How SMU firing Rob Lanier led to John Calipari leaving Kentucky and the BYU coaching vacancy

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When Alabama coach Nick Saban retired less than two weeks into the calendar year, it created a ripple effect throughout college football that led to multiple high-major coaching changes. With John Calipari leaving his post in Kentucky to take the vacant job at Arkansas, it’s expected to have a similar domino effect in the basketball coaching carousel world.

Multiple key events led to Calipari’s shocking departure. The unlikely ripple effect started in Texas when SMU fired Rob Lanier after two seasons with the program. Less than two weeks later, the Mustangs announced Andy Enfield as their next coach. The former Florida Gulf Coast and USC coach had spent the last 11 seasons in Southern California before embarking on a new challenge by leading SMU into the ACC.

With USC’s job open, they decided to swing for the fences to make a hire. The Trojans tabbed Arkansas coach Eric Musselman to lead their program into the Big Ten. USC poaching Musselman opened the door for the Razorbacks to hire Calipari and simultaneously opened up one of the most attractive jobs in the sport at Kentucky.

After a brief coaching search, Kentucky landed on BYU coach Mark Pope to replace Calipari. Pope started his playing career at Washington and transferred to Kentucky ahead of the 1994-95 season. He was college teammates with Jeff Sheppard, the father of Kentucky star freshman Reed Sheppard.

Here are the key events that led to Calipari ending up with Arkansas.

March 21: SMU fires Lanier after two seasons

In a surprising move, SMU elected to move on from Lanier after two seasons with the program. The Mustangs doubled their win total (10 to 20) from his first season at the head of the program and lost in the opening round of the NIT to eventual runner-up Indiana State. The former Siena and Georgia State coach was hired at SMU in 2022 after compiling a 111-100 record during his first two stops. With SMU set to join the ACC…

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Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/how-smu-firing-rob-lanier-led-to-john-calipari-leaving-kentucky-and-the-byu-coaching-vacancy/

Author : Cameron Salerno

Publish date : 2024-04-12 16:35:10

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