Mizzou's Frank Haith Adds Several To Coaching Staff

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Mizzou Basketball Coach Frank Haith Announces Coaching Staff Additions

Missouri basketball head coach Frank Haith announced several additions to his coaching staff on Wednesday including Tim Fuller, who is coming from Louisville. Haith also announced the addition of Todd Pandov as strength and conditioning coach and veteran bench coach Ernie Nestor.

The big one is Fuller because he'll be a recruiter and has excellent ties around the country which will be a big bonus for Mizzou moving forward.

"Tim is a tireless worker. He has risen up the coaching ranks and has made a big impact at every stop along the way. Louisville has a Top 10 recruiting class for next year and Tim was a major part of that. He has learned from some great coaches. Coach (Rick) Pitino, Coach (Dave) Odom and of course Coach (Ernie) Nestor, so Tim has a wealth of experience and he's only 33. Obviously Tim has great contacts all over the country, not just because of his ability to teach the game of basketball, but his connections with Nike and the AAU and high school circuits."

Fuller has ties to the top point guard in the country, who committed to Louisville, but it's unclear of Rodney Purvis would consider committing elsewhere.   

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Mizzou's Frank Haith Snags Louisville Assistant With Ties To Top PG In Country

The Missouri Tigers basketball program continues to see changes and this time it could potentially be a very good one. Mizzou head coach Frank Haith has reportedly hired Tim Fuller, a Louisville assistant coach. Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com reports the two are very close.

What's interesting about Fuller is that he recruited Rodney Purvis and got him to verbally commit to Louisville. Purvis happens to be the No. 1 point guard in the country and No. 10 overall player (per ESPN's rankings).

So the natural question is whether Purvis will stick with Louisville. And, if he doesn't stick with Louisville, may he head elsewhere, perhaps Missouri?

I'm not sure what Purvis will do but this will presumably make him stop and think. For Mizzou, it doesn't hurt having a guy who already got the top point guard in the country to commit to his school (now he just has to do it again).

For more on Mizzou basketball, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Jeff Capel To Missouri? Report Says It's Happening

The Missouri Tigers made official the hiring of Frank Haith from Miami on Monday evening when the Missouri Board of Curators approved a five-year contract. Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote a story on Mizzou's hire and buried at the bottom of the story in the second-to-last paragraph is this nugget:

Several sources say that he is going to bring former Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel along as his top assistant. Capel has a good reputation in the business for his bench work and X's and O's.

Capel was fired in March after five seasons at Oklahoma.

The knock on Haith -- besides many Mizzou fans not even knowing who he was -- is that he's not a great in-game manager. He's a good guy, he can recruit and people generally like him but his in-game coaching skills could be polished. Bringing Capel in could potentially help with that. Sometimes the best thing a coach can know is what he doesn't know.

For more on Mizzou's coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Frank Haith To Missouri Is Official

The Missouri Tigers have a new men's basketball coach. On Monday night, Mizzou AD Mike Alden met with the Missouri Board of Curators where a contract for Frank Haith was approved. Haith is coming from Miami and his name isn't very well known among Mizzou fans.

Haith will be formally introduced at Mizzou Arena on Tuesday morning around 10:00 a.m. It'll be interesting to see the turnout and the response because, at least on the internet, the response has been negative. Expectations were raised and Haith's name doesn't live up to them yet.

According to Mike DeArmond of the KC Star, the contract runs five years and will average about $1.5 million per year. For a comparison, Mike Anderson was making about $1.55 million per year, and Alden was reportedly willing to go as high as $2.3 million per year during the Matt Painter chase. That got Mizzou fans' hopes up in a big way. So when Haith was confirmed as the next coach, there was a large disappointment from the fan base. Mizzou fans thought the pursuit of Painter and a $2+ million salary put them at a different level when it comes to coaches.

We'll see how it all goes but Haith is already working from the bottom up.

For more on the Mizzou coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Missouri Board Of Curators Will 'Have A Lot Of Questions' On Frank Haith

It's being widely reported that the Missouri Tigers will hire Miami head coach Frank Haith. We also noted that the deal isn't done...yet. It sure sounds like it will happen but before the deal is done the Missouri Board of Curators needs to approve the contract. They are meeting on Monday night where Mizzou AD Mike Alden will explain the rationale behind looking at Haith.

A member of the board, David Wasinger, who hadn't heard about Haith until Monday morning, has told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that the board will have a lot of questions on Haith. He also said he was aware of the "disappointment and disapproval" being expressed about Haith right now.

That makes you wonder if the board approving the contract is a slam dunk. It's being widely reported as if it is but the Post Dispatch report has us slightly tapping the brakes.

According to Mike DeArmond of the KC Star, Mizzou does not have a press conference scheduled for Monday. 

Considering the way stories around Mizzou have gone lately, it would almost be fitting if Haith backed out, and then re-committed to Mizzou.

For more on the Tigers coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Frank Haith Will Have Talent At Missouri To Compete Immediately

So everyone is reacting to the reported news that Miami's Frank Haith will be the next Missouri Tigers basketball coach. The hire is a surprise because he isn't one of the many names that have been floating around over the last few days since Matt Painter decided to stay at Purdue.

