My beloved Pitt "Panthers" are without a men's basketball coach and without players. Eight scholars asked for their releases to take their talents elsewhere and since Pitt went 8-24 this year and 0-18 in conference play, Ms. Lyke, the athletic director who fired head coach Kevin Progress Stallings, promptly granted them. Take my players, please!
This is the first head coach hire for Ms. Lyke, who has been on the job one year. She replaced Scott Barnes who made the fateful decision to give Jamie Dixon his release so he could go to TCU and then followed that one up with a conflict of interest-ridden "search" that landed him Progress Stallings. Scott then vamoosed to "Oregon" "State".
Unlike in football Pitt has a history of hiring successful head coaches in men's basketball. Even Steve Pederson who couldn't hire a successful football coach to save himself (literally) got one right with Ben Howland in 1999.
So, this is Heather Lyke's moment. Remote-ish history is on her side, immediate history not, and the present the most dire for the Pitt basketball program in my adult lifetime. And it is looking, please, please, PLEASE, good. Lyke has offered the job to Rhode Island's Dan Hurley at over $3 million per year. Reportedly Hurley is to decide, within 24 hours, among Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Pitt. It says here Heather Lyke is going to make the most of her moment and land Dan Hurley. Pittsburgh is a far more attractive city than Hartford, Connecticut; Pitt is a better school academically than UConn; the ACC a far better conference than the AAC; Pitt's Petersen Events Center is a renowned home court advantage; and Pitt is offering more money.
This is the first head coach hire for Ms. Lyke, who has been on the job one year. She replaced Scott Barnes who made the fateful decision to give Jamie Dixon his release so he could go to TCU and then followed that one up with a conflict of interest-ridden "search" that landed him Progress Stallings. Scott then vamoosed to "Oregon" "State".
Unlike in football Pitt has a history of hiring successful head coaches in men's basketball. Even Steve Pederson who couldn't hire a successful football coach to save himself (literally) got one right with Ben Howland in 1999.
So, this is Heather Lyke's moment. Remote-ish history is on her side, immediate history not, and the present the most dire for the Pitt basketball program in my adult lifetime. And it is looking, please, please, PLEASE, good. Lyke has offered the job to Rhode Island's Dan Hurley at over $3 million per year. Reportedly Hurley is to decide, within 24 hours, among Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Pitt. It says here Heather Lyke is going to make the most of her moment and land Dan Hurley. Pittsburgh is a far more attractive city than Hartford, Connecticut; Pitt is a better school academically than UConn; the ACC a far better conference than the AAC; Pitt's Petersen Events Center is a renowned home court advantage; and Pitt is offering more money.
