Houston Chronicle
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2004 1:57 pm--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports
March 9, 2004, 9:32AM
McCallum out as UH basketball coach
Reassignment follows 4-year record of 44-73
By JERRY WIZIG
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
"I fought for the opportunity to continue. I had three more years and I felt I was brought in to lay a foundation and build with freshmen and sophomores and good character."
-- Ray McCallum
REPLACING McCALLUM
McCALLUM'S RECORD
Year School Rec. Conf.
93-94 Ball State 16-12 10-8
94-95 Ball State 19-11 11-7
95-96 Ball State 16-12 11-7
96-97 Ball State 16-13 9-9
97-98 Ball State 21-8 14-4
98-99 Ball State 16-11 10-8
99-00 Ball State 22-9 11-7
00-01 Houston 9-20 6-10
01-02 Houston 18-15 9-7
02-03 Houston 8-20 6-10
03-04 Houston 9-18 3-13
Totals 170-149 101-89
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO'S NEXT?
A look at some possible replacements for Ray McCallum at the University of Houston:
John Lucas, former NBA coach
·Why: Has strong local ties and would be able to recruit the area. Roots run deep in the community.
·Why not: Wasn't a huge success in the NBA, but neither was Rick Pitino.
Josh Pastner, Arizona assistant
·Why: A terrific recruiter for the Wildcats, his ties to the local basketball scene would be a gold mine for the Cougars.
·Why not: At 25, is he ready to run a major program?
Dave Rose, BYU assistant
·Why: A former Cougar, he might bring the same zeal and excitement to the program that Art Briles brought to football team.
·Why not: Briles had stronger ties to Texas from his days as a high school coach at Stephenville and an assistant at Tech. Rose has been at BYU for six years and before that was at Dixie College in Utah for seven years.
Larry Eustachy, former Iowa state coach
·Why: A former AP national coach of the year, he knows how to win and excels at finding star junior college players, something UH could use right away.
·Why not: It may be too soon after his troubled departure from Iowa State. Brings some serious baggage. Would UH be willing to take the PR hit?
Billy Gillispie, UTEP coach
·Why: In two seasons, he turned the Miners around, leading them to a 22-6 record after a 6-24 mark last year.
·Why not: Hard to imagine he'd leave UTEP after just two years, and he will likely command a higher salary than the Cougars can pay.
FIVE LONG SHOTS FROM AROUND TOWN
Joe Curl, UH women's coach
-- He got the Lady Cougars in the NCAA tournament this year and they are ranked No. 11 in the country. At least deserves an interview. Of course, it would help if the men's team had the equivalent of Chandi Jones.
Michael Young, UH assistant
-- Has no head coaching experience but well-respected locally and popular with the current players.
Ronnie Courtney, TSU coach
-- Like Art Briles, he was a sensation as a high school coach, and he got the Tigers to the NCAAs last year.
Ron Cottrell, Houston Baptist coach
-- They stay under the radar, but the Huskies have been very good for a long time, winning at least 25 games each of the past seven years.
Rudy Tomjanovich, former Rockets coach
-- OK, so it's a reach, but he's tanned, rested and ready. Why not one of Houston's most beloved sports figures?
For the third time in six years, there is a vacancy in the office of the men's head basketball coach at the University of Houston.
The school reassigned Ray McCallum on Monday after his fourth season as the Cougars' coach. His teams were 44-73 overall and 24-40 in Conference USA.
With three seasons remaining on his contract at about $350,000 per year, McCallum will be paid the remainder of his agreement if he stays that long in his new position as a fund-raiser in the UH development office. If he takes another coaching job, whatever portion is left in his UH agreement would be voided.
The Cougars finished the 2003-04 season 9-18, including 3-13 in C-USA, leaving them 13th in the 14-team conference and out of the league's postseason tournament, which begins Wednesday in Cincinnati.
UH was 8-20 in 2002-03.
Two years ago, in McCallum's second season at UH after seven at Ball State, the Cougars were 18-15 and made the NIT in their first postseason appearance since 1993.
McCallum, 43, was told of the decision Monday in a meeting with UH athletic director Dave Maggard, who earlier had extended McCallum's original five-year contract by two years.
"We appreciate what Ray has contributed to our program during the last four years," Maggard said, "but the results have not been strong enough. This is a market that demands stronger results, so we felt this change was necessary."