That's creating almost a sense of panic around Mizzou as they try to figure out why Mizzou AD Mike Alden targeted Haith. We know he is at least a decent recruited and coached at a school that, frankly, doesn't really care about basketball.

SB Nation's Big 12 Hoops has examined the hire and notes the first important step for Haith, when his contract is formally approved, is keeping the current roster intact.

Haith's first task is to keep the current roster together.  Missouri has a very strong team right now, and it's critical for his success (and his perception) to keep players from transferring or leaving early.  Justin Safford was the only senior with significant minutes, so most of Mizzou's critical pieces should still be in place.  This means Haith will inherit a deep, experienced team that has good leadership.  If he keeps everyone, I think Haith can do wonders for what looks to be a tough initial reception from Missouri fans very quickly.

That was the good part about the Mizzou job. There was experience on the roster which gives the incoming coach an opportunity to succeed quickly. That could create some momentum as the next coach can point to immediate success when recruiting.

We'll see how it all shakes out but a fast start for Haith in Columbia would do wonders for the perception surrounding this hire. 

For more on Haith to Missouri, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Frank Haith To Missouri Is A Good Hire, Right?

I'd be lying if I told you I knew much at all about Frank Haith. When reports surfaced on Sunday night that the Missouri Tigers would be hiring him as their next head coach I knew two things: A.) he's Miami's head coach and B.) that's all I know about him.

So I fall into the "Huh?" category on this hiring. I can't say that I know much. Bill from Rock M Nation is the same way but he seems to be taking the optimistic approach given Mizzou AD Mike Alden's track record for hiring coaches.

I go back to what I said at the beginning of the search -- it's been 12 years since Alden made a bad hire, so I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially considering there is a very good chance this was the "solid No. 2 choice" we heard about a few days ago (otherwise I cannot imagine the process would have moved this quickly ... if he was your No. 10 choice, then you at least wait another day or two -- Haith wasn't going anywhere tomorrow).  If Alden makes good hires, and this is an Alden hire, then it must be a good hire ... right?  Something like that? 

Yeah, that's sort of my thought process. I'm probably a little more skeptical but without more information I'll defer to Alden as this being a solid hire. We'll see how it pans out.

For more on Mizzou's new coach, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Frank Haith To Missouri Not Done...Yet

The Missouri Tigers have found their next head coach, according to multiple reports. Frank Haith, coming from Miami, will be Mizzou's next head coach. A contract for Haith isn't completed yet but it's expected to soon. Missouri's Board of Curators will meet on Monday, presumably to approve Haith's contract.

We've seen stories involving Missouri head coaches take wild turns lately from Mike Anderson's departure to Arkansas to Matt Painter's decision to remain at Purdue. This, however, has been confirmed by plenty of media outlets including the Kansas City Star, St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Columbia Tribune, as well as national reports like FOXSports.com.

So the Board of Curators will meet on Monday evening and, if they approve the contract, there will likely be an announcement to follow.

Missouri has been searching for their next head coach since Mike Anderson decide to leave for Arkansas two weeks ago. Haith is a surprise candidate as we heard plenty of names floating around over the weekend including Tubby Smith, Steve Alford and Shaka Smart. 

For more on Mizzou's next head coach, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Frank Haith To Missouri: Tigers Will Hire Miami Basketball Coach, According To Reports

After a weekend full of reports identifying candidates and then those candidates denying they're candidates, the Missouri Tigers feel they have their man. According to multiple reports including Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star, Mizzou basketball will hire Frank Haith from the University of Miami as their next head basketball coach.

The news is...surprising. I didn't expect this name at all but it sort of fits Mizzou AD Mike Alden's profile of hiring coaches with experience at larger programs (although they have usually come from mid-majors). Haith was previously at Texas as an assistant and worked heavily in recruiting. For example, Daniel Gibson and LaMarus Aldridge were a pair of recruits he was in on.

This weekend was filled with rumors and reports of Mizzou's interest in various candidates. From Steve Alford to Shaka Smart to Mark Cronin, it seemed most coaches you can think of were somehow connected to the Missouri job. 

This all started several weeks ago when rumors began to crop up that Mike Anderson, Mizzou's then-coach, would be interested in the soon-to-be-open Arkansas job. Once that did open up, Anderson's interest was dragged out into multi-week process before he finally acknowledged his interest and eventually made the jump to Arkansas. Mizzou thought they had their replacement last week in Purdue's Matt Painter but that fell through.

So Frank Haith it is in Columbia. Certainly not the high-profile names that we've seen.

For more on the hiring, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Mizzou Coaching Search Continues At Final Four

The Missouri Tigers coaching search will continue this weekend at the Final Four. It's been quite a ride for Mizzou fans the last few weeks. From the Mike Anderson saga and his departure for Arkansas to Matt Painter's seemingly inevitable leap to Columbia and then the announcement that he was staying at Purdue.

Yeah, it's not always fun being a Missouri fan. But, as they say, the show must go on and it will this weekend at the Final Four. The original plan, according to reports, was to hire a coach before the Final Four. Obviously that plan's not going to work out.

