FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Razorbacks coach Eric Musselman is officially the coach of the USC Trojans now. After a wild line of speculation started early Thursday afternoon, it became official when USC put out a notification social media.
OFFICIAL: The Muss Bus is rolling into USC!@EricPMusselman is our new head coach!! pic.twitter.com/vG2i63b2du
— USC Men's Basketball (@USC_Hoops) April 4, 2024
Now the search begins for a replacement for the first time since 2019 and athletics director Hunter Yurachek will get his second chance to hire a basketball coach. He did pretty well bringing Musselman in, regardless of what any feelings are about the breakup. Going to Elite Eights two straight years followed by a Sweet 16 appearance were a decent enough trade.
It is the first time since Eddie Sutton famously said in 1985 he’d “crawl” to Kentucky that’s exactly what he did and Nolan Richardson followed it with a national championship in 1994.
Now, though, the Hogs will be on their fourth head coach in basketball in the last 15 years. Exactly what that means, though, in today’s world of ever-changing things in college sports isn’t hard to know right now. It may be the way everything is about to become.
The day began with a ton of speculation and heated up in the middle of the day with first CBS, then On3.com getting on-board with reports.
BREAKING: USC is set to hire Arkansas' Eric Musselman to be its next coach, sources tell @CBSSports. Deal is not done yet but quickly heading there. Major coaching shakeup in CBB.
— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) April 4, 2024
Now we’ve got the watch already in place for the next coach and all eyes are turning to Mississippi and Ole Miss coach Chris Beard, who has long been rumored to be the next coach for the Hogs if Musselman decided to head out. That is if the deal is coming down, but CBS’ report made it clear the deal with the Trojans is not final yet.
There is absolutely nothing except a lot of speculation on Beard right now.
Another national outlet, on3.com is reporting on X the deal has been finalized.
BREAKING: USC is set to hire Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman, @MattNorlander reports✌️https://t.co/zf5TS2KkHi pic.twitter.com/3KIsJ3nKvb
— On3 (@On3sports) April 4, 2024
Now the Razorbacks and fans have a good old-fashioned coaching search under way and it’s all official now. Let the speculation around Beard start because that’s obviously going to be the first direction everyone starts looking and there’s a lot of speculation around that. Everybody loves a coaching search.
Other candidates will emerge as folks start refining the lists they’ve been compiling for a few days now. Just about every name is on that list except John Wooden, Nolan Richardson and Eddie Sutton. Two of those three are dead and Nolan just simply may not be up to it physically although the spirit would be willing.
Stay tuned to HitThatLine.com for updates as things keep breaking.
