Tubby Smith may be headed back to SEC — to Auburn (UPDATE II: Tubby denies rumors)
Tubby Smith has Minnesota pointed up, and this might be a good time for him to leave.
When Tubby Smith left Georgia after only two seasons in 1997, it was for his expected dream job at Kentucky. If he leaves Minnesota after only three, it’s probably to defrost. And possibly to come back to the South.
Smith, who has the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the NCAA tournament for the second straight season, reportedly is close to becoming the next coach at Auburn, according to CBSSports.com college writer Dennis Dodd.
The report — which follows days of media speculation that Smith could be headed to either Auburn or Oregon — makes a lot of sense. Auburn fired Jeff Lebo immediately following the SEC tournament, and wants to make a splash with this hire. The Tigers are moving into a new $90 million facility next season. They want to hire a proven coach, even if it means paying a significantly higher salary than they’ve paid for a basketball coach in the past.
Welcome to the new SEC, where basketball suddenly matters.
Smith’s return would be a great boost for the SEC. He would give Auburn immediate credibility and obviously create great story lines every time the Tigers play Georgia and Kentucky. For those who’ve never met Smith, he’s one of the nicest, classiest men you’re going to find, a welcome departure in a profession that is overrun with shady characters and self-promoters.
The guy can coach, too. Minnesota went 9-22 in 2006-07, the season before Smith got there. In the three years since, the Gophers have gone 20-13, 20-11 and 21-13 (going into today’s tournament game against Xavier).
(UPDATE: Minnesota just lost to Xavier, 65-54, in the first round of the West Regional. So we should know something fairly soon about Smith’s future.)
(UPDATE II: Smith issued this denial after the game: “Obviously, that’s just talk. I’m very pleased with what we’ve accomplished [at Minnesota]. I’m pleased with where we are in the program. I’m looking forward to coming back to Minnesota.”)
They reached the final of the Big Ten tournament championship game before losing to Ohio State (after upsetting the Buckeyes earlier this season). He has recorded 17 straight 20-plus win seasons in his career, going to the NCAA tournament in 16 of those (nine times to at least the Sweet 16, one championship).
Smith probably knows this is as good as it’s going to get at Minnesota, and it would be a good time to exit. Unless he just really enjoys living in Minneapolis. On that note, tonight’s March 19 forecast: 25 degrees with possible flurries.
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165 comments Add your comment
moratt
March 19th, 2010
3:03 pm
Jeff, did you take geography? Maryland is located in the Northeast, not the South.
Boise Dawg
March 19th, 2010
3:04 pm
Definitely not knocking Oregon.. personally I would much rather live in Eugene, OR than Auburn, AL. Just wasn’t sure if it is Tubby’s kind of place. He has zero ties to the west that I know of….so that is all I was saying.
Jansen B. Werner
March 19th, 2010
3:06 pm
As a Minnesota fan, in no way am I offended by the idea of Tubby moving – he can go wherever he wants to go. I’m more so annoyed by the idea that this year was “as good as it gets” for the Gophers. Were the Gophers not thrown multiple curveballs by the legal system, Mbakwe and Royce White likely would have played this season. Throw that lineup out there and you have a Sweet 16 Team every day of the week. And as I said earlier, add a kid like Cory Joseph (why wouldn’t he want to play with his brother?) on that roster, and now you have a very elite college squad. Sampson and Iverson are only going to get better, Rodney Williams is as good of an athlete as there is in college basketball, how in the world is this “as good as it gets”???
Minnesota Jacket
March 19th, 2010
3:07 pm
enough about the weather (though it was warmer here in MSP the past 2 days that Atlanta – yes i know that will change today!)
i see St John’s has fired their coach. I’m hoping for a Hewitt to St John’s and Tubby to GT world!
clcooley0
March 19th, 2010
3:08 pm
You can have him. Especially if you believe this is as good as he’ll have things with the Gophers (read J. B. Werner’s post above for reasons to think the notion that there is no where to go but down is asinine). His good friend, Clem, was able to do a lot more here in MN. He’s a mediocre coach at best. Will happily take an up and coming mid-major coach.
Kurt Morris
March 19th, 2010
3:08 pm
auburn has nothing to offer a bb coach. no reason in the world to go to auburn. and southern hospitality is WAY over rated. i’ve been to auburn. didn’t see much that impressed me. lots of red necks though.
