Tony Barbee watch

[BTHoops]

Ball State and Murray State are both possibilities. I'll try and track down a link stating the Murray State interest, but it does exist.

[twisters tavern]

Ball State is out.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=2396652

I just don't think its Tony's time. Patience will bear fruit, but just not now.

[MullinsManiac]

Have patience, grasshopper. There are still plenty of dominoes left to fall.

Example: The NC State and Oklahoma jobs are open. Barbee won't get those, but he could get the jobs that open up when somebody leaves to take those jobs. And, if the rumors are true that Calipari is a possibility for one of those jobs, you know he'd fight like heck to have Tony replace him at Memphis.

[MikeUMA]

I see Oklahoma as only a slight step up from Memphis. The Tigers are going to bend over backwards to keep Cal, and I can't see the Sooners making such a big offer that he makes the switch. The Big 12 isn't the ACC, so NC State may have some appeal.

[MikeUMA]

Fairfield job has apparently been filled.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/5485 ... 162&ATT=99

[deke]

On Thursday, another C-USA job opened up: SMU.

The new athletic director there, Steve Orsini, is no stranger to C-USA assistant coaches. He was previously the AD at Central Florida.

[Hoop It Up]

Matt Doherty and Rob Evans appear to be strong candidates for SMU but now word is Tony Barbee will be unofficially tagged for next head coach at Memphis if and when Cal leaves. Andy Katz has the complete rundown in his blog today.

[MikeUMA]

There have been a bunch of places where Tony has been mentioned over this years. Dusting this particular thread off as one that can be evergreen.

Tony just won the MAC Coach of the Year award.
He guided the Chips to a 4th place finish (12-6), after being tabbed for last (12th) place in the pre-season poll. The 12 MAC victories were CMU's most at CMU since 2014-15.
https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2024/3/13 ... tball-team

UMass is slated to play CMU when we start the MAC in 2025-26. But his stock is rising with this COY honor. Makes me wonder if he might want to make a step up again.

His first head job at UTEP turned into the Auburn job, but that didn't work out.

He's 52 now. You could argue it both ways. Maybe he's at a point in life where he's not looking to elevate like before. On the other hand, CMU ain't exactly a high profile D1 gig. He might want one more job change before he's ready to stay put.

[chapter 11]

^
Mike- CMU is not high profile? Kidding, just adding to MAC smack talk.

[MikeUMA]

Central Michigan has let go of Tony after four seasons.
https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2025/4/3/ ... ll-program

A little curious on the timing, as CMU's season ended almost four weeks ago. Not that they were going to land a big name that was in demand, but why wait almost a month?

They've had 8 guys hit the Portal, and their latest yesterday, but 8 isn't crazy high these days. We're on 8 as of now also.

At CMU, Tony got the squad better in his 2nd and 3rd years, but they regressed this year, finishing 9th in the MAC and that misses their conference tourney. He finished 49-75 in total.

He was the MAC Coach of the Year last season, and CMU's AD was the one that hired him in 2021, so I don't get it. Was the dropoff this year 14-17 / 7-11 really that bad? Maybe something behind the scenes went south?

Coincidentally, he was also 49-75 in his 4 years at Auburn. Unfortunately for Tony, Auburn's move from him to Bruce Pearl in 2014 has paid off, as they're in their second Final Four in Pearl's tenure.

Bummer that we won't be able to see Tony on the opposing bench in Mullins in either 2026 or 27.

https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/co ... bee-1.html

Tony's only 53 so it'll be curious to see where he lands next.

Sidenote: Tony's son Drew was on the team this season, as a redshirt freshman. Might be CMU's 9th portal entry
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/pl ... bee-1.html

[inthescoop]

^I reckon Tony being an assistant at Arkansas is more likely than him being a head coach again next season.

[PreecherJenkins]

Or maybe the AD wants a coach with more local ties:

name to watch is Jon Borovich here.

[Steve81]

His buyout went down 100k after April 1st and his best players entered the portal earlier.
Discussion on then main MAC Conference Talk board.
https://csnbbs.com/thread-1008798.html

[MakeMullinsGreatAgain]

wouldn't mind seeing him on Franks staff - good recruiter - knows the MAC - seems like a no brainer

[inthescoop]

wouldn't mind seeing him on Franks staff - good recruiter - knows the MAC - seems like a no brainer

Agree