Tubby Smith is leaving Kentucky to take over the head coaching job at Minnesota, multiple sources told ESPN.com's Andy Katz on Thursday.
Smith had four years remaining on his Kentucky contract.
Smith has met with Kentucky players and athletic director Mitch Barnhart. He is expected to fly to Minnesota later Thursday afternoon.
Smith called former Minnesota coach Dan Monson early Thursday and told him he was accepting the job. Minnesota is expected to pay Smith $1.8 million per year.
In 10 years at Kentucky, where he replaced Rick Pitino, Smith went 263-83 and went to the NCAA Tournament every season, winning the 1998 national championship. But the Wildcats have not been back to the Final Four since. This season's team, which finished 22-12 overall and 9-7 in the SEC, had more Kentucky fans calling for Smith's ouster.
Earlier this month, before the Wildcats played their first-round NCAA Tournament game, Barnhart issued a statement supporting Smith, saying "Tubby's our basketball coach."
But Barnhart also said that he and Smith would sit down after the season to discuss potential changes -- and declined to say whether any of Smith's assistants might be replaced.
Kentucky is losing a fine man as their Basketball Coach. Tubby Smith was under the gun from the first day he took that job.
In my opinion his replacement will have a tough time recruiting for awhile. Several key prospects who have been waiting to see what was going to happen will likely go elsewhere.
It is now likely that Morris will go to professional basketball in the NBA or in Europe. The top freshman, Meeks, has a very close relationship with Coach Smith and he will likely go somewhere else.
Minnesota got a good man and a good family when they got Coach Smith and his family to be part of their University. I wish him much success in his new job.
Unfortunatley Tubby took a top Five Program in the nation and turned it into a Program that could not even be a part of the top 25. You were also wrong on Morris as he just Bolted to the New York Knicks, smart move on his part.
Tubby was not a good recruiter, that was what contribited to his poor play and performance over the last two or three years. Tubby also had a great chance from day one, especially with coach Pitino handing him the top program and players in the nation, ya can not start off any better than tubby did.
He will not be handed this kind of Program when he gets to Minnesota, we'll see what happens up there, I do hope Tubby does well but it was no question time for him to move on as the standards in Lexington for kentucky basketball are a little higher than 12-13 Games Lost each year!
Good Luck Tubby but let's look to the future and get our Program Competetive within the top ten once again!
Anonymous wrote: Tubby and his family are fine people period!
Unfortunatley Tubby took a top Five Program in the nation and turned it into a Program that could not even be a part of the top 25. You were also wrong on Morris as he just Bolted to the New York Knicks, smart move on his part.
Tubby was not a good recruiter, that was what contribited to his poor play and performance over the last two or three years. Tubby also had a great chance from day one, especially with coach Pitino handing him the top program and players in the nation, ya can not start off any better than tubby did.
He will not be handed this kind of Program when he gets to Minnesota, we'll see what happens up there, I do hope Tubby does well but it was no question time for him to move on as the standards in Lexington for kentucky basketball are a little higher than 12-13 Games Lost each year!
Good Luck Tubby but let's look to the future and get our Program Competetive within the top ten once again!
New York Newspapers that interviewed Morris after he signed with the Knicks reported that Morris said, " I didn't make my decision to go with the Knicks until Coach Smith announced he was going to Minnesota. I was very comfortable with Coach Smith."
I am glad he left because he and his family were treated poorly by some of the fans since the day he arrived.
What a Great Guy, let's take a walk down the Yellow Brick Road? Oh, Now I remember, Mr. Morris has already Bolted for the NBA once before and nobody wanted him. Between he and a Bungling Coach Smith they somehow convinced the NCAA to give him another shot, as Predicted he Bolted again.
Get real here, Morris had already left once before when Tubby was in Command and could do what ever he wanted, Morris left simply because he COULD, Just like the time before!
Morris and Crawford both have pulled the "I am Leaveing Stunts" Both players will never have good NBA Careers, just no where near good enough. I hope Morris gets his money quickly, when the NBA see's how Lazy he is that will be it!!!
Good Bye and so Long to Tubby, Morris and Hopefully Crawford!!!!!!!
They took us from a Top 5 Program to not even being able to Compete with the Top 25!!!!!
Big Deal on winning 20 Games a year____________There were 105 Division 1 Teams that recorded 20 Plus wins this year.
Why didn't you get that upset when a Williamsburg Police Officer had an accident driving at 92 MPH while on duty and with controlled substance in his body? You get more angry about a sport while the world is in a shambles with corruption and hatred. You sure have your priorities in good order, don't you?
I thought we were talking Sports here????? What is your point about the Police officer? How about Troops in Iraq? How about Health Care? How about Vets Care? I can go on an on.
This Thread is about Sports, if you will take the time to read the other Threads the Police Officer Subject and many others are clearly listed, again this is about UK Sports.
Sounds like your really just trying to change the subject because you do not like what you read, be happy to discuss the UK Coaching situation with ya but go to another Thread and another reader to talk local issues & politics.
Some Minnesota friends said that Tubby and his wife have settled in well in their new location and the fans are delighted to have them. I hope he does real well at his new location.