HeHateMe
March 19th, 2010
3:09 pm
It was in the 60s and sunny all week in Minneapolis until today, thanks for the weather report jackass
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2010
3:10 pm
Jeff’s from LA. He doesn’t know the east coast. He just gets online orders his plane ticket and goes to the airport. Gets off the plane and he is there. Where ever that is. So he doesn’t need to know geography, he just needs to know how to tell the cabby “airport please”, “arena please” or “hotel please”. So simple a caveman could do it.
B10
March 19th, 2010
3:10 pm
Move to Alabama for the weather? Are you kidding? It was 62 degrees in MN yesterday. I highly doubt a major NCAA coach would relocate for the extensive culture offered in Auburn vs. a major metropolitan city. Jeff Schultz should venture outside of Georgia to see what it is like outside of the sunbelt. Life is good in Minnesota, even in January. You are a douche bag media slug.
Kurt Morris
March 19th, 2010
3:13 pm
b10……..i agree with you. i’m from georgia, now living in texas. been to minnesota many times. best friend lives in duluth. when i was in north dakota in military, the people there and in minnesota are the nicest i’ve ever met. auburn offers nothing.
wiley
March 19th, 2010
3:19 pm
Morat according to the US census Maryland is considered a southern state…as is Delaware.
http://manetta.us/Buckmasters/CensusMap.jpg
Bob Horner stayed hurt
March 19th, 2010
3:21 pm
Ouch….my x-wife calls me a slug when she’s mad at me….it hurts my feelings….
bali
March 19th, 2010
3:22 pm
thanks for the article on coach smith. He seems like such an outstanding gentleman who is a credit to the game of basketball. The 2 years he was in Athens were great for U GA basketball. Just wish he would of stayed instead of taking that sorry excuse for a basketball job at Kentucky.Could not really blame him for leaving Athens.. just wonder what it would have been like if he had stayed longer
clcooley0
March 19th, 2010
3:26 pm
Here’s a story from yesterday’s Startribune (the Minneapolis newspaper) where Tubby states that Vince Taylor, one of his assistant coaches, is ready for a head coaching position: http://www.startribune.com/sports/gophers/88498357.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUjc8LDyiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr
Thanks for memories, Tubby.
moratt
March 19th, 2010
3:29 pm
I already filled out my census form, thanks. The point is that Tubby being from from Maryland has no impact on his decision to go to Auburn. Its over 800 miles from Maryland to Alabama. Not exactly a short drive go to see the family on the weekends.
JB
March 19th, 2010
3:32 pm
Funny how the word ” redneck’ can be thrown around without much consequence and there are other words used to describe people in a negative light that you could use on here that would get you banned by the AJC. Wonder why the double standard ? Talking to you Kurt.
if you are referring to people of the South, remember one thing. American by birth and southern by the grace of God.
Tubby to Auburn? - VolNation
March 19th, 2010
3:33 pm
[...] Tubby to Auburn? Sounds like it's close to happening: Tubby Smith may be headed back to SEC — to Auburn | Jeff Schultz [...]
Kurt Morris
March 19th, 2010
3:39 pm
i am from the south and the only good thing about the south is the south herself. the people are nasty.
minnesotadawg
March 19th, 2010
3:43 pm
We sure would like to keep him for a while. I think he has a better chance up here than in the SEC. He would probably have better recruiting at Auburn though.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2010
3:45 pm
Just like the reason for his move from UGA to Kentucky I think he will move from Minn. to Auburn to be closer to Ashley Judd. He would get to see her a 2-3 times a year in the SEC. As it stands now he has to make it to the dance, hope for the same regional or make it to the final four.
Dawg Fan
March 19th, 2010
3:50 pm
Hey Tim,
Get ready for a down year in football. Alabama finally has a tough schedule and will have Saban undressing Kirby on the sidelines. Go ahead and enjoy the Tide’s recent success for a few more months and get ready for several losses this season over in Bama. I know you would love for CMR to pack up and move but he aint goin nowhere chief.
Tubby head
March 19th, 2010
3:50 pm
Sorry Auburn, Tubby: “I’m very pleased with what we’ve accomplished here. I’m very pleased with where we are in the program. I’m looking forward to coming back to Minnesota.” This was after the loss today.
