2026 Coaching Carousel

[Pakuni]

Correct, he was coming off a Sweet 16 at Washington State and thought he was going to get the LSU job, which is his wife's alma mater, so he said no to Marquette. LSU ended up going with Trent Johnson. Bennett called back to see if Marquette was still available and they had just finalized things with Buzz, so he stayed at Wazzu another year before going to UVA.

Marquette announced the hire of Buzz on April 8, 2008.
https://www.twincities.com/2008/04/08/lots-of-optimism-for-new-marquette-coach-williams/


LSU announced the hiring of Trent Johnson on April 10, 2008.
https://lsusports.net/news/2008/04/10/1437391-2/

[The Sultan]

Marquette announced the hire of Buzz on April 8, 2008.
https://www.twincities.com/2008/04/08/lots-of-optimism-for-new-marquette-coach-williams/


LSU announced the hiring of Trent Johnson on April 10, 2008.
https://lsusports.net/news/2008/04/10/1437391-2/

Yep. Announcements are usually made at the exact time a candidate is selected. 

[Pakuni]

Yep. Announcements are usually made at the exact time a candidate is selected. 

I mean, it would be unusual for a program like LSU to hire a coach and then keep it secret for a couple of days, but I guess it's possible.
Whatever's needed to keep this urban legend alive.

[The Sultan]

I mean, it would be unusual for a program like LSU to hire a coach and then keep it secret for a couple of days, but I guess it's possible.
Whatever's needed to keep this urban legend alive.

I have no idea why you believe this is an urban legend.

Regardless, my point is that the official announcement date isn't really meaningful information here - it makes perfect sense that Johnson and LSU could have been negotiating details, as Marquette was with Buzz, when Bennett reached back to Marquette.

[Mu8891]

Brew - You really think MU offered the job to Tony Bennett ? Did they ?

[Uncle Rico]

The first choice was Greg Gard but he turned us down

[BM1090]

Plus this was only a year after Twitter launched. It was normal for that time period to make a hire and it not be leaked for a bit.

[Hards Alumni]

The first choice was Greg Gard but he turned us down

Actually, first choice was Bo Ryan.  They knew he'd say no, but you gotta at least make the phone call and have him say no.

[Uncle Rico]

Actually, first choice was Bo Ryan.  They knew he'd say no, but you gotta at least make the phone call and have him say no.

Bo was good friends with all the high school coaches in Wisconsin.  What could have been.

[brewcity77]

Brew - You really think MU offered the job to Tony Bennett ? Did they ?

They were ready to. But he was pursuing the LSU job so he took himself out. By the time he was eliminated from the LSU contention Buzz had been hired here.

I don't get why it seems like such a leap that he was interested. Wazzu was one of the worst high major jobs & his family is here. He didn't pursue Marquette initially because his wife wanted to be closer to her home. Then when that wasn't an option, he called to see if this was, and it wasn't anymore.

[Hards Alumni]

Absolutely incredible that anyone would desire to go back to the Baton Rouge area.

[Pakuni]

They were ready to. But he was pursuing the LSU job so he took himself out. By the time he was eliminated from the LSU contention Buzz had been hired here.

I don't get why it seems like such a leap that he was interested. Wazzu was one of the worst high major jobs & his family is here. He didn't pursue Marquette initially because his wife wanted to be closer to her home. Then when that wasn't an option, he called to see if this was, and it wasn't anymore.

Bennett turned down Indiana before they settled on Crean. Seems odd he would reject (what was still) a blueblood Big 10 program with massive support and resources - and one willing to hand out a 10-year contract, to boot - because he so badly wanted to go to LSU.

[brewcity77]

Bennett turned down Indiana before they settled on Crean. Seems odd he would reject (what was still) a blueblood Big 10 program with massive support and resources - and one willing to hand out a 10-year contract, to boot - because he so badly wanted to go to LSU.

Uhh, okay?

I found it odd that he pursued LSU over Marquette. I have zero doubt the phone call inquiring about our position after Buzz had signed but before it was publicly announced happened. In the end, him making that call didn't matter because our job was filled & he went to UVA the next year. Doesn't change that it happened.

[Viper]

Yup. Leaving for UNC made absolutely no sense, and it wasn't the least bit surprising he told them to take a hike.

But an NBA job like this ... that's the ticket. He'll get paid big, he no longer has to beg 17-20 year olds to play college ball or to pretend to go to class, and he's already got some good players in Dallas.

Smart move.

not to mention not having to re-recruit his own guys every year.

[Viper]

Bo was good friends with all the high school coaches in Wisconsin.  What could have been.

All American Sam Dekker agrees...as does We R Final Four

[Uncle Rico]

All American Sam Dekker agrees...as does We R Final Four

Buzz shouldn't have told him he wasn't good enough for the Big East but in Buzz's defense, he had sexual assaults to coverup

[The Sultan]

Sam is a nice Christian lad. Buzz knew he would have been out of place.

[Billy Hoyle]

Bennett turned down Indiana before they settled on Crean. Seems odd he would reject (what was still) a blueblood Big 10 program with massive support and resources - and one willing to hand out a 10-year contract, to boot - because he so badly wanted to go to LSU.

There was animosity between IU and the Bennett family over how Kathi was treated when she was fired which was the reason he turned them down. The Bennett family is known for holding grudges, which is why Tony never went back to Buckyville, given how Bo did his best to downplay Dick's role in building the program he inherited.

[Billy Hoyle]

Uhh, okay?

I found it odd that he pursued LSU over Marquette. I have zero doubt the phone call inquiring about our position after Buzz had signed but before it was publicly announced happened. In the end, him making that call didn't matter because our job was filled & he went to UVA the next year. Doesn't change that it happened.

His wife was pushing him to get the LSU job.

The reason he left after the following season was Wazzu's budgetary decisions to implement cuts to basketball (but left football unscathed):

"Washington State dropped charter flights for Bennett and his staff for use in recruiting to the remotely located school and cancelled a trip for his staff to the 2009 Final Four due to ongoing budgetary constraints in the WSU athletics department."

[PointWarrior]

Even more absolutely incredible that their second choice would be Milwaukee.... 

I assume Gary, IN was not an option? 

Absolutely incredible that anyone would desire to go back to the Baton Rouge area.

[Hards Alumni]

Milwaukee is better than Baton Rouge in every way except there is no college football in Milwaukee.

It is a truly awful place.

[Billy Hoyle]

Milwaukee is better than Baton Rouge in every way except there is no college football in Milwaukee.

It is a truly awful place.

and yet likely a step up from Pullman, WA.

[Hards Alumni]

and yet likely a step up from Pullman, WA.

Yes, probably.  But of all the places to go back to... Baton Rouge?

 

[Billy Hoyle]

Yes, probably.  But of all the places to go back to... Baton Rouge?

 

haven't you learned by now to do what your wife wants first?   

[PointWarrior]

Pullman is one odd place, as well as Moscow, ID just 9 miles away - and both have more college football than Milwaukee.   Although Moscow can compete with Milwaukee for serial killers...

and yet likely a step up from Pullman, WA.