Hotline newsletter: Coaches salaries, UCLA’s moment in time, Pac-12 hoops 40th anniversary teams and more
* The Pac-12 Hotline newsletter is published each Monday-Wednesday-Friday during the college sports season (and twice-a-week in the summer). This edition, from March 15, has been made available in archived form …
Cash Check-in
Loads of news this week — from admissions scandals to luxury hotel rooms, from results on the court to shifting dynamics off it (all linked below) — but let’s not miss one important staple of March from earlier in the week:
USA Today has released its 2019 salary database for men’s basketball coaches.
No Pac-12 coach made the top 10 for annual compensation and only one ranks in the top 25: Utah’s Larry Krystkowiak, who earned $3.6 million (good for 11th nationally).
The ranking includes all the Power Six coaches whose contracts are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests (no private schools).
I’ve got the Pac-12 coaches below, in order.
The full list is here and includes links allowing you to track each coach’s compensation over the years.
No. 11: Utah’s Larry Krystkowiak: $3.6 million
No. 26: Oregon’s Dana Altman: $2.8 million
No. 31: Arizona’s Sean Miller: $2.7 million
No. 33: UCLA’s Steve Alford: $2.65 million (dismissed)
No. 45: Arizona State’s Bobby Hurley: $2.4 million
No. 52: Oregon State’s Wayne Tinkle: $2.1 million
No. 56: Washington’s Mike Hopkins: $1.9 million
No. 59: Colorado’s Tad Boyle: $1.8 million
No. 67: Washington State’s Ernie Kent: $1.4 million (Dismissed)
No. 69: Cal’s Wyking Jones: $1 million
In sum: Hopkins needs a raise, Krystkowiak is a heck of a coach but living large relative to recent accomplishments, and Jones is hardly earning his low-ball pay.
On that front, by the way, the Hotline fully expects Jones to return to Cal next season. Unless Arizona cuts ties with Miller due to the FBI/NCAA investigations, the number of Pac-12 vacancies during the hiring cycle might be limited to two. — Jon Wilner.
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Hot off the Hotline
• From Tuesday: With the blessing of the presidents and chancellors, and particularly Colorado’s Phil DiStefano, the Pac-12 athletic directors have taken charge of setting policy on key conference initiatives — a significant and much-needed change that bodes well for the schools.
• From Wednesday: Campus leaders will be briefed this weekend on the potential for an equity investment in the conference’s media rights. The Hotline, never lacking for ideas, wonders if the schools should consider eschewing an external partner and betting on themselves.
• From Thursday: To commemorate the 40th anniversary season of the Arizona schools in the conference, I identified the best teams, players and coaches starting with the 1978-79 season.
• From Friday: The next six weeks are a critical time for the Pac-12’s top basketball programs and, as a result, for the conference at large. Will Sean Miller stay at Arizona? And how will UCLA proceed with its coaching search? The Hotline believes the Bruins should offer Tony Bennett whatever it takes, and if he says no, come back with more.
• Previous editions of the newsletter are available in archived form using the following hashtag:
https://www.mercurynews.com/tag/pac-12-hotline-newsletter/
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Coaching carousel
• The Spokesman-Review’s headline says it all: “After five years of futility, Washington State parting ways with men’s basketball coach Ernie Kent.” Columnist John Blanchette notes the $4.2 million buyout but says: “Not that there was a choice other than firing Kent, unless you consider surrender an option.”
• At the other end of the spectrum: Oregon gave coach Dana Altman a three-year contract extension through the 2025-26 season. Were the Ducks concerned he might bolt for Nebraska? Register-Guard columnist Austin Meek weighs in.
In the news
(Note: The Hotline newsletter includes links to sites that could require a subscription once the number of free views has been reached.)
• A precarious offseason begins for Arizona, coach Sean Miller and the touted recruiting class. “Until April’s corruption/FBI trial is complete, Arizona’s basketball future remains in limbo. The speculation begins now,” the Daily Star’s Greg Hansen says.
