SMU pursuing Marquette's Buzz Williams

[Harry]

It's unlikely that Williams, a Texas native who has led the Golden Eagles to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances in his tenure, would leave for the Dallas-based school. However, sources have told CBSSports.com that the Mustangs are prepared to make a lucrative offer in excess of the $2.6 million per season that the 39-year-old Williams is currently earning in Milwaukee.

Read More: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/18025287/smu-pursuing-marquettes-buzz-williams

[emmitt01]

I really hope he goes there and I hope they pay him twice the figure quoted. Getting run out their own gym, and paying a mint for it, will be hilarious. SMU basketball is merely a free paycheck to till an impossible field.

[NT03]

Marquette can compete with SMU money. About the only advantage the ponies have is being in Texas compared to Wisconsin

[bstnsportsfan3]

Why would u leave one of the better big east programs for the worst big east program.....stupid. but thats smu thinking for ya.

[NT03]

Would be a great hire and I give props to SMU for aiming high, but I just don't see it.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Would be a great hire and I give props to SMU for aiming high, but I just don't see it.

Everybody ridiculed them for pursuing the Big XII. They didn't hit the home run, but a solid stand-up triple in a Big East invite. Who knows, this might work out the same way. At least everyone knows they are looking to be a serious player.

[NT03]

Marquette AD grants SMU permission to speak w/ Buzz. The plot thickens...

[curtisdaa]

I know Buzz. I have worked with him and competed against . I would rather have Coach Jones, hope SMU gets Buzz.

[golfingomez]

what... you wouldnt want this on the sideline?

[KoldBeer]

I just don't get why Buzz would take that job after turning down OU and A&M. I get that he may not like Wisconsin but he gets paid really well there and has a good thing going. Even if SMU gets him, how much does attendance increase? 1K to 2K per game. Players still won't want to go there.

[NT03]

Looks they will also pursue VA Tech's Seth Greenberg

Edited March 26, 2012 by NT03

[SMU2006]

Saw this thread while I was looking through your football forum to see how things were shaping up regarding the MWC-CUSA Alliance. Hope everything works out for everyone involved. I don't post here often but as the husband of a UNT grad I genuinely hope the Mean Green find themselves in a better situation with more competitive and natural rivals than in the current Sun Belt.

That said, I happen to know quite a bit about the Buzz Williams situation as I am a Mustang Club member and correspond regularly with one of the real heavy hitters or as Orsini calls them the Circle of Champions. Essentially this is a group of roughly 25 individuals who were responsible for raising the cash to hire June Jones. He says there is absolutely no way Marquette will match what SMU is throwing out there. I've seen 2.6 to 2.7M as a number but he says its MUCH higher than that. David Miller and Gerald Ford (two billionaire SMU alums) are the ones who are personally willing to pay Williams in excess of 3.5M over six years. This would make him one of the ten highest paid coaches in college basketball. In addition, they are willing to allow Williams and his staff access to private jets throughtout the recruiting cylces AND charter planes for all games. Its really shameful that SMU doesn't already charter planes for the team, but certainly as a Big East program we can't be seen as cheap or unwilling to commit the needed infrastructure that all other Big East programs already have in place. There have been numerous reports that Buzz and the new AD (Larry Williams) do not see eye on eye at all and have butted heads in the last several months. In addition, the AD has already reached out to high level Marquette boosters informing them that Buzz is talking to SMU and yes it is serious. Also, Buzz is a native of North Texas and is open to the idea of returning home.

That's the sunshine aspect of the pursuit. However, there are obvious issues with taking over SMU basketball. Marquette is an established brand that he has elevated to Top 20 status. He is currently well compensated at roughly 2M. He is fresh off a Sweet Sixteen appearance (his third as their head coach) and there is no reason to expect any huge dropoff in the next few years. Also, my guy tells me that Buzz and his wife are happy in Milwaukee. Buzz is a very devout Catholic and enjoys working at a private Jesuit institution. Would he be willing to take over a program that is so far down? That remains the question. However my source said that there is no question Buzz is listening and is blown away by the financial commitment SMU is willing to make. Another factor in the negotations is the 40M renovation to Moody Coliseum that will modernize and make much better use of the current facility. If you've ever been there its a truly great venue for college hoops, but its in need of a serious facelift and thanks to the 20M donation by David Miller and another 20M from the Moody Foundation that facelift will commence construction this year and be completed in time for Big East conference play in 2013.

