Busy day – here’s the second round of the Daily Dirt…
• Sounds like Dave Rice is safe at UNLV. The UNLV alum has seen his team’s wins decrease during each of his four years, and met with AD Tina Kunzer-Murphy this morning to discuss his future. Kunzer-Murphy said after the meeting that Rice will remain at the helm. Rice’s current contract runs through 2018-19 – apparently he has a very strong class coming in next year, and will have a talented sophomore class as well.
• The “hot” name right now at Charlotte is Tennessee Chattanooga head coach Will Wade. The former VCU assistant is 40-25 in his two seasons at UTC (22-10 this season). Sounds like he will meet with Charlotte officials shortly.
• Speaking of Charlotte…I can confirm that assistant coaches Ryan Odom, Desmond Oliver, and Orlando Vandross have all been released following the departure of Alan Major. No interim coach has been named – sounds like they are moving fast here (see Will Wade above…)
• Staying in the Queen City (kind of)…former Charlotte head coach Bobby Lutz (1998-2010) has been rumored to be involved with the vacancy at Liberty. Lutz has 398 career wins between his tenure at Charlotte and his nine seasons at Pfeiffer (NC). Last week, I mentioned Liberty alum Jason Allison (an assistant at Appalachian State) was a hot name, but it sounds like Liberty AD Jeff Barber wants some one who has been a head coach (398 wins as a head coach definitely fits that bill). I also heard one scenario where LU hires Lutz, and brings in Allison as his top assistant. Stay tuned here…
• Another “hot” name…former Oregon State and Brown head Craig Robinson is getting some play at Illinois-Chicago. The Chicago native (and presidential brother-in-law), spent last season working for ESPN. In eight seasons as a DI head coach, Robinson is 124-133 (30-28 at Brown, 94-105 Oregon).
• Daily Dirt I from earlier today (http://www.hoopdirt.com/blog/9622f480/daily-dirt-3-16-15/…)
• Just a reminder…feel free to text me at 208.495.4129 or email me at [email protected] with any “dirt”.
