Much like how the Maryland Terrapins needed to lower their expectations a bit after it’s early coaching list dwindled, the Texas A&M Aggies have seen little return on their initial feelers. Buzz Williams contract won’t let him out without a substantial financial commitment, one that A&M is unlikely to pay. The Houston Chronicle’s Brent Zwerneman passed on word via The Sporting News that Memphis’ Josh Pastner is also likely not in play.
Another person with knowledge of the situation said A&M’s early list includes four current head coaches: Colorado’s Tad Boyle, Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall, Nebraska’s Doc Sadler and Memphis’ Josh Pastner.
With Williams likely out of the picture — unless he’s willing to take a significant pay cut — Pastner is an intriguing figure in the mix. He’s 49-20 in two seasons at Memphis and deeply plugged into Texas’ recruiting scene. His father, Hal, is considered the dean of Houston AAU basketball. The Sporting News, however, reported Tuesday that Josh Pastner “does not have an interest” in A&M, in citing a person close to the Memphis program.
Likewise, Marshall might be tough to pry from Wichita State, which features a talented group mostly intact from a 29-8 finish and NIT title. Boyle is a native Coloradan who dubbed the Buffaloes gig his “dream job” upon his arrival in Boulder last year. In a 24-14 campaign, Colorado set a school record for victories and advanced to the NIT semifinals in Boyle’s first year.
The deeper the Aggies get into this, the more it looks like they may have to settle for less. Williams probably represents their best chance of hitting someone from their initial list at this point. If they can’t lure him, they may need to go back to the drawing board, as Maryland did with Mark Turgeon, to try to find a coach that fits their needs and wants to be there.