JMU narrows coach list to six

The list of candidates for the men's basketball head coaching position is down to six as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Athletic Director Jeff Bourne.

Bourne said the list will be further narrowed down by the end of this week or by the beginning of next week, and he then will give his recommendations to JMU President Linwood Rose.

"We would like to make an offer and hire a head coach before the Final Four," Bourne said.
The Final Four begins Saturday, April 3, in San Antonio, Texas.

Bourne said his initial list of potential coaches contained 20 candidates. He said more than 20 applied, but only 20 were on his active list.

Two candidates — Matt Doherty and Larry Hunter — are thought to be at the top of the list.

A source said Wednesday that Doherty will be interviewing with JMU today. Bourne was unavailable for comment late Wednesday evening.

Doherty coached at the University of North Carolina three years before resigning last year. He led North Carolina to a 53-43 record, but failed to reach the NCAA Tournament in two of his three seasons. He also coached at the University of Notre Dame for one season prior to taking the North Carolina job, and he was named the 2001 Coach of the Year.

Hunter is in his second season as the assistant coach at North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament Sunday. Prior to N.C. State, Hunter was the head coach at Ohio University for 12 seasons, compiling a 204-148 record. However, Hunter was fired by Ohio in March 2001.

Larry Eustachy, who was thought to be one of the six candidates on Bourne's list, will be named the head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi at a press conference Thursday.

A source said Eustachy at one point was highly interested in the JMU position.

The source confirmed Tuesday that Eustachy was in Harrisonburg Sunday. The source also confirmed that Bourne and Charlie King, vice president of administration and finance, traveled to New Orleans to interview with Eustachy last week.

Eustachy resigned as head coach at Iowa State University in May 2003 after admitting he was an alcoholic once photographs surfaced of him drinking at a college party. Since then, he reportedly has cleaned up his life.

Others still thought to be on JMU's list include University of Arkansas assistant Ronny Thompson, Clemson University assistant Ron Bradley and Georgia Tech assistant Dean Keener.

Bourne declined to name any of the candidates.

"I don't want to disclose that information because some of the candidates currently are in high-level positions," he said.

However, Bourne said the candidates being considered were found by JMU or Carr & Associates, a firm in Gainesville, Fla., that specializes in coaching searches.

JMU wants a candidate that can provide the men's basketball program with success and integrity, he said.

Bourne declined to give potential salary numbers for a new coach. He said that would be determined by which coach is hired, but likely would be comparable to other coaches' salaries in the Colonial Athletic Association. The average coach in the CAA makes about $140,000 in base salary.

The new coach would be given plenty of time to rebuild and develop the program, and likely would receive a minimum four- or five-year contract, according to Bourne, who said that is normal in college basketball today.

"Coaching at a mid-major [conference] is not as easy," Bourne said. "You have to work hard and develop the players."