa Barbara. No need for an explanation.

Frank Haith going from Miami to Missouri was an obvious move. Missouri is a much better job. Mike Anderson going from Missouri to Arkansas was an easy choice since he had once coached at Arkansas.

But not every situation provides an obvious answer.

Let's look at the candidates Maryland will likely pursue based on a number of sources. It may not be limited to this list, but these guys will likely be among the first to get a call, if they haven't already:

Mike Brey, Notre Dame: This one seems obvious. Brey, 52, is from Maryland. He has a beach home in Delaware. He coached at Delaware. He played at George Washington. But he also hasn't lived in the area for more than two decades. Yes, Brey had a senior-laden team last season, including Big East player of the year Ben Hansbrough. But the Fighting Irish will be better than the Terrapins next season and Brey feels like he has created his own program in South Bend. He doesn't necessarily have the energy to re-start his career. He loves coaching the Irish and doesn't need a new challenge. If he were in his 40s, he might reconsider. But if he were asked now if he wants to stay at Notre Dame or coach at Maryland, his answer would likely be to stick with the Irish.

Jamie Dixon, Pitt: Dixon and Anderson have a special relationship. Anderson was the athletic director who hired Dixon's late sister Maggie at Army. They have shared a closeness since her death. So Dixon will likely be asked by his friend for advice, but it's not likely he will take the Maryland job if asked unless something were to change. Pitt is a Big East power now and has been within a layup of the Final Four. Dixon is entrenched in the Pittsburgh community. There is no reason for him to leave.

Jay Wright, Villanova: Wright has built Nova into a Big East perennial power. He has recruiting locked up in the corridor. He has coached the Wildcats to the Final Four. And he is extremely comfortable in Philadelphia. If there is a next move for Wright, it's likely to the NBA. Wright doesn't need to jump to a basketball-football school. According to sources, Wright wouldn't leave Villanova for Maryland.

Tubby Smith, Minnesota: Smith was reportedly high on the lists at Georgia Tech and NC State but claimed all along he had no plans of leaving Minneapolis. Georgia Tech couldn't have paid him what he could command anyway. Smith is from Maryland, so it would make sense for him to go home. But is that what Anderson wants? Smith is in his 60s and Williams just retired at 66. Smith is in the same coaching era as Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun and Roy Williams. He has coaching left in him, but Maryland is in a rebuilding situation. Yes, Jim Larranaga at age 61 just went to Miami, but the Hurricanes have players and can win next season. Smith is an intriguing name with a national title to his credit, but would he be a long-term solution?

Mark Few, Gonzaga: Few has flirted with plenty of jobs in the past, notably Indiana. But he's never bitten. He loves his life in Spokane and with the Zags. He has built a national name at Gonzaga and the Zags recruit at a high level now. He makes over $1 million and is firmly entrenched in the Northwest. He would listen, according to sources, but would he really be willing to go from Spokane to College Park? Does Anderson want to pluck someone who doesn't have any ties to the area, as good a name as he is nationally?

Brad Stevens, Butler: Stevens should only leave Butler for a top 10-15 national job after coaching the Bulldogs to consecutive national title games. This is one of those jobs he would have to listen to if called. But Stevens has never worked outside Indiana. Is this the right fit for him? Anderson would hit a home run with this hire. Stevens has become one of the most well-respected coaches in the business in such a short time, drawing immense praise from none other than Krzyzewski the past two seasons. But would Stevens leave the two-time defending national runner-up? Tough call. If Stevens is going to move, he'll likely stay in the Midwest at an elite job in the Big Ten.

Mark Turgeon, Texas A&M: Turgeon played at Kansas. He fully understands what it's like to be at a basketball-crazed school. He coached at one in Wichita State. He would enjoy being at a basketball-first school like Maryland. He has done a wonderful job keeping the Aggies relevant in the Big 12 and A&M will again be in the mix in the conference title race next season. But would Turgeon be the choice for Anderson? That's still an unknown. As one source said, Turgeon may not be the news conference name that Tubby Smith would be on day one, but two years into his tenure at Maryland they would know they had an elite coach and a winner.