So the new plan is figure something out at the coaching convention that is the Final Four. Are they any candidates yet?

Sports By Brooks reports there are a few including VCU's Shaka Smart, Richmond's Chris Mooney and Tulsa's Doug Wojcik. I'd wonder about Georgia' Mark Fox, even if they are discussing an extension. I'd also throw in Ben Jacobson from Northern Iowa. And, as most schools do, I'll go ahead and throw in Brad Stevens' name from Butler. He'd be an awesome candidate but I'm not sure he's leaving. 

Then there are plenty of others that we don't even know about yet (or never will). 

One thing we have learned though is that Mizzou's coaching searches tend to be very public. Either AD Mike Alden or other sources within the organization love to talk. So one thing you can count on, unless Mizzou has changed their ways, is a very public search.

And if the last few weeks is any indication, there's also a good chance it'll blow up in Mizzou's face.

For more on the Tigers coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Official: Matt Painter Turns Down Missouri, Stays At Purdue

It's official. Purdue's official site has a story up now announcing that Matt Painter has signed an eight-year extension with Purdue. That means he turned down the Missouri Tigers job offer. Multiple reports, including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, said Painter was headed to Mizzou but that is not the case.

The Purdue announcement even has quotes from Painter:

"I am extremely excited about continuing my career at Purdue. I believe we have built something very special. At the same time, I feel we have much more ahead of us to accomplish.There's a lot to be excited about right now with Purdue basketball. We are moving into our new offices and locker room complex over the next couple of weeks. Our program is built on hard work, and we are ready to get back to improving as a team and a staff. At the end of the day, my heart is at Purdue, and this is a place where I want to win a national championship."

Wow. 

And from Purdue's AD Morgan Burke:

"We are thrilled to announce that Matt will continue his leadership of our men's basketball program at his alma mater," athletics director Morgan Burke said. "He has been at the helm of the winningest four-year period in the storied history of Boilermaker basketball, and we pledge to work with him to win championships."

To see how Mizzou fans are handling this, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter Staying At Purdue, According To ESPN, FOX And CBS

I noticed about a half hour ago that FOX 59 in West Lafayette had reported that a source had told them Matt Painter would be staying at Purdue and not heading to Missouri despite a St. Louis Post-Dispatch report that Painter had told Mizzou AD Mike Alden that he had accepted the Tigers job offer.

I didn't think much of it but then a few of the big boys joined in on reporting Painter would be staying at Purdue including Andy Katz of ESPN.com. Now Jeff Goodman of FOXSports.com, citing multiple sources, also reports Painter is staying at Purdue. Gary Parrish of CBS Sports also reports he's staying.

As always, remember that nothing is official. The way this story has gone, we'll hear several more "Yes he's going" and "No he's not" before we get to the end.

But, if he is staying at Purdue, I'm surprised here. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch report came out a couple hours ago and then Eric Blumberg of KOMU in Columbia reported this via Twitter:

Source says 100% it's going to happen. Painter meets w PU players tonight. Mizzou will announce Painter as it's basketball coach.

Clearly there was some miscommunication going on, if indeed he stays at Purdue. If both Miklasz and Blumberg had sources telling them the deal was done then I imagine someone connected to Missouri thought, at least at one point, that Painter would be headed to Missouri.

For more on this surprising news, check out Rock M Nation.

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ESPN: Matt Painter Turns Down Missouri, Will Stay At Purdue

Wow. This is quite amazing. Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on Wednesday afternoon that Purdue head coach Matt Painter had told Mizzou AD Mike Alden that he was accepting the Missouri Tigers head coaching job.

Shortly after that many other reporters said a decision hadn't been made either way.

And now this from ESPN:

Matt Painter has turned down Missouri and will remain coach of the Purdue men's basketball team, a source with knowledge of the situation tells ESPN.com's Andy Katz.

This isn't official yet so we'll have to see how it goes but ESPN is running with it on the front page of ESPN.com so they must feel pretty comfortable with it.

Many reporters had said recently that while a deal wasn't done it appeared Mizzou was the leader in the clubhouse. There were even reports that Purdue had called a players meeting Wednesday evening to inform them of Painter's departure but that's apparently not the case.

We'll be waiting for an official word from Purdue soon. If he did indeed turn Missouri down and decided to stay at Purdue, then I imagine Purdue would be confirming that publicly quickly.

Check out Rock M Nation for more on Mizzou's coaching search.

• about 2 years ago
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More Conflicting Reports On Matt Painter To Missouri

Matt Painter is the new Missouri Tigers head coach.

Unless he isn't.

We're still not sure what's going on. Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has reported that Painter has told Mizzou he's leaving Purdue to come to Columbia. KOMU in Columbia has also reported that the deal is done and that Painter was telling the Purdue players that evening. In other words, lots of people are saying Painter is coming to Missouri.

That said, other reports, including FOX 59 Sports, say a deal is not done. Here's what FOX 59 said:

But, not so fast, a source close to Fox 59 says Painter will be staying put in West Lafayette. No official word from the Purdue athletic department who confirmed earlier this afternoon that the university hasn't heard from Painter's camp. There are rumblings of a team meeting scheduled for this evening, but Athletic Director Morgan Burke is unaware of any possible meeting between Painter and the Boilermakers. 

