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Firings Underway, Doherty Gone At SMU, Horn At South Carolina

Tournament season is shadowed for the more unfortunate coaches by firing season, which is well underway.

Gamecock Failures Overall Conference
1991–1992 Steve       Newton 11-17 3-13
1992–1993 Steve Newton 9-18 5-11
1993–1994 Eddie       Fogler 9-19 4-12
1994–1995 Eddie Fogler 10-17 5-11
1995–1996 Eddie Fogler 19-12 8-8
1996–1997 Eddie Fogler 24-8 15-1
1997–1998 Eddie Fogler 23-8 11-5
1998–1999 Eddie Fogler 8-21 3-13
1999–2000 Eddie Fogler 15-17 5-11
2000–2001 Eddie Fogler 15-15 6-10
2001–2002 Dave       Odom 22-15 6-10
2002–2003 Dave Odom 12-16 5-11
2003–2004 Dave Odom 23-11 8-8
2004–2005 Dave Odom 20-13 7-9
2005–2006 Dave Odom 23-15 6-10
2006–2007 Dave Odom 14-16 4-12
2007–2008 Dave Odom 14-18 5-11
2008-2009 Darrin       Horn 21-10 10-6
2009-2010 Darrin Horn 15-16 6-10
2010-2011 Darrin Horn 14-16 5-11
2011-2012 Darrin Horn 10-21 2-14

Of most interest locally, former UNC coach Matt Doherty is out at SMU.

Doherty, who left Notre Dame after one season to take the UNC job, and also left Florida Atlantic after one to take the SMU post, may be out of opportunities. Other than an NIT run at Notre Dame and one good year at UNC, he's done little to distinguish himself as a coach, and in fact had to work hard to overcome his reputation at UNC. His overall career record is 176-180.

Closer to home, Darrin Horn has been canned at South Carolina. We're not sure that's a great move.

Since joining the SEC in 1991-92, South Carolina has finished over .500 just seven times. Moreover, there's a pattern: coaches come in, build, win a year or two, then fade and get fired or leave.

They've made pretty good hires: Eddie Fogler was successful at Vandy, coaching Duke transfer Billy McCaffrey to one remarkable season and having three solid seasons at South Carolina.

Then he had three miserable seasons and called it quits.

Dave Odom had solid success - he won two NIT titles and had four 20-win seasons before having two poor seasons and calling it a career.

And while Horn started off well, he's won fewer games every season.

Nonetheless, he seems like a solid coach, certainly has a reputation for doing things the right way and might have been able to turn things around.

But that's over now.

Apparently the Gamecocks are focused on Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall, formerly of Winthrop and a guy who has a reputation for being less than diplomatic. Toss him in with Steve Spurrier and the potential for entertainment in Columbia is off the charts. Well for the media anyway.

Another name, more relevant to Duke fans, has popped up: Jeff Capel.

They wouldn't have the vision, but they might consider Doug Wojick. He's been fired at Tulsa, but the guy is an excellent coach. Tulsa fired him for the same reasn they fired J.D. Barnett years ago: success wasn't enough, his teams had to be exciting too.

‎Speaking of the dearly departed, here's more on Glen Rice Jr.'s dismissal from Georgia Tech.

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