Really? Would anyone on earth leave a traditionally strong basketball school, great fans, great arena, GREAT recruiting, cold winters, great pay, great squad, great metro area.
Tubby always talks about how his family is really enjoying Minnesota. He has a squad that is on the verge now. He doesn’t want to walk away from what he’s built. He won with Pitino’s squad. Now he wants to win one with his own.
Dawg Fan
March 19th, 2010
3:51 pm
Well said JB
Dawg Fan
March 19th, 2010
3:52 pm
Kurt, if you don’t like the south then why don’t you just leave. I’m positive you won’t be missed. Addition by subtraction.
gdawginkalamazoo
March 19th, 2010
3:52 pm
I would have to agree with the Minneapolis posters. Minneapolis is a lot nicer than Auburn. Tubby doesn’t need the money and he is gaining ground in the Big Ten.
PMC
March 19th, 2010
3:52 pm
I bet he will be able to clean up in Atlanta. Good luck to Tubby.
Remarkable
March 19th, 2010
4:01 pm
Auburn can have Tubby until he thinks something better has come along. Then he will leave for the greener pastures. Just call me a bitter UGA fan.
DD
March 19th, 2010
4:01 pm
Tell it JB.
Being from the West coast. I have had a chance to witness southern hospitality. Very alive and well in the South. You don’t hear yes maam, yes sir up north or out west.
Still, MN would be better for Tubby than Auburn. SEC plays good basketball, but overall not great. Similar to the ACC in football. Middle of the pack.
Kurt Morris
March 19th, 2010
4:01 pm
i left the “south” a long time ago. it would be great if it weren’t for the people.
Boise Dawg
March 19th, 2010
4:02 pm
Jeff, I don’t know the guy but I agree he seems to be a nice and classy guy… but if the report about him already close to a deal with Auburn is true, do you still find him to be one of the classiest men you will find? How classy is it to spend time talking to another program when your current team is/was still playing? If the CBS report is true and he takes the Auburn job in the next few days, then I say no classier than Saban, Petrino or Kiffin.
Todd
March 19th, 2010
4:03 pm
Kurt Morris: wahhhhhh, sniff, sniff. Sounds like someone got their butt kicked down here. Don’t go away mad, just go away!
jeff schultz is a HACK
March 19th, 2010
4:09 pm
jeff schultz – this is the biggest p.o.s. article i have read today. 1.) minnesota is a superior program to georgia and it is a superior program to auburn. so come down from your little tower where you are taking cheap shots at minnesota. 2.) it is going to be in the 50 or 60’s in minneapolis all next week. it has been in the 50’s and 60’s in minneapolis multiple times during the past few weeks. 3.) it hasn’t been much warmer than that in your little city of atlanta. so enough with your lame cheap shots fool. 3.) know what you are talking about before making such a stupid blog post next time.
kurt
March 19th, 2010
4:14 pm
todd….i see u have a nice southern education. good for u! it will serve u well in redneckville. and by the way, i just about bet u could never make me go away or do anthing else for that matter. i just don’t like places where they put people in prison for spitting on the sidewalk too many times.
marcus
March 19th, 2010
4:14 pm
if tech had tubby, with the talent that they’ve bought in over the years, then they would really matter. not only in the acc but nationally. if tech was as smart as they “think” they are, then they’d give their bum coach a demotion to “recruiting coordinator”…. and hire a real coach. with a proven, classy coach like smith to go along with coach johnson then tech would be exceptional.
Dave In Tampa
March 19th, 2010
4:15 pm
jeff schultz is a HACK :
Dude, take a chill pill. It’s close to 80 degrees down here, but you don’t hear me bragging about it. You let JS get under your skin which is his job to get you to post. Hook, line and sinker. It will be alright. Auburn & UGA are not as good as MN in B-Ball. I don’t think anyone is argueing on that one. This is Collge football territory anyway. MN would not be on the same planet as any team in the SEC so call it even.
kurt
March 19th, 2010
4:16 pm
but the original point was that CMR is soft and will never win big in the SEC
Dave In Tampa
March 19th, 2010
4:16 pm
Sorry, spelled “College”
Go Jackets
March 19th, 2010
4:17 pm
I like Tubby, but he could never coach at Georgia Tech. He is tainted by the plague that is the University [sic] of Georgia. If you believe what you hear, this affliction (thankfully) kept Will Muschamp from getting the head football coach job. If you’ve ever worn the red and black, stay the heck of the Flats.