Sean Miller, Arizona: This is by far the most intriguing name. If this were a year ago, Miller would have probably run to Maryland. His first year at Arizona wasn't easy after taking over for two interim coaches who succeeded Hall of Famer Lute Olson. But Miller then coached the Wildcats to the Pac-10 title and a trip to the Elite Eight. He has an elite recruiting class coming to Tucson. This is a great time to be in the Pac-12 at a school like Arizona because it is winnable with so many programs in flux. Unlike Dixon, Wright, Brey, Few or even Stevens, Miller isn't entrenched in his community or the school. He went from Xavier to Tucson just two years ago. He is an East Coast coach, he played at Pitt and coached in the ACC at NC State. So he would be a great fit at Maryland, but is he willing to move after bringing back some of the glory to Zona? Is he willing to start over again and rebuild? Does he have the energy for that type of move again? This might be the most agonizing call.

Shaka Smart, VCU: Obviously Smart's name wouldn't have been on this list a year ago. But that was before he coached the Rams to an improbable Final Four run. He committed to VCU by staying put this offseason and the school upped his salary quite a bit. But he would almost certainly jump at an offer from Maryland. The question: Is this too big a leap for Maryland to make?

Johnny Dawkins, Stanford: Dawkins is from Maryland. He is an all-time great Duke player. He is trying to establish himself at Stanford, but it doesn't appear he's done enough to warrant interest from the Terps. But he does have a name that would resonate locally and in the ACC.

There likely will be others, possibly some names from the NBA. But any list that Anderson checks off should at least begin with the aforementioned coaches. Maryland shouldn't aim for anything less.[/font]

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BRAVEONAWARPATH

BRAVEONAWARPATH

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http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/terps/bs-sp-maryland-coaching-search-20110506,0,7148143.story

At the University of Arizona, Sean Miller's recruiting talents and coaching acumen have brought the Wildcats from turmoil to the brink of the Final Four.

Now it appears the 42-year-old coach may drop what he built in Tucson to return to his East Coast roots and replace Gary Williams at the University of Maryland.

Miller, who currently earns a reported $1.4 million in a five-year deal that might soon include a two-year extension, has quickly emerged as the front-runner for the Maryland job, sources close to Miller and familiar with AAU teams in the Baltimore-Washington region said Friday.

Miller lost star Derrick Williams to the NBA draft but will add what is rated as one of the top 10 recruiting classes in the country to a 30-8 team that reached the Elite Eight last season. So after resurrecting Arizona's program following Lute Olson's retirement, why would Miller want to replace another coaching legend in Williams?

It may come down to family and recruiting ties to the Baltimore-Washington area for Miller. He and his wife are from Pittsburgh. As an assistant at North Carolina State and later as head coach at Xavier, Miller recruited players from AAU teams in the region and nearly got one of this year's top players in Oak Hill (Va.) point guard Quinn Cook, a Bowie native who signed with Duke.

"He nearly got one of the top players in the country being almost 3,000 miles away. I can't imagine what he would do if he was at Maryland," said Damon Handon, one of Cook's coaches on D.C. Assault.

Said Keith Stevens, coach of the region's top AAU team, Team Takeover: "He would be a great hire."

According to those in the AAU community who know him, Miller is "definitely interested" in talking with Maryland athletic director Kevin Anderson about replacing Williams, who announced his retirement after 22 seasons at his alma mater Friday. Anderson declined to talk about the search, saying "This moment is for Gary. I won't be discussing that."

But toward the end of the ceremony that celebrated his coaching career, Williams cautioned that "things will be moving very quickly here — do whatever you have to do to make that happen." Williams said that he wouldn't be involved in the search, but would offer his advice if asked. Anderson said that Williams has "already has talked to me and has made some great suggestions. We'll move on from there."

Miller last month rejected a chance from former Maryland athletic director Debbie Yow to return to North Carolina State — where he was an assistant under Herb Sendek. He appears to be at the top of a short list that also includes Villanova coach Jay Wright, Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon and Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, who grew up in the area and whose family used to have Maryland season tickets.

