Doogie: The Scoops: Tubby Smith has big buyout, but staff changes likely afoot

BleedGopher

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per Doogie:

Upon a second consecutive 6-12 Big Ten finish, Gophers basketball coach Tubby Smith got a contract extension in July even though he had two years remaining on his deal.

It should be noted that the new regime, including athletic director Norwood Teague and senior associate athletic director Mike Ellis, had little to do with the contractual terms -- with one exception.

The original plan was for Smith's buyout the next two years to exceed the $2.5 million that ended up in the final language.

That's still a hefty number for a change, and when the idea of parting ways with Smith was run past a high-level Gophers official, he said, "It's way too early to speculate on stuff like that."

There's no doubt that's true, but there is a caveat. There already is a sense internally Smith will be asked to make a staff change, or two.

Assistants Ron Jirsa, Vince Taylor and Saul Smith, Tubby's son, have been on staff since Smith took the Gophers over in 2007.

An offensive guru/recruiting wizard seems to be a necessity. As another Gophers official put it late Wednesday night after Smith's team struggled mightily in the loss at Northwestern: "It's like we've never seen a 1-3-1 (zone) before."

As for Smith calling out players publicly during this three-game losing streak, it's worth remembering former AD Joel Maturi had to pull Smith aside in 2011 and tell him it was in the best interest of the program if he backed away some.

http://www.1500espn.com/sportswire/...g_buyout_but_staff_changes_likely_afoot012413

Go Gophers!!
 


As for Smith calling out players publicly during this three-game losing streak, it's worth remembering former AD Joel Maturi had to pull Smith aside in 2011 and tell him it was in the best interest of the program if he backed away some.

Go Gophers!!

I don't remember this?
 

Haven't heard him complain about no practice facility for over a month now.
 

Well we are going to have to replace Vince Taylor right? He has sounded like he's next in line for a head gig somewhere.

Bringing in a coach that recruits well and whose emphasis is offense would be nice.
 


What usually happens after a coach is asked to make staff changes?
 


per Doogie:

That's still a hefty number for a change, and when the idea of parting ways with Smith was run past a high-level Gophers official, he said, "It's way too early to speculate on stuff like that."

He seriously asked about getting rid of Tubby? Seriously? :rolleyes:
 

Well we are going to have to replace Vince Taylor right? He has sounded like he's next in line for a head gig somewhere.

Bringing in a coach that recruits well and whose emphasis is offense would be nice.

We've been hearing this for years. He keeps interviewing and not getting a job. Maybe he will, but I am having my doubts.
 






What does it cost Tubby if he opts out?

$0.

With regard to a scenario under which the U would terminate Tubby at the end of this season, remember that if Teague had not decided to amend Tubby's contract amendment, that would have effectively meant (though not through a "buyout" in wording - but certainly by nature) the Gophers would have to pay him only a few/several hundred thousand less than the $2.5 million they'd owe under the amended deal.

Put another way, the fact that Teague gave Smith a sweetheart deal this summer does not result in an incremental $2.5 million under a post 2012-13 season termination scenario.
 





Nobody respects the braintrust of the Gophers program. You go to other rivals sites in the Big Ten and its filled with threads talking about the Gophers athleticism and how dumb Tubby and the players are. Taylor will be lucky to keep his job. I've heard rumblings about Jirsa being let go.
 

Nobody respects the braintrust of the Gophers program. You go to other rivals sites in the Big Ten and its filled with threads talking about the Gophers athleticism and how dumb Tubby and the players are. Taylor will be lucky to keep his job. I've heard rumblings about Jirsa being let go.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Rick Pitino has said he doesn't hire assistant coaches; he hires future head coaches. Tubby's staff is career assistants and one past failed head coach. This begins to shape up like the Ron Gardenhire situation, where Gardy was too much in a comfort zone with a stagnant, questionable staff.
 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Rick Pitino has said he doesn't hire assistant coaches; he hires future head coaches. Tubby's staff is career assistants and one past failed head coach. This begins to shape up like the Ron Gardenhire situation, where Gardy was too much in a comfort zone with a stagnant, questionable staff.

There is one HUGE difference. Gardy does not have control of assembling personnel...Tubby has sole control and responsibility of assembling the entire roster.
 

Isn't that quite unusual?

For a coach that was just joining a program it would be... and for an agreement of such length, it would have been prudent for Minnesota to have gotten something from Tubby. Not only for their 'protection', but it's reasonable and Tubby having a little bit of a monetary commitment to the school would have been more in line with the "an extension is needed for recruiting" spin that was heard (although that is largely nonsense).

Most often the amounts coaches owe to teams if they leave early will decline over the life of the contract and often reach zero midway through or thereabouts.

Most often the amounts teams owe coaches for terminating the contract early decline over the life of the contract as well, but not as quickly.

In the case of the deal that Mr. Teague gave Mr. Smith, Tubby "got the best of" the U.
 

Nobody respects the braintrust of the Gophers program. You go to other rivals sites in the Big Ten and its filled with threads talking about the Gophers athleticism and how dumb Tubby and the players are. Taylor will be lucky to keep his job. I've heard rumblings about Jirsa being let go.

I do.
 


We've lost one bad game. We're 15-4, ranked, top-5 in RPI, coming off a brutal front end of the schedule. Step away from the ledge people.
 





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