Dave In Tampa
March 19th, 2010
4:17 pm
kurt: I guess 2 SEC championships and 2 BCS bowl victory’s are not big games. Get a clue!
Will Tubby Soon Be Back in the SEC? « MrSEC.com
March 19th, 2010
4:20 pm
[...] Will Tubby Soon Be Back in the SEC? [...]
Jeff Schultz
March 19th, 2010
4:22 pm
Boise Dawg — point taken.
jeff schultz is a HACK
March 19th, 2010
4:24 pm
dave in tampa: don’t need to take a chill pill. just need to educate some southern fools who obviously don’t know jack about the midwest and/or minneapolis. a random 70 degree day in atlanta! so what? you live in the deep south. that is like saying the sky is blue and grass is green. why would you brag about it?
all i/we are saying is that minneapolis is not this dark, cold, horrible place that hack writers without a clue (see jeff schultz) stupidly and falsely try and make it out to be to the southern rubes who read his filth. it is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with a ton to offer just about anyone.
tubby smith has said numerous times that he and his family sincerely love the city of minneapolis and have no desire to leave.
p.s. minnesota could definitely beat some of your SEC football squads (not saying florida or lsu at this point in time), but they could certainly beat at least half of your conference. no doubt about it.
kurt
March 19th, 2010
4:24 pm
dave in tampa…..u just made my point. an occasional sec championship is above average. but beating hawaii in sugar bowl doesn’t define GREATNESS. there is a difference between above average and great. UGA football is above average but not great.
TY
March 19th, 2010
4:25 pm
kurt: So why are you on this blog then if you hate the south and it’s people so much? Talk about education. Go back over some of your posts Mr. “I’m not smarter than a 5th Grader”
Dave In Tampa
March 19th, 2010
4:27 pm
I said nothing about GREATNESS! You stretch it out there pretty good about what is being discussed. You said he “NEVER” wins the big games. I just pointed out 4. There are many others. Stick to the subject at hand!
kurt
March 19th, 2010
4:29 pm
jeff schultz is a hack…..u might be going out of your mind. no way gophers could beat half of sec on a regular basis. they can’t compete in inferior big ten. they MIGHT be able to compete at home against the bottom three of sec in any given year.
Dave In Tampa
March 19th, 2010
4:33 pm
jeff schultz is a HACK
You have not been reading JS blogs for very long have you. He has lit into the south on several occasions. As for MN beating half the SEC in football. PLEASE pass that Kool-Aid your drinking. Keep dreaming my friend. They could not even beat up on half the ACC…… OK, maybe half the ACC.
kurt
March 19th, 2010
4:33 pm
i obviously never said he never wins big games. i said he is soft and won’t compete for NATIONAL titles on a regular basis. if u are satisfied with occasional sec title and bowl wins over hawaii and texas a&m then u should be satisfied. as a dawg fan, i am not satisfied with that.
BoddagettaFlyer
March 19th, 2010
4:36 pm
Speaking as an Auburn grad…once I saw this, I felt like I had won the lottery. Would I love for Tubby to move to the Plains? Sure. But I’m not deluding myself into thinking this is a done deal. What I do think is Jay Jacobs needs to make a splash in order to keep his job. He hasn’t made a whole lot of friends since he became AD. Furthermore, the basketball program needs a real shot in the arm (a new arena is a nice start…BEMC was a dump). Lebo was a nice guy and all, but if that’s all we’re concerned about, well, I can be a nice guy for half of what he makes. So let’s pull a Bammer, open up the checkbook and buy us a tourney run.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled snark fest between Bees/Leghumpers, Leghumpers/Bammers, Yankees/Southerners, already in progress.
Dave In Tampa
March 19th, 2010
4:37 pm
Kurt: Fair enough, but who competes for NC’s on a regular basis. Not Bama, not UF and not LSU. A run of a couple years maybe. Too hard to compete every year for a NC. Keep your eye on UGA the next couple years. I promise you they will make a run. Won’t last forever, but they will make a run for a couple years. I’m saying that they will win the NC for sure this coming year, but the will contend some time in the next couple.
What team do you follow?