February Coaching Carousel Breakdown

At the beginning of every month, we’ll give you the most comprehensive coaching carousel coverage in college basketball. Here’s where everything stands on February 1 – the fourth edition of the coaching carousel breakdown.

Jobs marked with *** are already open.

High-Major Hot Seat

Brad Brownell (Clemson)

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day so it’s only fitting Brad Brownell finds himself on the list in February. I still think Clemson is a tournament team, which makes his appearance a moot point. But for the sake of tradition and their most recent skid, good to see you again, Brad.

Tony Stubblefield (DePaul)***

DePaul is open. I went over the candidates here.

Kenny Payne (Louisville)

Louisville is 6-15 (1-9 ACC). The biggest job of the cycle this spring.

Juwan Howard (Michigan)

Michigan continues to slide, but I get the sense Warde Manuel doesn’t want to move on Juwan Howard yet. At what point does that change? There’s a lot of ball left and Howard could still find a way out on his own.

Ben Johnson (Minnesota)

Johnson is very close to being marked safe from this list next month.

Chris Holtmann (Ohio State)

The Buckeyes did that January thing again and Holtmann is squarely back in the hot seat conversation. I think he’s a good coach and his buyout is enormous (15M), but that might not stop new AD Ross Bjork from making his first big move on the job. Look for Holtmann to seek out a parachute this spring if he’s not fired.

Mike Boynton (Oklahoma State)

Oklahoma State has the lowest NIL budget in the conference and multiple sources say that’s their focus for next year instead of paying Boynton’s buyout.

Wayne Tinkle (Oregon State)

Given his buyout situation and the instability of the conference, this one could go either way. I could see Oregon State punting this to next year if the Beavers finish over .500.

Jerod Haase (Stanford)

Stanford is no where near the tournament bubble after having high expectations at the beginning of the year.

Johnny Dawkins (UCF)

Tournament or bust for Dawkins.

Andy Enfield (USC)

USC has lost five straight. I said last month this feels a year too early and it still does, but it’s a different era in college sports. We can’t rule out a change just yet.

Jerry Stackhouse (Vanderbilt)

The wheels have fallen off in Nashville. Does Stackhouse have enough juice with the boosters to get another year? We’ll know more in the coming weeks.

Mike Hopkins (Washington)

It’s another tournament or bust situation in Seattle and the tournament is looking less likely every week.

Josh Eilert (West Virginia)***

The biggest what-if season in college basketball history, perhaps? The national search is ongoing.

Mid-Major Hot Seat

John Smith (Cal Poly)

Cal Poly is on their way to a fifth consecutive single-digit win season under John Smith.

Kevin McGeehan (Campbell)

McGeehan is in the last year of his contract and a new league may signal a time for a change.

Reggie Witherspoon (Canisius)

The Griffs are 2-8 in their last 10. Witherspoon barely survived last spring and is trending toward another losing season in Buffalo.

Saah Nimley (Charleston Southern)***

With a general lack of interest in the job, Nimley has a chance to earn it outright with a strong finish to the season.

Aaron Fearne (Charlotte)***

Fearne has the 49ers at the top of the AAC. He’s close to getting the interim tag removed.

Dave McLaughlin (Dartmouth)

Dartmouth is staring down the barrel of another single-digit win season.

Mike Davis (Detroit Mercy)

Detroit Mercy is 0-22. This is likely it for Mike Davis.

Billy Taylor (Elon)

Received some intel suggesting a move could be made after only two seasons – which isn’t as uncommon as it used to be.

Chris Casey (Fairfield)***

Fairfield has won 11 of their last 13. Another interim with a strong chance to keep the job.

Robert McCullum (Florida A&M)

The Rattlers are on pace for their fourth single-digit win season in seven years.

Jeremy Ballard (Florida International)

FIU needs to turn things around in league play for Ballard to earn another season.

Justin Hutson (Fresno State)

Fresno State is 2-6 in Mountain West play and it won’t get any easier in that league.

Edward Joyner, Jr. (Hampton)

The Pirates are 4-17 with only one win over a D1 opponent. Joyner’s 15-year tenure at Hampton is close to its end.

Matt Crenshaw (IUPUI)

Crenshaw hasn’t been able to get things going at IUPUI. They’re looking at their third straight single-digit win season.

Darrell Walker (Little Rock)

Walker will need a strong February to get another season.

Keith Richard (Louisiana Monroe)

We could see an early “retirement” from Richard after this year.

Tavaras Hardy (Loyola MD)

The wheels have fallen off at Loyola. Hardy will be a popular assistant candidate if he’s let go.

Greg Gary (Mercer)

Mercer lost on opening night to non-D1 Clark Atlanta and it hasn’t gotten much better for Greg Gary. They’re 2-7 to start league play.

Dana Ford (Missouri State)

This one can go either way at the end of the year. The expectations are high at Missouri State and Ford hasn’t met them.

Shane Burcar (Northern Arizona)

Burcar has one year left on his contract after this season, but needs a strong finish to get it.

Lorenzo Romar (Pepperdine)

The second iteration of the Romar era hasn’t gone quite like the first. This is likely the end for Romar.

Scott Pera (Rice)

Pera got a big win over Memphis last night, but they need to win a lot more to get another season in Houston.

Andrew Toole (Robert Morris)

We could see Toole look for a parachute somewhere else if he’s not let go.

Travis Ford (Saint Louis)

Travis Ford’s son had to make a burner to defend him online. That’s when you know you’re close to the end.

Geno Ford (Stony Brook)

This Ford reportedly signed an extension and still has two years left on his contract. A few more big wins next month and he’ll be safe again.

Steve Henson (UTSA)

Henson has gone 10-22 in consecutive seasons and looks destined to finish near that mark again.

Dane Fischer (William & Mary)

The buyout saved him last year, will it save him again?

Coaches on Retirement Watch

Cliff Ellis (Coastal Carolina)***

Keith Dambrot (Duquesne)

Leonard Hamilton (Florida State)

Fran Dunphy (La Salle)

Ed DeChellis (Navy)

Greg Kampe (Oakland)

Jeff Jones (Old Dominion)

Billy Gillespie (Tarleton State)

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