So basically we're not sure what's going on. It appears the momentum is heading toward Painter coming to Mizzou but there hasn't been an official word from anyone.

For more on Mizzou's coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Missouri Says Matt Painter Hasn't Told Them He's Coming

Earlier on Wednesday there was a report that things were looking great for Missouri on the Matt Painter front and that he had actually told Mizzou AD Mike Alden that he was leaving Purdue and coming to the Tigers. A Mizzou official has now gone on the record to Mike DeArmond of the Kansas City Star to say that is not the case. The report that he has told Alden he's coming is jumping the gun.

Alden reportedly requested a decision by noon today but that apparently hasn't happened. Various reporters have said Painter would go back to Purdue to tell his staff and players before any of the news came out (at least that's the plan to avoid a Mike Anderson situation).

So right now we're waiting...again. 

If Painter had told Purdue he was staying, the school would have made that public by this point so it's clear he's still in the process of determining what he wants to do. The longer it goes, the better for Mizzou, right? That's what I'd think.

Painter has apparently done his homework on Mizzou so, if he is coming to Columbia, he will be making an informed decision. We'll see what he decides.

In the meantime, check out Rock M Nation for more on Mizzou's coaching search.

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter To Missouri Not Done Yet

Gary Parrish of CBS Sports put it perfectly: "The man reporting Painter to Mizzou is done is a good reporter. So is the man who is reporting it's not. That's how this story is gonna go."

Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote shortly ago that, while it's not official yet, it's looking for Matt Painter leaving Purdue and heading to Missouri. He wrote that he heard that Mizzou AD Mike Alden had already gotten the call.

Not so fast. Jeff Rabjohns of the Indy Star says it's not a done deal yet.

At this hour, Matt Painter has not called either Missouri or Purdue with a decision, sources confirmed.

So someone connected to Miklasz obviously feels it's going to happen or else he wouldn't have written that. This is turning into another he-said, she-said type of story. The problem this time is that, as Parrish said, these are two reliable reporters.

So...we wait once again.

Check out Rock M Nation for more on the story.

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter To Missouri Looking Great

Nothing is official but it's looking good for Missouri Tigers fans right now. Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that a source he "greatly trusts" tells him Painter is leaving Purdue and headed to Mizzou. He cautions, though, that nothing is official at this point.

Still, it's looking good and some of the other reporters on this are starting to hint that Mizzou is the front-runner. If it is indeed done -- Miklasz says it's his understanding that AD Mike Alden got the call a little while ago -- then we should have some sort of official announcement soon.

Mizzou wanted to find their next head coach before the Final Four and it appears they've done that. This is a solid hire for Missouri and there are a lot of reasons to think Painter will be successful. 

What I found interesting is that, as Gene Keady said this week, it wasn't all about the money with him. He feels there needs to be the opportunity for a championship. That he appears to have picked Mizzou is a good sign for their future. 

We'll be back soon if/when the official confirmation comes so check out Rock M Nation in the meantime.

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter's Missouri Decision Shouldn't Turn Out Like Mike Anderson's Arkansas Decision

I briefly mentioned this earlier but there are some similarities to the Matt Painter and Mike Anderson situations. The details are obviously different as Anderson was widely criticized for his exit and Painter appears to be doing his due diligence on the process. 

But the overall point remains the same -- a coach at one school is being courted by another. 

Anderson was criticized because he wasn't able to tell his players or AD Mike Alden about the Arkansas job until everyone already knew he was taking it. He was also criticized because the entire process felt like it was always simply about the money and each school was a pawn in this.

First, if Painter wants to avoid a situation like that he needs to make sure, whatever he decides, his school, his staff and his players are the first to know -- whether it's yes or no. That's an increasingly difficult thing to do given our current media world and obsession with all things Twitter but its important and will go a long way to healing some bad feelings that will inevitably come when a coach exits.

Second, he needs to make sure folks know that, whatever his decision is, it's not all about money. Gene Keady has helped him in that regard by mentioning that several times and even Painter himself has made that clear by looking at the recruiting classes in the Missouri area and assessing his ability to win a championship.

If Painter decides to stay, Purdue will love him and Mizzou fans move onto the next coach. If he decides to leave, Mizzou fans will love him and Purdue will need to find their next coach. It's possible to leave without hard feelings left behind. We'll see if that's possible.

For more on Mizzou's coaching search, check out Rock M Nation. 

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter's Missouri Decision Coming Today

Purdue head coach Matt Painter spent Tuesday meeting with Missouri officials as they court him to be the Tigers next head coach. Of course, with plenty of success at Purdue the Boilermaker faithful is hoping that's not the case.

Each side has made its pitch. Mizzou, meeting with Painter on Tuesday and, Purdue, reportedly upping his contract to over $2 million per year. The Tigers could potentially top that though it's not clear where they stand financially.

Mizzou AD Mike Alden requested that Painter make a decision by noon on Wednesday so we should be hearing something soon. The Tigers want to wrap up their coaching search before the Final Four and at this point it appears Painter has been the top, if not only candidate so they're banking on him saying yet.

