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Jeff Borzello
multiple authors
The 2026 men’s college basketball coaching carousel has kicked into high gear, with changes to more than 20 jobs already announced — including four power-conference positions.
Despite schools rapidly moving forward at the end of their respective seasons, a large group of programs at the low and mid-major levels have opted to stay the course with their embattled coaches.
Will that trend continue at the ruling conference level?
That’s been a question among industry sources for weeks, hovering around a 50-50 chance of more jobs than usual turning into vacancies. As we’ll explain soon, the rest of this week could determine how long the power-conference carousel spins this spring.
Whether weeks or months, this will be your one-stop shop for the entire carousel – the latest news and buzz from around the country, primers on big job openings and analysis on all the dominoes to come.
latest on inauguration
Many names have been associated with this inauguration since Boston College fired Earl Grant last Friday. Merrimack’s Joe Gallo, Colgate’s Matt Langel, UConn assistant Luke Murray, Yale’s James Jones, Furman’s Bob Ritchie and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga are rumored to be under consideration. There’s also a dark-horse name in the mix: Tulsa’s Eric Konkol, who worked with BC athletic director Blake James in Miami.
with damon stoudamire OutsideBelmont’s Casey Alexander and Troy’s Scott Cross have the highest projected speed for openings at Tech. Alexander guided the Bruins to the Missouri Valley regular season title before losing in the conference tournament, while Cross sent the Trojans to back-to-back NCAA tournaments. Tech Deputy AD Brent Jones also overlapped with Cross in Troy. Other names mentioned include Furman’s Bob Ritchie, Tennessee assistant Justin Gainey and Appalachian State’s Dustin Kerns. Long Island Nets coach Mfon Udofia, who played at Tech, has also been added.
with mid february firing Jerome Tang’s, Kansas State is the furthest in power-conference searches. Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun is considered the favorite for the position — the Ohio native may opt to play slow with his decision and wait to see if the Cincinnati or Pittsburgh roles open up and either program expresses interest. Belmont’s Casey Alexander and Creighton associate head coach Alan Huss are also included. Ben Jacobson of Northern Iowa is also believed to be on the list.
Kim English is not evicted officially announced Nevertheless, however, the administration has informed him that he will not be returning next season. A long list of names have surfaced in recent days linked to the job, although Santa Clara’s Herb Sendek is in the news as a legitimate candidate. Clippers assistants Jay Larranaga, Utah State’s Jerrod Calhoun, South Florida’s Brian Hodgson and Merrimack’s Joe Gallo have also been added.
What will happen next?
The remaining days of the week may remain busy.
with arizona state, cincinnati And pittsburgh After winning their respective conference tournament games on Tuesday, any potential decision on their future will have to wait for at least another day.
arizona state It appears certain to be the departure of Bobby Hurley, whose contract expires after the season and whose departure was the expected outcome for nearly a year. pittsburgh Not as sure as Arizona State, though signs point to the Panthers parting ways with Jeff Capel after eight seasons. However, he still has eight figures left on a fully guaranteed deal, which makes the decision more complicated for athletic director Alan Greene. Wes Miller and cincinnati He bounced back in the bubble during the season – potentially saving his job in the process – but if the Bearcats miss the NCAA Tournament, a change could be possible.
Syracuse Tuesday’s loss to SMU resulted in a first-round ACC Tournament exit, potentially ending the Red Autry era in New York. One mitigating factor in terms of the timeline of the decision is the ongoing search for an athletic director – Nick Carparelli is considered the favorite for the position; A decision is expected soon. It’s also worth noting that outgoing athletic director John Wildhack is likely to be involved in the early stages of the search.
In addition to the above programs, some other schools with hot seat questions play on Wednesday: memphis, Servant, LSU And oklahoma. One could argue that none of those four programs will make coaching changes this spring. Porter Moser’s chances at getting another season at Oklahoma are increasing, although he may be looking to make a move on his own before facing another year on the hot seat in 2026-27. It’s tough to get a read on Memphis and Butler, while Matt McMahon’s future at LSU isn’t entirely solid either.
more chatter
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Michigan assistant Justin Joyner is the favorite oregon state.
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top candidate St. Bonaventure This includes Daemen College coach Mike McDonald and Washington Wizards assistant coach David Vanterpool – both former Bonnies.
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little Rock It is seen as a desirable job, with the likes of Southeast Missouri’s Brad Korn, former St. Louis head coach Travis Ford and DePaul assistant Brian Mullins all linked to the position.
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uel monroe Phil Cunningham was let go after only one season after the Warhawks defeated only two Division I teams. UAB assistant Ryan Cross and Chipola College coach Donnie Tyndall are the most talked about here.
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New Mexico State’s Jason Hooten is among the names being floated for this tarleton state vacancy
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Among the names included for UNC Greensboro Spartans The position belongs to former Stanford head coach Jerrod Haase.
