The expected happened after the Big 12 Tournament ended for Arizona State as the Sun Devils opted not to renew Bobby Hurley’s contract as men’s basketball coach. Call it a firing if you like, but there was no need to since he didn’t have years left on his current deal.
Hurley leaves after 12 seasons, nearly 200 wins and three NCAA Tournament appearances. I was at their win over Texas Tech and this team, however flawed, loved playing for Hurley.
Now, athletic director Graham Rossini must nail this selection. Arizona State has great potential as a program, has big improvements coming to its arena and growing momentum around facilities and NIL thanks to success in football and women’s basketball.
Chances are Rossini has already been looking at the field and has a list in mind. The challenge, with conference tournaments going on this week, is getting the conversations he wants with candidates.
For now, here are eight potential candidates to replace Hurley.
Randy Bennett, Head Coach Saint Mary’s
Bennett will probably be the buzziest name in this search because he’s a Mesa native. He’s never coached in Arizona, but he’s turned Saint Mary’s into one of the nation’s top mid-major programs. He’s closing in on 600 career wins and has won four WCC tournament titles and seven WCC regular season titles in a league with Gonzaga. He’s also 7-11 in the NCAA Tournament. He’s 63 and he’ll either want a shot at a high major job or not. If I were Rossini, I’d make him say no.
Travis Steele, Head Coach, Miami (OH)
If there was a time for Steele to pounce on a high major job, the time is now. The Redhawks finished the regular season undefeated and there will be no shortage of interest in him. Steele went 70-50 in four years at Xavier before he took over at Miami (OH). ASU will have to sell him on the future. He’s an Indiana native, so a Midwest job may be more enticing. But Rossini should make the hard sell if Bennett says no.
Josh Schertz, Head Coach, St. Louis
Schertz has reportedly already turned down Kansas State, so it remains to be seen if Arizona State would be any more enticing to him. He’s in a great position. SLU values basketball and is reportedly prepared to extend Schertz and pay out to do it. That gives him the luxury of being choosy. Rossini should make the call, though.
Jase Coburn, Portland State Head Coach
This is really under the radar, but it’s from the Kenny Dillingham template. Coburn is an Arizona native who won a state championships as a head coach at McClintock High School and did a stretch as an assistant coach at Phoenix JC before moving into being the assistant at Portland State. He was a winning record for his career and led the Vikings to the No. 1 seed in this year’s Big Sky Tournament. He was also the Big Sky coach of the year. It’s risky, but like Dillingham he’d likely relish the opportunity.
Derek Glasser, Assistant Coach, UC Santa Barbara
The Gauchos assistant coach seems an odd selection until you know he’s a former Sun Devils player who played with NBA star James Harden. Sun Devil Source’s Chris Karpman reported that Glasser could be on ASU’s radar. Glasser is Arizona State’s all-time assist leader. He was also an assistant coach at Rice. Notably, before he became a coach he worked as an NBA agent with Athlete Management Group. In this NIL era, it’s experience few coaches can offer.
Scott Cross, Head Coach, Troy
Cross has emerged as one of the best mid-major coaches in the country. After being unceremoniously fired at UT Arlington in 2018 after winning 225 games and leading the Mavericks to an NCAA Tournament bid, he landed with the Trojans and is coming off back-to-back Sun Belt Conference regular-season and tournament championships. He’s won 20 or more games at Troy for five straight seasons. He’s reportedly considered a candidate for the Georgia Tech job.
Ben Jacobson, Head Coach, Northern Iowa
Jacobson was on my Jerome Tang job board and I think he’s one of the best coaches in the country regardless of level. He just led the Panthers to the Missouri Valley tournament title as No. 6 seed. It will be the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade. He’s closing in on 400 career wins and at 55 years old, he’s running out of runway if he wants a high major job.
Casey Alexander, Belmont Head Coach
Alexander just led Belmont to the Missouri Valley Conference regular season title. He’s been remarkably consistent in stops at Stetson, Lipscomb and Belmont. His teams have won at least 20 games in each of the last 10 seasons. He’s ready for a high major job. The question is whether he can be lured away from home. He’s a Chattanooga, Tenn., native and Belmont is in Nashville. He also played at Belmont. He may see that as his place.
