NCAA Tournament coaches linked to North Carolina job are in ‘terrible spot’

The Sweet 16 is set to tip-off this week and a handful of remaining coaches are already being linked to the coaching vacancy of one of the most prestigious programs in the nation. With North Carolina officially firing Hubert Davis Tuesday night, the school is looking for a “superstar” as its next coach, a source close to the athletic department told NJ Advance Media. Among coaches still in the tournament, Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, Michigan’s Dusty May, Alabama’s Nate Oats, Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger and Iowa’s Ben McCollum have been linked to the job via various betting sites and media pundits.

Heck, St. John’s coach Rick Pitino is listed on some betting odds for the job. Expect all of these coaches to be asked in the coming days about their interest level in the North Carolina job, and expect all of them to be put in a tough position.

“You’re in a terrible spot as a coach because if you say, ‘Man, I’m 100% back’ and something changes and you’re not, [it’s] ‘Oh, man he lied. ’ If you say, ‘I’m considering all these other jobs,’ then you’re distracted and you’re not locked in. There’s no right answer,” Saint Louis coach Josh Schertz, who was linked to openings at various high-major schools before officially signing an extension, explained of the Coaching Carousel process at this time of year.

“When you go through a process and you have other opportunities, whatever they are, you really get to think about what’s important to you,” he added. With North Carolina looking to lock up its next coach on a long-term deal somewhere in the $8-10 million per year range, they have a little bit of time, but not much. The NCAA transfer portal opens April 7, the day after the national championship game.