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Kentucky's Decision Could Start Coaching Rumor Mill
Published: 3/26/2009 9:43 AM
Last Modified: 3/26/2009 9:43 AM

Will Oklahoma State be searching for a new basketball coach two years in a row?
OSU just hired Travis Ford last April. You can expect his name to be mentoned for other jobs since he just finished leading the Cowboys to 23 wins and a second-round NCAA Tournament appearance.
Ford is making a nice bit of coin, so why would he leave?
Keep an eye on his alma mater, Kentucky.
Kentucky's season ended with an NIT defeat Wednesday night. Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie did fantastic jobs as an assistant coach at Tulsa (where he excelled as a recruiter) and as a head coach at UTEP and Texas A&M.
But an NIT appearance didn't sit well with Wildcat fanatics and Louisville Courier Journal columnist Rick Bozich predicted in a recent blog that Gillispie could be out as soon as Friday. If so, Gillispie should exit in nice company. Tubby Smith, revered in these parts, wasn't good enough to satisfy rabid Wildcat backers, either.
Bozich suggested that Kentucky might make another run at Florida coach Billy Donovan (who turned down the job before Gillispie was courted) and -- you guessed it -- Ford, a former NCAA Regional MVP at Kentucky.
Folks in the coaching community also believe Kentucky might pursue John Calipari or Tom Izzo. But is Kentucky a better job nowadays than Memphis or Michigan State? In tradition, yes. In reality, perhaps not.






Reader Comments 6 Total
Pokefan04 (4 years ago)
I'd been wondering when this would get brought up in the TW. I have a feeling this is going become pretty loud over the next couple of weeks if Gillispie does get fired. Personally, I want Coach Ford to stay. I think he did a tremendous job this year, and I'd like to see what he can do with a full roster of quality players.
shaw411 (4 years ago)
Yes, although I am a Sooner fan, Ford does look to be a good hire for the Pokes.
American Psycho (4 years ago)
I think Ford would be an IDIOT to go to Kentucky. That's the worst gig in sports. Tubby won them a national title and fans were already whining & complaining a year later.
OSUArthur (4 years ago)
Kentucky is a dream job for Coach Ford. He is all about the history and traditions of schools. Why is Capel not being mentioned for this job?
Art Vandelay (4 years ago)
I would fire Coach Wojcik and hire Gillispie in a heartbeat!
MexiMike (4 years ago)
My guess is that Ford isn't going anywhere. Kentucky already lost their hand on hiring an "up and coming" caoch. My guess is that if they tried that again with Ford the boosters would be none too pleased. I'm betting they throw a LOT of money at somebody very established like Donovan. Let's not forget that when Donovan first turned them down it was during all of the success Florida was having at the time.
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Tulsa World sports writer Jimmie Tramel is a former class president at Locust Grove High School. He graduated magna cum laude from Northeastern State University with a journalism degree and, while attending college, was sports editor of the Pryor Daily Times. He joined the Tulsa World on Oct. 17, 1989, the same day an earthquake struck the World Series. He is the OSU basketball beat writer and a columnist and feature writer during football season. In 2007, he wrote a book about Oklahoma State football with former Cowboy coach Pat Jones.

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