Tubby’s buyout going bye-bye
A coach like Tubby Smith is enough in demand and well-paid enough that if he really wanted to leave the University of Minnesota, he could do so the moment he felt a better opportunity came along. So far this off-season, Coach Smith has been targeted by rumors of a move to Oregon, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech, and he’s still recruiting for the Gophers.
However, some people are concerned that this may be because of the hefty $1.0 million buyout attached to Tubby Smith’s contract with the U of M. We’ll see how important that is to keeping Coach Smith with the Gophers soon, since that buyout clause disappears into thin air this Friday.
Now, that might get him a better life insurance quote somewhere, but the bottom line, I think, is that if Coach Smith no longer wanted to be a Gopher coach, he’d be elsewhere already. Instead, he’s out there pounding the pavement to fill his last two scholarships for next year’s freshman class, so I don’t think it’s a big concern.
Word is that Smith and the U of M are already working on an extension that would not only increase Smith’s compensation, but lock him up for the U of M well beyond the four years remaining on his current deal. Of course, part of Smith’s wishlist goes beyond personal compensation; he’d love to see a new practice facility built, which is estimated to cost between $15-$20 million. The U is working on that, but it’s going slow, which is part of why the rumors are flying.
Unless something dramatic happens, though, I expect by this time next year, we’ll be talking about Tubby’s massive contract extension that’ll keep him here until he decides to retire. And if we’re fortunate, they’ll even be less than a year away from breaking ground on that new practice facility, to boot.
I’m more concerned that he cannot keep players on the team, and is unable to recruit top talent.
Joseph not coming to the U of M is a big red flag in my book. Tie that in with all the departures this off-sesaon what do we really have to look forward to next year?
Rob
A legit point, but Joseph literally was wanted by EVERYONE. One of the TOP point guards in the nation, and one of the most-recruited. It came down to him wanting to either play with his brother (Gophers) or his high school buddies (Texas). Missing out on a Top 10 recruit is less concerning to me than the “keeping players on board” aspect. The guy leaving to be closer to his cancer-stricken sister is understandable. Cobbs leaving is more concerning, and Maverick Ahanimisi is not that great a replacement. I expect, though, that if Coach Smith needs an extra scholarship next season, Ahanimisi will likewise be announcing a “transfer.” As for next year, we can’t get worse with off-court distractions than this past season. If Royce White comes back and behaves himself this time, that’s where scholarship #6 will go and the Gophers will be arguably well-stocked to a solid run. They’re still a team with a lot of talent, even if this year’s recruiting class is Tubby’s least-impressive with the Gophs.