Obviously KSU has decided to totally de-emphasize the "student" part of the "student-athlete" equation. I don't think a single BB player graduated under Huggins at UC. .... Bob Huggins, who turned Cincinnati into a national basketball power during 16 sometimes-stormy years, has accepted an offer to coach Kansas State, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Thursday. Huggins was to be introduced at a news conference later in the day, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because Huggins had not yet signed a contract. Huggins, who was ousted from Cincinnati in 2005 and did not coach this season, will replace Jim Wooldridge, who was 15-13 this year. The Wildcats have not been to the NCAA tournament since 1996, but Huggins will be stepping into a promising situation with most of the team's top scorers returning next season. Huggins was 399-127 in 16 seasons with Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to 14 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including the 1992 Final Four. He won 10 regular-season Conference USA titles and was honored as the league's coach of the decade. He also coached at Walsh and Akron and has a record of 567-199 during a 24-year career. He agreed to leave Cincinnati last August when university president Nancy Zimpher refused to extend his four-year contract rollover following his arrest and conviction for drunken driving in 2004. Huggins received a $3 million buyout, and Zimpher's decision proved unpopular with many fans. Cincinnati cited the arrest as the culmination of many problems. He also had been criticized for a low graduation rate and for several off-court incidents involving players. "We expect our coaches to be role models, and we expect our students to be role models," Zimpher said after his firing. "We make no apologies for setting high standards." Huggins had a heart attack in September 2002 but showed up for the team's first practice two weeks later and coached the entire season. Huggins' best coaching job may have come in 2001-02 when the Bearcats went into the season unranked but wound up 31-4, setting a school record for victories. They also won the conference tournament and were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. At Kansas State, he will inherit a program that has enjoyed a clean reputation while struggling to pull itself out of mediocrity since Bramlage Coliseum opened in 1988-89. Huggins could be joined at Kansas State by two top recruits. O.J. Mayo, a two-time Associated Press Mr. Basketball in Ohio, said this week he and Bill Walker, his teammate at Cincinnati North College Hill, may sign with whoever hires Huggins. Both are juniors. Wooldridge was 83-90 at Kansas State, with the team 6-10 in the Big 12 each of his last three seasons. In his sixth season, the Wildcats proved competitive behind swingman Cartier Martin. The Wildcats set a school record this season with nine losses of five points or fewer. Most frustrating were back-to-back 1-point defeats to nationally ranked Texas and Oklahoma. They beat Kansas 59-55 in their first encounter to end a 31-game losing streak to their archrivals.
George, Good fit for Huggins, a lot of jr colleges in the area and easy pickings for him to rebuild quickly. Don
I think Don hit it right. Lot's of JC's. Also I have read on the NDNation boards that he already has sort of a posse of recruits who were just waiting for him to land someplace so that they can follow him there....... Terry
Houston Larry, This just out from Cincinnati Enquirer: Mayo will not be playing in the semi HS semi finals tonight, due to some type of inappropriate behavior. The HS Principal did not list it as a suspension, but no details are being released. Don
"Obviously KSU has decided to totally de-emphasize the "student" part of the "student-athlete" equation." :roll: Sixteen years as a head coach and NONE of his players have graduated? That's sickening. Between football and basketball, K-State diplomas will soon attain the value of carwash coupons. Crackerjack compasses will be more sought after in job recruitment campaigns and free floor show tickets to Finnochio's All-Male Review will garner more respect... It was this kind thinking that made the Soviet Union what it is today... ........JO'Co
Huggins is a slug of the lowest denomination. He was featured in SI a few years back when the Bearcats were riding high. When confronted about the lack of graduates in his BB program he said he couldn't care less, that he was hired to win BB games. He will have success at K-State recruiting a bunch of talented ball players who are functional idiots. I'm sure the fans will love him.