Though it's not exactly the same, it's similar to the situation with Mike Anderson last week. Anderson left Mizzou fans hanging for a couple days while he was courted by Arkansas. Painter is doing the same for now but, according to many reports, he will return to Purdue to talk to his team first if he decides to take the job (Anderson apparently tried to do the same thing before word got out).

There have been credible reports that Painter is leaning toward Missouri (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) but we'll know for sure by today.

• about 2 years ago
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If Matt Painter Stays At Purdue, Missouri Will Be Waiting Again

According to reports, Matt Painter is going to make his decision between Missouri and Purdue at some point on Wednesday. The last several days Missouri fans have been focused on Painter and no one else for the open head coaching position.

Mizzou wants to find a head coach before the Final Four but, if Painter isn't the man in Columbia, there are a couple of big questions.

First, who's the next candidate on the list? I'm not even sure and, frankly, haven't even thought about it. Painter's name came up quickly after the Mike Anderson saga and he's clearly been the No. 1 candidate. I'm not sure I've even mentioned the No. 2 candidate. We would have some work to do if Painter says no.

Second, if Painter says no, when will the next head coach be hired? Surely it would come after the Final Four. Maybe Mizzou doesn't even know who the No. 2 candidate is so it's possible they'd have to identify a new candidate and then pursue him. Though the Final Four is a coaching convention of sorts, it's hard to see how something like that could be wrapped up before the middle of next week, if not later.

It's exhausting for school officials, fans and even reporters to go through the search for a new coach so, for that reason, I hope Painter is the pick. He's also the best and, as of now, only, candidate.

• about 2 years ago
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Missouri Gives Matt Painter Wednesday Deadline, According To Report

The story last week with Mike Anderson seemed to drag on and on for several days with no end in sight before he finally decided to jump ship to Arkansas. That won't be the case with Mizzou's pursuit of Matt Painter.

Early reports said the Tigers wanted to pick their next head coach before the Final Four this weekend and, according to Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Mizzou AD Mike Alden has given Painter a noon deadline on Wednesday to make his decision.

Missouri met with Painter on Tuesday and it's been reported that Painter has done his due diligence on the Missouri job as he determines whether he'll take it.

We're not sure on specifics but it's believed that Purdue has come up with a sizable raise for Painter should he decide to stay. Mizzou may choose to top that offer if that's the case but obviously that's all hearsay at this point.

So Wednesday is the big day for Painter to decide on his future. One fan base will be very happy and one won't be so happy. Only a few more hours...

For more on Mizzou's coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter Hasn't Made Decision On Missouri, Purdue

Though the speculation is out there Matt Painter has yet to make a decision on his future, according to the Indianapolis Star. Missouri Tigers officials are reportedly meeting with Painter on Tuesday and he's expected to decide sometime this week if he'll make the jump to Mizzou or stay with Purdue.

Reports have said Mizzou wants to make a decision on its coach before the Final Four, which is this weekend. I'd be curious if they've given him any sort of deadline on making a decision. Some reports say a decision one way or the other is expected by Wednesday.

Missouri's biggest advantage might be money. Purdue officials sent out a press release indicating they're confirmed their commitment Painter which suggests a pay raise but that hasn't been confirmed. Missouri was offering Mike Anderson a deal worth $2 million annually so Mizzou may be able to make the same offer to Painter.

That said, former Purdue coach Gene Keady said this week that it wasn't all about money with Painter. There are other things, like a successful future of the program, which have to be there as well.

The way this story has gone, and the Mike Anderson story last week, we can expect to hear several more reports saying he's taken the job, and then several more after that saying he hasn't made a decision yet. It's been that kind of story.

For more on Mizzou, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Letter May Hint Purdue Bracing To Lose Matt Painter To Missouri

Purdue officials sent a letter to the John Purdue Club and the contents of the letter suggest the school may be preparing for the loss of Matt Painter to the Missouri Tigers. Painter is meeting with Mizzou but as of now it's hard to tell via the various reports how serious he is about taking the job.

Missouri was reportedly willing to offer Mike Anderson an average of $2 million per year and Painter is reportedly about $700,000 below that annual mark (not including incentives). That's the biggest reason Mizzou may have an edge but, of course, we're all guessing at this point since he hasn't made a decision.

So can Purdue raise the money if that's what will do it for Painter? In the letter, Purdue's associate AD Nancy Cross' words are telling:

Personally, I have been overwhelmed with the number of e-mails pledging to join the John Purdue Club or increase support.  Ironically, I believe we would not be in this situation had more than 11% of our current membership participated in the Mackey Challenge and more than 150 of our nearly 9,000 members recruited at least one new member. More of the Big Ten television revenues could have been allocated for compensation for the basketball coaching staff members and less toward the critical path of updating Mackey Arena.

You can read the full letter at Midwest Sports Fans but it comes across almost in an accusatory tone. It's almost as if Purdue is already bracing for the loss of Painter. The school is saying something like, 'We could have kept him if you would have given more money'. That to me sounds like someone setting the donors up as the fall guy.

