Taking a break from the rigors of conference play to fill you in on a few things that I’ve heard over the last week or so. It’s getting to be that time of year again when the rumors start flying, and the coaching carousel starts spinning….hold on tight, here we go…….

There are a ton of names that we’ve heard associated with the search at Fordham. I don’t have a great feel for the situation because no one can tell which way AD Frank McLaughlin is heading with his search. There are the usual suspects (veteran coaches with NYC ties) – Pete Gillen, Fran Fraschilla, Tim Welsh, and Dennis Wolff. Not sure if this is the way Fordam would or should go, but all quality guys. A few assistant coaches names have come up – Fred Quartlebaum (St. John’s) and Lew Hill (UNLV – from Mt. Vernon, NY), and a few from way out in left field – former USC Head Coach Henry Bibby and former Nets Head Coach Butch Beard. The one in our opinion who would make the most sense is current Robert Morris Head Coach Mike Rice. He is a Fordham alum, and has done a great job at RMU and is exactly the type of high energy guy that Fordham needs. That being said, I put 3-1 odds that current interim coach Jared Grasso keeps the job. Apparently he has the support of the players and has received commitments from some pretty highly rated recruits (Jayon James, a 6-foot-5 guard from Paterson (N.J.) Catholic, and 6-2 guard Sean Armand, a Brooklyn native spending a post grad year at Central Jersey Each One Teach One). We’ll keep you updated as we hear more.

Our sources are telling us that Eastern Illinois Head Coach Mike Miller is in line to receive a two-year extension. The extension was recently approved by the Board of Trustees. Apparently this does not make it official, it just gives President Bill Perry permission to offer it to Miller.

Everyone keeps talking about Southern Illinois’ Chris Lowery as the most logical replacement at DePaul, but the name that keeps coming up from our sources is Billy Gillispie. Not sure if this hire would make sense for AD Jean Ponsetto, but he would bring a ton of attention to the school. Also, current Jazz assistant Tyrone Corbin has confirmed that he is interested in the job and will go hard for it when the season ends.

Not sure what to make of the Bob Knight to Rutgers rumors. Here’s a good article about the situation:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/333268-is-knight-right-fo…

Keep an eye on the situations at Auburn, Oregon and Manhattan. The rumor mill is starting to churn a little quicker these days……..