N.C. State looking for the successor to Herb Sendek. We have heard that State will spend the money necessary to get the coach they want. We shall see, won't we?
It appears that North Carolina native and former Clemson Coach Rick Barnes could be out of the question. Although it's unofficial and nobody will say anything officially, State would like Barnes to say yes, he's their first choice, but at this time that doesn't seem likely. Officially, Barnes says he's had no contact with State, but middlemen have been in touch to gage the interest.
Texas A.D. Deloss Dodds said today in the Austin American Statesman, "the bottom line: he (Barnes) doesn't want to go. He loves Texas." Dodds also said he's working on an increase in Barnes' salary.
We've also learned that Villanova Coach Jay Wright, who signed a new contract in February, has a huge buyout clause. Wright also says he's very happy in Philadelphia.
Also, the name of Miami Coach Frank Haith has been mentioned. He's known as a good recruiter, but Haith has only been a head coach for a couple of years, and has never been to the NCAA Tournament. He, in my mind, would not be a home run. He'd be like a single.
Also, have heard the name Tubby Smith, who has North Carolina ties. However, he's about as popular in Kentucky as Coach Sendek was around here. Wildcat fans expect Final Fours, and U.K. hasn't been to one since 1998. And don't you know, it rankles those folks that the SEC had two Final Four teams and the National Champ and neither was Kentucky.
It's still early in the process, and of course, there are a lot of things going that no one knows about. Playing "guess the coach" is fun, but it's never exact. I mean, who last week at this time thought Herb Sendek was going to Arizona State? And remember those infamous Roy Williams coming to Carolina headlines in 2000? He did finally make it, of course, but not until 2003.
Stay tuned for A.D. Lee Fowler's first major hire. It could make or break him.
