Source: Huggins accepts Kansas State job

[CincyRedsFan30]

Posted on Wed, Mar. 22, 2006
Source: Huggins accepts KSU job

BY JEFFREY MARTIN

The Wichita Eagle

Former Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins has accepted an offer to become Kansas State coach, The Eagle learned tonight from a source who spoke to Huggins and confirmed the hiring.
"He accepted tonight," said the source, who did not want to be identified. "It's a great situation for Kansas State."
The source said a news conference is expected Thursday.
There was no word from K-State athletic director Tim Weiser. At tonight's WNIT game at Bramlage Coliseum, he maintained his silence regarding specific candidates to replace Jim Wooldridge.
"I wish I could tell you more, but I think you know how we do this," Weiser said. "It's not probably the easiest for you, but for us it's the right way to do it.
"I think we've focused in on a smaller number (of coaches) than probably what we started out with. I can't say we're any further or closer than where we might have been a week ago. We're still collecting information."
Huggins could not be reached by The Eagle today. Huggins' agent, Richard Katz, did not return phone messages.

[Porter]

yay K-State will now really be the laughing stock of the big 12.

[MarinersFan87]

And then they'll get Bill Walker and OJ Mayo and beat up on all the other teams.

[CincyRedsFan30]

Don't say that to some UC fans. They think he's a God. Maybe THE God. This isn't ancient Greece, if ya know what I mean.

I don't care, as long as UC makes the right hiring, which I expect to happen soon.

[CincyRedsFan30]

And then they'll get Bill Walker and OJ Mayo and beat up on all the other teams.

From what Mayo had indicated, he doesn't want to go to a "raw" school as he put it. I'm not sure if he'd accept going there as opposed to a bigger program.

There are certain sources who think UC needs to hire Murray State coach, Cincy native and former UC and Louisville assistant Mick Cronin, because they think he might be able to lure Mayo and Walker to UC with him, especially since they both go to school in Cincy and close to the part of town I'm from.

Cronin has done well under tough conditions at Murray State over the last few years and I think he would be a great hire. I expect either him or Andy Kenendy to get the job based on some sources. If I had to take a guess I'd say Cronin probably gets it.

[redsfan28]

Yeah, but Cronin is not far enough removed from Huggins. That's why neither he nor Kennedy will get the job. Karl Hobbs is an interesting candidate. He has Big East experience (was an assistant with UConn), and has done a real good job at GW.

Don't be surprised if Mayo and his buddies go to either Kentucky or Louisville.

[CincyRedsFan30]

That's not what I'm hearing. I don't see Hobbs getting the job based on his recent recruiting patterns to questionable schools.

Many are underestimating Mike Thomas' ability to find the right coach, IMO.

[Geki Ace]

The right hiring is obviously Kennedy, and the only reason he wouldn't be hired is because Nancy hates anything related to Bob, which she'd prove again. I expect UC to stall until Andy ends up taking another job so they can get themselves off the hook for not hiring him.

As for K-State, they'll be a Big 12 contender within three years. Huggs is bringing two top JuCo players immediately, there are rumors of Tyree Evans going there, Mayo and Walker will probably end up there, and he's got a Texas pipeline that will probably be expanded even more by moving to the Big 12. Great hiring by Kansas State.

[Geki Ace]

Many are underestimating Mike Thomas' ability to find the right coach, IMO.

Thomas is a puppet for Zimpher, and he's not even the one finding the coach. An outside firm has been brought in to do the search, which is incredibly illogical. Thomas is nothing more than a PR-man.

[ATLien]

Don't be surprised if Mayo and his buddies go to either Kentucky or Louisville.

, Not a chance.

[CincyRedsFan30]

The right hiring is obviously Kennedy, and the only reason he wouldn't be hired is because Nancy hates anything related to Bob, which she'd prove again. I expect UC to stall until Andy ends up taking another job so they can get themselves off the hook for not hiring him.

Again, I think you and many other UC fans are overstating how much they look at those who were connected to Huggins. They don't like him to say the least, but I don't think they dislike others because they were/are connected to him.

Also, I knew Kennedy would be a good coach prior to the season beginning. I think I indicated that well many times when he took over. I wish him luck in his future endeavors and I think he will improve his new team (probably Mississippi) greatly.

[redsfan28]

ATL,

Mayo and Walker want to go to an established team with a lot of history and a huge fan base. They have already stated that they are considering UK, so what part of that means that they wouldn't go there?

[ATLien]

If I was an NBA baller, Kentucky might be the last program on Earth I would look at. That's all I am sayin. I would be more than shocked if they ended up there.

[redsfan28]

Then why would he go to any college team? Nobody knows how long both he and Walker will stay in college.

[love_that_reefer]

If I was an NBA baller, Kentucky might be the last program on Earth I would look at. That's all I am sayin. I would be more than shocked if they ended up there.

Could you try and explain this one? I hate UK as much as the next guy but I fail to see why NBA teams would not like to look at the most successful college team in history.

Mayo has already said he wants to go where Huggins goes and K. ST. is not a bad place to go. Lousiville would be a great place to go for him as he would have one of the best coaches ever, far better than Huggins. But you have to go by what he actually said and nothing else.