Maggard said he will be a one-man search committee with input from an advisory committee.
"I will not respond to any inquiries about potential candidates nor anyone I visit with concerning any candidate," Maggard said.
After a midafternoon team meeting, McCallum said: "I fought for the opportunity to continue. I had three more years, and I felt I was brought in to lay a foundation and build with freshmen and sophomores and good character. We were right in the middle of that process in getting kids to understand their responsibilities on and off the court. I'd had seven straight winning seasons (at Ball State), and I felt we had made a lot of progress in getting this program on solid ground."
Some of McCallum's detractors pointed to his lack of success in recruiting local talent like T.J. Ford, Emeka Okafor or Lawrence Roberts and current high school seniors Daniel Gibson and Jawaan McClellan. McCallum's predecessor, Clyde Drexler, had signed Alton Ford, who left for the NBA after his freshman season, and George Williams, who entered the NBA draft after his junior year.
After UH finished 9-20 in McCallum's first season, the Cougars' 18-13 uptick in 2001-02 did not lead to the consistent success Maggard feels is needed.
"People were canceling season tickets. Attendance was terrible. I saw too many people losing interest," Maggard said of this season, when the Cougars' average attendance for 17 home games was 2,884.
This will be UH's fifth coaching change since Guy Lewis retired after the 1985-86 season.
"No. 1, we're talking about results, lack of results, especially this season and last year," Maggard said. "After four years, my expectations were we'd be further along. We can't afford to be at the bottom of this conference in this market."
Maggard said McCallum's successor could be a current head coach or an assistant coach.
"I'm not saying we have a person in mind," the AD said. "He has to have an unbelievable passion to come in and recruit his tail off and with tremendous intensity in coaching.
"There is no specific timetable, but as soon as possible."
As for a potential list of candidates, Maggard said: "There are a number of people that I have thought of. Until we really evaluate the interest, I wouldn't characterize it as a short or long list."
Maggard will meet with McCallum's assistants and leave their retention up to the incoming coach.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beltone Hearing Care Centers Jac
HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports
This article is: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/2439493
HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports
March 9, 2004, 9:32AM
McCallum out as UH basketball coach
Reassignment follows 4-year record of 44-73
By JERRY WIZIG
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
"I fought for the opportunity to continue. I had three more years and I felt I was brought in to lay a foundation and build with freshmen and sophomores and good character."
-- Ray McCallum
REPLACING McCALLUM
McCALLUM'S RECORD
Year School Rec. Conf.
93-94 Ball State 16-12 10-8
94-95 Ball State 19-11 11-7
95-96 Ball State 16-12 11-7
96-97 Ball State 16-13 9-9
97-98 Ball State 21-8 14-4
98-99 Ball State 16-11 10-8
99-00 Ball State 22-9 11-7
00-01 Houston 9-20 6-10
01-02 Houston 18-15 9-7
02-03 Houston 8-20 6-10
03-04 Houston 9-18 3-13
Totals 170-149 101-89
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHO'S NEXT?
A look at some possible replacements for Ray McCallum at the University of Houston:
John Lucas, former NBA coach
·Why: Has strong local ties and would be able to recruit the area. Roots run deep in the community.
·Why not: Wasn't a huge success in the NBA, but neither was Rick Pitino.
Josh Pastner, Arizona assistant
·Why: A terrific recruiter for the Wildcats, his ties to the local basketball scene would be a gold mine for the Cougars.
·Why not: At 25, is he ready to run a major program?
Dave Rose, BYU assistant
·Why: A former Cougar, he might bring the same zeal and excitement to the program that Art Briles brought to football team.
·Why not: Briles had stronger ties to Texas from his days as a high school coach at Stephenville and an assistant at Tech. Rose has been at BYU for six years and before that was at Dixie College in Utah for seven years.
Larry Eustachy, former Iowa state coach
·Why: A former AP national coach of the year, he knows how to win and excels at finding star junior college players, something UH could use right away.
·Why not: It may be too soon after his troubled departure from Iowa State. Brings some serious baggage. Would UH be willing to take the PR hit?
Billy Gillispie, UTEP coach
·Why: In two seasons, he turned the Miners around, leading them to a 22-6 record after a 6-24 mark last year.
