What are the chances Texas ditches Shaka Smart? He's barely over .500 overall in his third year, sub .500 in Big 12 play, likely not to make the NCAA tournament in the second straight year, and Texas' name has come up in the recent scandal. How much more time will he be given in Austin?
If that happens, it'll seem that Texas is the place good coaches go to die (professionally). Look at the career of Charlie Strong.
Exactly. Strong wasn't given a whole lot of time there, either.
If Shaka Smart is let go in Austin, I can see him having some potential suitors at the American/Mountain West level at least if he would be interested in such an opportunity.
I think arguments could have been made either way about Rick Barnes being retained at Texas a few years ago but he certainly has led Tennessee to a great year thus far, with a chance to win the SEC regular season title (no worse than a shared title with Auburn) by winning on Saturday.
Stallings will likely be let go after the ACC Tournament-likely on the first day as Pitt likely won't win an opening round game. They had a strong program under Jamie Dixon while in the old Big East but it has not really transferred to the ACC. One could argue that a jump from the old Big East to the ACC wasn't a seismic shift in terms of strength of teams, level of competition etc. Fortunately for Pitt fans I think that program could bounce back in a few season with the right coach in place and be a middle of the pack or better in the ACC. Many years even finishing in the 5-6-7 place range in the ACC can still get you a NCAA bid if your non conference play has merits.
As it stands now, I only see Oats from Buffalo being the only real possibility of a MAC coach being hired away.