Either way, we should be hearing something on Painter's decision before the end of the week. 

• about 2 years ago
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If Matt Painter Goes To Missouri, It's Not All About Money

On Tuesday morning Purdue officials released a statement indicating that they have made some sort of commitment to Matt Painter to remain head coach in the midst of his meeting with the Missouri Tigers, who are pursuing him as head coach.

Reading the tea leaves, that likely means more money for Painter, who is in the bottom rung of the Big 10 pay scale. But former Purdue head coach Gene Keady cautions that it's not all about the money. Via Indianapolis Star:

"It's about having the opportunity to win a national title with the backing of everyone. He wants to know if an assistant coach needs a car, he can get it. If something needs to be done, they'll do it, so he doesn't have to worry about all the nickel and dime stuff. It isn't about money. I want him to stay and Morgan wants him to stay."

I'm not sure this is great news for Mizzou because their largest advantage is their ability to reportedly pay more money than Purdue can. 

That said, there are still indications that Painter to Mizzou will happen. The final word should be coming this week before the Final Four

For more on Mizzou, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Purdue: 'We Want Matt Painter To Remain A Boilermaker'

Purdue has made its pitch and it sound convincing. According to the Purdue Rivals site, assistant AD Tom Schott said school officials made their pitch to keep head coach Matt Painter, who is meeting with the Missouri Tigers on Tuesday.

"Last night, the Board of Trustees, President (France) Cord?and Morgan Burke clearly demonstrated Purdue University's commitment to him and our men's basketball program. We were proactive and though we will not go into details at this time, we have encouraged Matt to stay through our words and action."

So through their action, what can they do to try to keep him? An easy guess is more money and/or years on his contract. That's what way to demonstrate commitment but who knows what they're specifically talking about. 

According to reports, Painter wanted to meet with Mizzou to determine their commitment to the basketball program. If Mizzou can show they're fully committed, and offer a contract that shows that, Painter will have a difficult decision on his hand. Those at Missouri feel Mizzou is a better job and those at Purdue feel the Boilermakers offer the bette opportunity.

The meeting between Painter and Mizzou will reportedly occur on Tuesday. It's believed Mizzou wants to wrap up their head coach search before the Final Four this weekend.

For more on Mizzou's coaching search, check out Rock M Nation.

• about 2 years ago
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Matt Painter, Missouri Meeting On Tuesday

There were (false) reports on Monday that Purdue's Matt Painter and the Missouri Tigers had agreed to a deal bringing Painter to Mizzou as the Tigers new head coach. After that proved to be false (for now), it's time to focus on the news again.

Painter and Mizzou will meet on Tuesday, according to reports. We'll see how badly Mizzou AD Mike Alden wants Painter but I think he has the arsenal to make the sell. 

Mizzou can offer more money. Painter was getting an average base salary of $1.3 million (with more in incentives) and Mizzou was prepared to offer Mike Anderson $2 million per year on a seven year deal.

Mizzou can offer a better situation right now. Mizzou is losing one senior and will have a lot of experience coming back. The incoming recruits and freshman aren't looking great at the moment but in the short term Mizzou may have more to offer.

We'll see what happens of this meeting. Generally, a school wouldn't want news of a meeting like this to become public unless they felt they had a reasonable shot of getting him. So my guess is that the next news we come across will be an offer.

Check out Rock M Nation for more on the news.

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As Expected, Conflicting Reports On Matt Painter To Mizzou As New Basketball Coach

We passed along a report shortly ago indicating that Purdue's Matt Painter had agreed to become the Missouri Tigers' new head coach. The report even included some news saying it was a seven-year deal worth $14 million. We noted at the time that nothing is official until you see him up at that introductory press conference.

And, as expected, a report has surfaced indicating that Matt Painter to Mizzou is not a done deal. Here's what Jeff Rabjohns of the Indy Star has to say:

Purdue coach Matt Painter has not accepted the Missouri job, sources confirm. Missouri continues to pursue.    

After the Mike Anderson story last week, we figured there would be conflicting reports on Painter's status. What is it about Mizzou basketball and ridiculous stories?

Rabjohns passes along a few quotes from former Purdue coach Gene Keady about Painter indicating that, as of an hour ago, he wasn't leaning one way or the other. Mizzou officials were meeting with Painter today, according to various reports.

For more on Mizzou, check out Rock M Nation.

Update: And Sports By Brooks adds to the "not done" part: "Mizzou has not yet met with Painter and there absolutely, positively has been no job offer made. There will be a face-to-face between Painter and Mizzou Tuesday. If the interview goes well, Painter will be offered the job and have 24 hours to decide."

• about 2 years ago
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Reporter Backs Off Matt Painter To Mizzou Story

Update: And now Dick Weiss is backing off his story, via Twitter: "woo0h. don't want to get too far ahead of matt painter thing those were just nos we're hearing from friend agent to meet with ad tomorrow" He also tweets that he has to trust two other reporters who deny his own story. This is weird. The previous title to this story was "Matt Painter To Mizzou On Seven Year Deal, According To Report".