• Colorado is playing better than it has all season, but is that good enough to beat Washington in the semifinals? (The Huskies swept the season series.)
• Oregon has reached a ‘Now what?’ moment as it prepares for a semifinal showdown against Arizona State.
• For the Sun Devils, Friday night presents a chance for redemption after the recent thrashing in Eugene.
• Washington shot a tick under 50 percent from 3-point range to edge USC in the quarterfinals. But can the Huskies do it again, and where’s the defense?
• Utah shot itself out of the tournament, although Oregon sure had something to do with that.
• Alcohol sales for Arizona basketball (and football) added about $350,000 to the coffers. The impact on fan enjoyment is tougher to measure but equally important.
• In case you missed it: Commissioner Larry Scott is staying in a $7,500-per-night hotel room in Las Vegas, reports the Oregonian’s John Canzano. Yes, it’s comped, and yes, it’s a bad look at a time Scott and the conference can ill-afford bad looks.
• Even the Wall Street Journal has opined on the state of Pac-12 basketball: “The Worst Pac-12 Season Ever.”
• Bracketology updates: Both Washington and Arizona are safely in the NCAA Tournament, according to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi. CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm and NBC’s CollegeBasketballTalk aren’t sold on the Sun Devils.
Key Dates
All times Pacific
March 16: Cal spring game (11 a.m., Pac-12 Networks)
March 16: Pac-12 tournament finals (7:30 p.m., ESPN)
March 17: Selection Sunday
March 18: Arizona/Colorado open spring practice
March 19-20: NCAA Tournament (First Four)
March 21: Washington State opens spring practice
State of Affairs
• One city, two struggling college football programs and two different vibes as spring practice is underway at USC and UCLA. ESPN’s Edward Aschoff with the view from the practice fields.
Medical Tent
• The most significant offseason injury for Arizona State? Coach Herm Edwards recently underwent knee replacement surgery to solve a problem dating back to his playing days. A few days in bed, and he was up walking around. The Hotline wishes Edwards a smooth recovery.
Halls of Academia
Coverage of the college admissions scandal.
• Donna Heinel, the now-former USC administrator indicted in the racketeering scam, was viewed as a “guiding light” within the university.
• The L.A. Times columnist Arash Markazi with a first-person view of scandal-plagued USC: “It’s hard for me to allow the actions of a handful of corrupt individuals to change the way I look at USC and its students.”
• Meanwhile, it’s time for USC to fire athletic director Lynn Swann, writes Bill Plaschke: “With two scandals that drew FBI investigations having occurred under Swann’s careless and chaotic watch, the Trojans heart has been damaged, its soul tainted, and it’s time for a change.”
• The count rises for Stanford, in terms of the number of students with fabricated credentials and the money involved.
• A few questions and answers on the Stanford angle, including this: “How could Stanford not have known the fraudulent nature of these gifts to the sailing program?” (There’s an answer, and it’s underwhelming.)
Medal Stand
A section devoted to content on Pac-12 Olympic sports.
• Washington softball coach Heather Tarr received a seven-year contract extension.
• Cal’s Andrew Vaughn: feared slugger, avid fisherman.
• Analyst Michelle Smith rapped with commissioner Larry Scott on a variety of topics related to women’s basketball, including the tournament moving to Las Vegas.
• Bracketology update: ESPN projects the Pac-12 to receive six bids to the NCAAs, with USC on the wrong side of the bubble.
Looking Ahead
What’s coming on the Pac-12 Hotline:
• ‘Saturday Night Five’ will provide the Hotline’s final word on Selection Sunday matters. We’ll assess the landscape — both regionally and nationally — following the bracket release.
The next newsletter is scheduled for Monday. Enjoy the newsletter? Please forward this email to friends (sign up here). If you don’t, or have other feedback, let me know: pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.