Dan Hurley becoming the next Rutgers head coach is “not a foregone conclusion” as Hurley weighs his options, a source close to the situation told SNY.tv.
Dan Hurley becoming the next Rutgers head coach is “not a foregone conclusion” as Hurley weighs his options, a source close to the situation told SNY.tv.
“This is still in Hurley’s court until he says otherwise,” a second source said.
In the meantime, Rutgers AD Pat Hobbs is considering several other potential candidates, including ESPN analyst Jay Williams, Iona coach Tim Cluess, Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell, George Washington coach Mike Lonergan and Montverde (FL) Academy coach Kevin Boyle, sources said.
Hobbs spoke with Williams and Lonergan on Monday, although neither was a formal interview, sources said. CSNMidAtlantic.com reported Lonergan interviewed. GW plays Hofstra Wednesday in the first round of the NIT tournament. Hurley and Lonergan share the same agent, Jordan Bazant.
Cluess and Pikiell are busy this week coaching in the NCAA Tournament. Boyle, the former St. Patrick’s High School coach, remains an intriguing long shot
Hobbs told me Saturday night at the Big East championship that he hopes to have this done soon.
“I wanna get to the next level this week,” he said. “Wanna try to get it done this week.”
Hurley, 43, would be facing his third major rebuild in seven years at Rutgers following successful turnarounds at Wagner and Rhode Island. Though Hurley was able to turn those programs around in relatively short order — he has a 100-86 career mark in six seasons at Wagner and Rhode Island — he remains conflicted about whether he wants to do it for a third time — even in his own home state.
Making the situation more complicated is that Hurley remains very close with Rhode Island junior guard E.C. Matthews, who suffered a knee injury on the first night of the season and missed the remainder of the year. Matthews is an NBA Draft prospect who remains the centerpiece of a young and talented Rhode Island team that also includes Hassan Martin, Stan Robinson, Jared Terrell, Kuran Iverson and Jarvis Garrett and adds several key recruits and should have Top 25 potential next season.
“If everyone’s back and healthy, we have the best roster in the league,” Hurley said Monday on his radio show.
If Hurley were to stay at Rhode Island, a year from now he could be in position for a much higher-profile job than Rutgers.
“I don’t know why he’d risk taking Rutgers when he can get something much better if he waits,” the second source said.
Rutgers is offering Hurley in the neighborhood of $2 million annually for six years, a significant bump from his current salary at Rhode Island. Hurley will make a guaranteed $1 million per season by 2017-18 at Rhode Island, a raise from his 2014-15 salary of $630,000.
“Everyone in the state wants him and Rutgers is the state school,” a third source said of Hurley. “I think their fan base would be disappointed if [Hobbs] doesn’t hire him.”
Said a fourth source: “Every day that passes is less likely that Danny takes the job.”
Meantime, Hobbs spoke with Williams on Monday, sources confirmed.
“I think Jay elevated himself from a courtesy call and into a legitimate candidate if Hurley bows out,” the second source said.
St. Benedict’s Prep coach Mark Taylor coached Williams at St. Joe’s and believes he’d be a solid hire.
“Jay is more than qualified,” Taylor said. “He’s a great player who played at every level and succeeded. He has a tremendous network and has made all the right contacts as an ESPN analyst over the past five years. He will be fine.”
Williams is a Plainfield, N.J., native who has no coaching experience but has ties to the area. He played at St. Joe’s-Metuchen High School and chose Duke over Rutgers, ultimately leading Duke to the 2001 NCAA championship and getting drafted No. 2 overall in 2002.
After a motorcycle accident ended his career prematurely, he ultimately became a broadcaster for ESPN.
Coaches — especially guards — with no coaching experience have become trendy picks as coaches in recent months.
Knicks President Phil Jackson initially tabbed Steve Kerr as his top option to coach the Knicks, but Kerr chose to coach the Golden State Warriors instead. Kerr led the Warriors to the NBA championship in 2015 and they remain the favorites in 2016.
On the other side, Jackson did hire Derek Fisher, who also had no coaching experience, and Fisher was fired in February after posting a record of 40-96 in one-plus seasons.
St. John’s returned to its roots last season to hire Hall of Famer Chris Mullin, who also had no coaching experience. In his first season at his alma mater, Mullin went 8-24, 1-17 in the Big East. The Johnnies do have the No. 1 recruiting class in the Big East for 2016 and return a core of talented young players.
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