On Monday evening a reporter from the Fort Wayne News Sentinel reported that he was "hearing" Matt Painter left Purdue accepted the head coaching job with the Missouri Tigers. There was no follow-up from him or a post on the paper's website.

So many didn't believe him. Maybe he was just swinging for the fences on that one but Dick Weiss of the NY Daily News also reports Painter is headed to Missouri and includes some numbers in the deal lending it some more credibility:

matt painter to missouri 7 yrs 14 mill' tigers got a great coach will purdue make a pitch for brad stevens    

After the Mike Anderson story the last couple weeks, remember that nothing is official until you see him up there at the podium during his introductory press conference.

(And what's the irony in a reporter from another state reporting this after the Oklahoma reports last week?)

Mizzou was reportedly ready to give former coach Mike Anderson an extension that would put his contract at seven years and $2 million annually. This would appear to be a similar contract.

If the report is accurate, then we should expect some sort of announcement from Mizzou. Reports indicated that Mizzou officials were meeting with Painter sometime on Monday so the timeline on this report makes sense. Other reports said Mizzou was bringing the necessary paperwork to the meeting to get a deal done.

For more on Mizzou and what the fans are saying, check out Rock M Nation.

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Matt Painter, Missouri Meeting In Next 24 Hours, According To Report

Gabe DeArmond of PowerMizzou.com is reporting that Purdue head coach Matt Painter will meet with Missouri officials in the next 24 hours. Painter is being pursued by Mizzou to potentially become the next head coach of the Tigers. It's unclear which way Painter is leaning at the moment.

Mizzou is believed to be able to boost his salary to $2 million (or more) per year though that number is what they had been offering to Anderson, not necessarily to Painter.

There are likely other candidates but judging by all the media reports in the last several days, Painter is the top candidate. Presumably, Mizzou would only offer a contract if they felt they could actually get Painter. So if you hear of Mizzou making a contract offer, then the wheels will really be moving then.

The KC Star reported on Monday that Mizzou wants some sort of resolution to all of this before the Final Four this weekend. That would indicate a decision is coming possibly as soon as Wednesday or Thursday.

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Matt Painter Becoming The Favorite For Missouri Tigers Head Coaching Job

The Missouri Tigers coaching search continues after Mike Anderson left last week to take the open head coaching job with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Candidates for the Mizzou job have been thrown out left and right but less than one week in and the focus is on one man -- Purdue's Matt Painter.

Kansas City and St. Louis media have honed in on him as the No. 1 target right now and the St. Louis Post-Dispatchhas sources who put the odds on him coming to Mizzou as "better than a 50 percent chance" right now. 

I'd caution, though, that the Anderson saga should have taught us something -- what's true today may not be true tomorrow. Or what's true right now may not be true in an hour.

In other words, this is a fluid situation.

But Mizzou is reportedly meeting with Painter where he hopes to gauge their commitment to the basketball program. Mizzou was reportedly willing to bump Anderson's salary to $2 million per year so, if they did the same for Painter, their commitment to the program would be obvious.

We'll see how this thing shakes out but as of now it appears Painter is the odds-on favorite to land the job.

For more on the Mizzou coaching search. check out Rock M Nation.

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Report: Mizzou To Meet With Purdue's Matt Painter, Resolution By Wednesday

The Missouri Tigers coaching search continues and, as some predicted, it appears Purdue's Matt Painter is the No. 1 target. The KC Star's Mike DeArmond suggested that would be the case last week shortly after Mike Anderson left for the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Purdue Rivals.com site also reported Painter appeared to be the top target.

Vahe Gregorian of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Mizzou is expected to meet directly with Painter soon. Per the report, an answer is expected on Wednesday.

Painter has financial reasons to be interested in Missouri. The Tigers were reportedly willing to bump Anderson's salary to $2 million per year so if they'll do the same for Painter that would be a sizable increase over his current salary which pays him about $1.3 million per year (and a couple hundred thousand more in incentives).

For now, we wait once again. We've only got smoke on the Painter-to-Missouri story so we'll see if any fire comes up in the next few days.

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Purdue Coach Matt Painter Reportedly Contacted By Mizzou

Purdue head coach Matt Painter is on the Missouri Tigers radar. Last week Mike DeArmond of the KC Star reported that Painter is high on Mizzou's coaching short list and now DeArmond passes along a Rivals.com report that Mizzou has contacted Painter. It was also reported on GoldandBlack.com that Painter knows he is Mizzou's No. 1 target.

"There is enough smoke here to suggest there is fire and that the possibility that Purdue will be looking for a new basketball coach is a real one."

Interesting stuff. Painter's been tabbed the No. 1 guy since DeArmond's report last weekend. It appears they're making a strong run at him. Painter is making about $1.3 million right now and it's bumped up to about $1.5 million with incentives.

We're not sure what Mizzou would offer but they did have a $2 million per year contract set up for Mike Anderson so we know they could go at least that high. Whether they do or not is another story.

As SB Nation's Rock M Nation likes to point out, AD Mike Alden hasn't made a bad hire since Quin Sndyer in the late '90s so here's to hoping he lands his man.