IMO, its a 50-50 shot that we land Buzz. I know that SMU wants the hire made by Final Four weekend at the latest so we should know here in the next few days. If I hear anything else I'll pass it along.

[Harry]

Good info 2006 - thanks for sharing that with us and please keep us posted. That's impressive for SMU to make that type of financial commitment and Buzz is no doubt a great coach. Even if you don't land him, I don't have any doubt that SMU will hire a good one, and moving to the Big East is certainly a plus in that regard. We look forward to the 4-year series with ya'll in football starting in 2013 and hope that we can get some basketball games on the schedule as well. There is no reason why all three of the metroplex programs can't coexist and be very successful. GMG

[Mean Green 93-98]

There is no reason why all three of the metroplex programs can't coexist and be very successful.

Did you forget UTA, or was that an intentional omission?

[Harry]

Did you forget UTA, or was that an intentional omission?

Good point. Sorry - I was thinking football.

[El Paso Eagle]

First off, good job to the pony’s for trying to step up their game (be honest, if we needed a coach and had alums who would pay for it we would be overjoyed). That being said and I know he’s lost a little leverage, how could this impact the relationship with June Jones???

[NT03]

Andy Katz‏@ESPNAndyKatz

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Marquette announces that Buzz Williams is staying put, ending the odd SMU speculation (wishful thinking by the Mustangs).

[url="https://twitter.com/#"]

[emmitt01]

Andy Katz‏@ESPNAndyKatz

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Marquette announces that Buzz Williams is staying put, ending the odd SMU speculation (wishful thinking by the Mustangs).

[url="https://twitter.com/#"]

Wait. You mean he chose being a millionaire and coaching a winner over being a bigger millionaire and getting pounded night in and night out? Shocking!

I hate to say it but SMU needs a coach just like JJ. Someone who has had some success, though not so much that they are a top 50 name, and who will look at the dollar signs first and foremost. Or a retread with baggage.

Edited March 28, 2012 by emmitt01

[Quoner]

Larry Brown apparently interested...

[CMJ]

Larry Brown apparently interested...

Interesting. No doubt he's a great coach, but he seems to become unhappy within about 2 years just about everywhere he has gone. On the other hand, he's in his 70's, so he probably doesn't wanna coach more than four or five years anyways.

[KoldBeer]

Interesting. No doubt he's a great coach, but he seems to become unhappy within about 2 years just about everywhere he has gone. On the other hand, he's in his 70's, so he probably doesn't wanna coach more than four or five years anyways.

I'm a Kansas guy so I'm obviously biased toward Brown, but if I'm SMU I'd hire him. They need something to jump start that program. He'd win and might get some fans to show up. He'd probably only be there for 3 years but you would rather have 3 good years or more of same. If they get too far down on the list, I'd go after Brown.

[glick1980]

Wait. You mean he chose being a millionaire and coaching a winner over being a bigger millionaire and getting pounded night in and night out? Shocking!

I hate to say it but SMU needs a coach just like JJ. Someone who has had some success, though not so much that they are a top 50 name, and who will look at the dollar signs first and foremost. Or a retread with baggage.

I don't think Coach Jones looks at the dollars signs first and foremost. He has been here over a decade and could have had jobs that paid more if he had really wanted to. I think he likes UNT and wants to be here, not that I expect him to stay here forever.

[UNTLifer]

millionaire and getting pounded night in and night out?

Like Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton....sorry, couldn't resist.

[emmitt01]

Like Kim Kardashian or Paris Hilton....sorry, couldn't resist.

Your analogy actually has more truth than you think seeing as SMU's basketball team will get pounded by large black men.

[Comet7745]

A swing and a miss with Buzz, but at least SMU is trying. I'd rather they fail pursuing the top candidates than never even try. Even if it does seem absurd for SMU to go for these coaches (and trust me, if I wasn't affiliated with the school I'd be laughing too), all of this is at least tossing the name SMU into the basketball community. A good coach in a hostile environment (be that problems with the AD, fan base, city, w/e) might be interested in trying something new while still being paid really well. We'll see what happens, but I'd prefer if we didn't go for Jones, I'd like to see the Mean Green continuing their climb in basketball. It could lead to some truly fun rivalry games down the line.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Comet7745