Anderson said recruiting for the 2012 class won't reopen until early July. But it's likely that Maryland will have someone in place long before that — possibly by next week if talks with Miller continue to progress.

One of Miller's associates, who asked not to be identified, said that Maryland has already made unofficial contact through a third party. Richard Paige, a spokesman for Arizona, said Friday morning that Miller was in Tucson and not available for comment. Paige didn't know whether Anderson has called Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne asking for permission to talk with Miller.

The Chicago Tribune reported Thursday that Maryland might have also contacted Brey or his attorney. Brey was in Louisville attending the Kentucky Derby and not available for comment.

Legendary DeMatha coach Morgan Wootten said Friday that Maryland would be in good shape with either Miller or Brey.

Wootten has known Brey since he coached him and later hired him as an assistant at DeMatha, then watching him move as a longtime assistant under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke before embarking on his own head coaching career at Delaware. He was Big East Coach of the Year last season. Wootten said that he has known Miller since he used to put on dribbling exhibitions, even appearing once on the Johnny Carson show.

More recently, Wootten has watched Miller conduct clinics for players.

"He really relates well to them," Wootten said. "He's a great coach and a great recruiter. I think either he or Mike would be a great choice."

Montrose Christian coach Stu Vetter said of Miller, "He's a basketball guy. His dad was a high school coach and he's been around the game his whole life. He's got a lot of energy."

Miller's teams at Xavier had a similar reputation as Williams' did at Maryland, often beating opponents with more superior talent, particularly in the NCAA tournament. Taking over for Thad Matta, Miller led the Musketeers to four NCAA tournament appearances in five years, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2007-08 and finishing with a 27-8 record in 2008-09, advancing to the Sweet 16.

The program at Arizona was in turmoil when Miller arrived, facing self-imposed sanctions. After the team went 16-15 in his first season, the Wildcats had their first unbeaten home record in 15 years and Miller was named the Pac-10 Coach of the Year this season. He signed four players ranked in the top 100 and also has commitments from what could be the top junior class in the country.

"He's a great recruiter," Handon said. "If he was at Maryland, he'd be involved with all the top guys in the area."

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jthor99

jthor99

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Wait, you are predicting Todd Bozeman right now. I'm saying, its gonna be someone from Jay Wright, Sean Miller, Jamie Dixon, Mike Brey, and maybe Rick Barnes. You want to eliminate all those guys?

Am I forgetting anyone?

Rick Barnes left the ACC years ago because he couldnt compete with the big boys.

None of those coaches you mention will leave their current programs for MD. My suggestion is that a coach like a "Todd Bozeman" name when take over. Shaka, possibly the guy from Marquette Buzz Williams. Someone of that nature

---------- Post added May-7th-2011 at 10:06 AM ----------

Rick Barnes left the ACC years ago because he couldnt compete with the big boys.

None of those coaches you mention will leave their current programs for MD. My suggestion is that a coach like a "Todd Bozeman" name when take over. Shaka, possibly the guy from Marquette Buzz Williams. Someone of that nature.

Your suggesting taking home 9 and 10's home from the bar when MD can only pull a 6.

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abdcskins

abdcskins

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At the end of the day Jay Wright, Sean Miller, will use MD opening for a pay increase at their current school. MD will be left hiring Todd Bozeman.

I don't know why you are so convinced neither of them will come to Maryland. Frankly you sound like a pure hater.

I'd be willing to bet that one of those coaches end up coaching Maryland, more than likely Miller.

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skinfan2k

skinfan2k

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According to inside source, Miller got the ok from the wife and kids. Its his decision. I am just wondering if the az recruits would come to UMD because if they would, I guarntsheed(this is the rasheed wallace type of guarntee) that MD win a national championship in the next 4 years

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mjah

mjah

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A subsequent post on that site suggests it's nowhere near that far along.

However, the newer post does nothing to dispel the idea that there is a strong mutual interest between them.

I've learned not to speculate on these things. Now I just wait until they're done and then I react. :silly:

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mjah

mjah

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Okay, I lied about not speculating.

Reports now have Miller staying at Arizona. Not an official announcement, but Katz & Fox Sports are saying the same thing (from what I hear).

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