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Cuonzo Martin To Tennessee; Mizzou Coaching Search Continues

The Missouri Tigers reportedly contacted Missouri State's Cuonzo Martin last week after Mike Anderson bolted for the Arkansas Razorbacks. The KC Star reported Mizzou AD Mike Alden contacted Martin, who was expected to at least be a candidate in Columbia.

Instead, Martin is headed to Tennessee. The Volunteers, who lost Bruce Pearl after the season, announced the hiring of Martin. My only question would be wondering about the timing of this hiring. Mizzou sounds like they'll be waiting until the Final Four, which is like a coaching convention, to make any moves. 

Via Rocky Top Talk:

With Brad Stevens and Shaka Smart in the Final Four, many UT fans will wonder why this move was made so soon and lament the program's inability to lure one of those two, or another higher-profile coach.  But given the circumstances in Knoxville with the NCAA investigation, it's also very possible that Martin is as good as we could do right now - and it's equally possible that Martin can win here.     

I think I'm glad Mizzou is waiting. There's no reason not to wait until at least next weekend when you get all these coaches, and potential coaches, in one city. 

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Report: Mizzou Contacts MO State's Cuonzo Martin; Purdue's Matt Painter A Target

The search for the Missouri Tigers next head coach goes on. 

On Thursday, Missouri State head coach Cuonzo Martin said he had not had contact with Missouri regarding their head coaching job and would not be answering any questions about it. 

On Friday, the Kansas City Star reports Mizzou AD Mike Alden has now reached out to Martin. Mike DeArmond reports Martin was contacted after he issued that statement. He is not as high on the wishlist as Purdue head coach Matt Painter, according to the report.

Painter is an interesting choice but he's also a Purdue alum coaching at Purdue so it may be hard to pull him away. Reports put Martin's current salary around $1.3 million. Mizzou was reportedly prepared to offer Mike Andeson a package that would pay him $2 million per year before Anderson departed for Arkansas. It's unclear how much the Tigers are willing to spend on the new coach.

Check out the Star report for more details.

SB Nation's Rock M Nation is going through the coaching search looking at potential candidates. Here's their write-up on Matt Painter and then the one on Cuonzo Martin. 

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Missouri Coaching Search: Candidates Mizzou Should Think About

SB Nation's Mizzou blog, Rock M Nation, has an awesome series going on right now looking at potential coaching candidates for the Tigers after Mike Anderson bolted for the Arkansas Razorbacks. I've gone through and linked to each story on each coach and it's worth clicking through and taking a look at the quick profile. 

These aren't actual candidates that have been interviewed or anything. These are names that make some sense.

Matt Painter, Purdue: Not sure if he'd actually come to Mizzou. 88 percent of readers think he'd just use Mizzou as leverage against Purdue. He's a Purdue guy so it's hard to see him leaving.

Scott Sutton, Oral Roberts: A very interesting candidate but one Sports By Brooks reports is not under consideration for the Mizzou job. Apparently he's not interviewing. We'll see. The positives though are that he can recruit the area.

Brian Gregory, Dayton: There's something just "meh" about him. He does well in a lot of areas but doesn't seem to be a master in any. He does fit the track record though coaching at Dayton and coming up from under Tom Izzo.

Gregg Marshall, Wichita State: The positives are that he's from the area and seems like a loyal guy. 65 percent of RMN readers though say no thanks.

Cuonzo Martin, Missouri State: He has strong ties to St. Louis and is already in the Mizzou area at SMS, err, Missouri State. He's improved his team each year he's been there. Says he hasn't been contacted by anyone from Mizzou (yet?).

Buzz Williams, Marquette: 66 percent of RMN readers want him and I agree. Other schools will want him, too. He'd be near the top of my list.

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Missouri Tigers Basketball Coaching Search: Who Will Follow Mike Anderson?

Mike Anderson is no longer in the building. The Missouri Tigers coach is now the former Missouri Tigers coach after he decided to bolt for the Arkansas Razorbacks on Wednesday night. Anderson's departure creates a rather large void -- Mizzou needs a coach.

The Tigers program is on the rise over the last five years and, while it may not be a destination job, it's still attractive. If I were a coaching candidate, I'd notice Columbia, Mo. has ties to both Kansas City and St. Louis, two cities from which to recruit. I'd notice MIzzou's strong facilities and campus experience. I'd also notice the ability to win immediately as the Tigers lose just one senior (as of now), which is very important for a new coach.

On the downside, I'd notice there's not much after the incoming seniors leave so a new foundation would have to be built. I'd also notice that Mizzou isn't a destination school. 

So which candidates are out there that could handle the good and bad of Mizzou?

If history is any indication, AD Mike Alden may lean to someone from a mid-major that has assistant experience in a major conference. As SB Nation's Rock M Nation points out, Alden hasn't made a bad hire since Quin Snyder in 1999 (and even then, he was a good hire for a while).

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggests Georgia's Mark Fox, Purdue's Matt Painter, Northern Iowa's Ben Jacobson and Missouri State's Cuonzo Martin. Others may include VCU's Shaka Smart, Marquette's Buzz Williams and Wichita State's Gregg Marshall, just to name a few.

The truth is we don't know if any of these guys are on Alden's wish list. We should be finding out soon, though.