·Why not: Hard to imagine he'd leave UTEP after just two years, and he will likely command a higher salary than the Cougars can pay.
FIVE LONG SHOTS FROM AROUND TOWN
Joe Curl, UH women's coach
-- He got the Lady Cougars in the NCAA tournament this year and they are ranked No. 11 in the country. At least deserves an interview. Of course, it would help if the men's team had the equivalent of Chandi Jones.
Michael Young, UH assistant
-- Has no head coaching experience but well-respected locally and popular with the current players.
Ronnie Courtney, TSU coach
-- Like Art Briles, he was a sensation as a high school coach, and he got the Tigers to the NCAAs last year.
Ron Cottrell, Houston Baptist coach
-- They stay under the radar, but the Huskies have been very good for a long time, winning at least 25 games each of the past seven years.
Rudy Tomjanovich, former Rockets coach
-- OK, so it's a reach, but he's tanned, rested and ready. Why not one of Houston's most beloved sports figures?
For the third time in six years, there is a vacancy in the office of the men's head basketball coach at the University of Houston.
The school reassigned Ray McCallum on Monday after his fourth season as the Cougars' coach. His teams were 44-73 overall and 24-40 in Conference USA.
With three seasons remaining on his contract at about $350,000 per year, McCallum will be paid the remainder of his agreement if he stays that long in his new position as a fund-raiser in the UH development office. If he takes another coaching job, whatever portion is left in his UH agreement would be voided.
The Cougars finished the 2003-04 season 9-18, including 3-13 in C-USA, leaving them 13th in the 14-team conference and out of the league's postseason tournament, which begins Wednesday in Cincinnati.
UH was 8-20 in 2002-03.
Two years ago, in McCallum's second season at UH after seven at Ball State, the Cougars were 18-15 and made the NIT in their first postseason appearance since 1993.
McCallum, 43, was told of the decision Monday in a meeting with UH athletic director Dave Maggard, who earlier had extended McCallum's original five-year contract by two years.
"We appreciate what Ray has contributed to our program during the last four years," Maggard said, "but the results have not been strong enough. This is a market that demands stronger results, so we felt this change was necessary."
Maggard said he will be a one-man search committee with input from an advisory committee.
"I will not respond to any inquiries about potential candidates nor anyone I visit with concerning any candidate," Maggard said.
After a midafternoon team meeting, McCallum said: "I fought for the opportunity to continue. I had three more years, and I felt I was brought in to lay a foundation and build with freshmen and sophomores and good character. We were right in the middle of that process in getting kids to understand their responsibilities on and off the court. I'd had seven straight winning seasons (at Ball State), and I felt we had made a lot of progress in getting this program on solid ground."
Some of McCallum's detractors pointed to his lack of success in recruiting local talent like T.J. Ford, Emeka Okafor or Lawrence Roberts and current high school seniors Daniel Gibson and Jawaan McClellan. McCallum's predecessor, Clyde Drexler, had signed Alton Ford, who left for the NBA after his freshman season, and George Williams, who entered the NBA draft after his junior year.
After UH finished 9-20 in McCallum's first season, the Cougars' 18-13 uptick in 2001-02 did not lead to the consistent success Maggard feels is needed.
"People were canceling season tickets. Attendance was terrible. I saw too many people losing interest," Maggard said of this season, when the Cougars' average attendance for 17 home games was 2,884.
This will be UH's fifth coaching change since Guy Lewis retired after the 1985-86 season.
"No. 1, we're talking about results, lack of results, especially this season and last year," Maggard said. "After four years, my expectations were we'd be further along. We can't afford to be at the bottom of this conference in this market."
Maggard said McCallum's successor could be a current head coach or an assistant coach.
"I'm not saying we have a person in mind," the AD said. "He has to have an unbelievable passion to come in and recruit his tail off and with tremendous intensity in coaching.
"There is no specific timetable, but as soon as possible."
As for a potential list of candidates, Maggard said: "There are a number of people that I have thought of. Until we really evaluate the interest, I wouldn't characterize it as a short or long list."
Maggard will meet with McCallum's assistants and leave their retention up to the incoming coach.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Beltone Hearing Care Centers Jac
HoustonChronicle.com -- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Sports
This article is: http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/sports/2439493