UC Irvine head coach Russell Turner

UC Irvine head coach Russell Turner

Anybody else ready for this search to be over? Here is a quick update on what we are hearing since last week:

  • We’ve said this before but it bears repeating – Everything you hear and think about regarding this search, run it by this rule first: Jeff Barber wants a mid-major head coach OR a high-major assistant with head coaching experience. If a potential candidate doesn’t meet one of those requirements, then they’re unlikely to get a serious look.
  • Several sources tell us that Liberty was prepared to offer Murray State head coach Steve Prohm up to $1 million a year to be the Flames’ head coach. Prohm, who has been rumored to be in the mix for BCS level jobs like Alabama, politely declined.
  • Liberty also pursued Anthony Grant, but discussions never progressed.
  • A couples names we are hearing that are new are Larry Davis and Russell Turner. Both Davis and Turner were assistants at Wake Forest under head coach Dave Odom. Of course, Odom is a senior consultant for Collegiate Sports Associates who is leading Liberty’s search.
  • Davis is the interim head coach at Cincinnati who took over in December when Mick Cronin left the team due to a brain aneurysm. Davis has been an assistant at Cincinnati since 2006, and has also spent time as an assistant at Delaware, Wake Forest, Ball State, and Minnesota. He was Oak Hill Academy’s head coach from 1983-1985, and the head coach at Furman from 1997-2006. At Furman, he compiled a record of 124-139.
  • Turner is currently the head coach at UC Irvine where he led the Anteaters to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance this season. He has a 90-80 overall record in his 5 seasons at Irvine and 3 consecutive 20 win seasons. Prior to his time at Irvine, Turner was an assistant for the Golden State Warriors. He attended Hampden-Syndey and began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater in 1993.
  • Matt Driscoll. We mentioned his name on twitter a couple weeks ago and his name is starting to gain some traction. So much so that one source labels Driscoll as a “dark horse candidate” for the job. He’s currently the head coach at North Florida where he led the Ospreys to their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance this season. Prior to his time at UNF, he spent time as an assistant at Clemson, Valparaiso, and Baylor.
  • We told you in our last update that Jeff Meyer is under strong consideration. Shortly thereafter, a couple of national outlets picked up his name. Two names have now been linked to the job opening by national outlets, Meyer and Bobby Lutz. Be careful though, just because those two names have been mentioned nationally, doesn’t mean they are the only two (or even top 2) candidates for the job. Of course, things can change if those candidates at the top of Barber’s list all say no. But hey, ESPN reported it so it must be all that there is.
  • I hear Herb Sendek is out of work.