It’s definitely looking like it’s going to be a slow process for the Aggies as they try to find a coach to replace the departing Mark Turgeon, who wound up in Maryland. The latest from Brent Zwerneman is that, well, just about everyone on the original list for the Aggies is unlikely to join them. Buzz Williams’ buyout is too prohibitive, Gregg Marshall doesn’t have much interest, and Tad Boyle will likely use A&M’s interest to get a raise from Colorado.
Here’s what I know three days into the search for a new basketball coach at Texas A&M: It won’t be Buzz Williams. He simply makes too much at Marquette.
It might be Colorado coach Tad Boyle, but apparently he’ll parlay any A&M interest into a decent raise in Boulder, Colo. Keep an eye on Nebraska’s Doc Sadler, although he’s been described as more of a “safety net” in the whole process, according to a coaching contact. Sadler, too, owns an excellent reputation among Texas high school coaches.
Fans can forget about Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall – if any fans were hoping for him in the first place. North Texas coach Johnny Jones might factor into the mix at some point.
Jones is the first real slip of a name that wasn’t on the original list, and could be an intriguing hire given how he helped turn the Mean Green into perennial 20 game winners in the Sun Belt Conference.
Jerome Solomon of The Houston Chronicle says that if anyone can be trusted to lead this process, it’s A&M athletic director Bill Byrne. He also thinks A&M isn’t completely out on Doyle yet. We shall see. I think it’s more likely they wind up with someone like Jones.