The Texas Tech basketball program is in the middle of a search for a permanent coach for the second time since 2011, when Billy Gillispie was hired to replace Pat Knight.
Gillispie left after one season, and Chris Walker served as the interim coach this season. He is one of the candidates for the job, according to Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt, but it's been less clear as to who else may be in the picture.
The Avalanche-Journal has learned Hocutt has or expects to interview at least two candidates for the job this week, but it isn't immediately clear who those potential candidates are.
Hocutt has not set a timeline for selecting a new coach but said last week that he would like to complete the process "as expeditiously as possible."
Names like former Nebraska coach Doc Saddler, Baylor assistant and former Abilene Christian coach Grant McCasland, Louisiana Tech coach Michael White and even New Mexico coach Steve Alford have surfaced in recent days, but it isn't immediately clear whether any of those coaches were among those Hocutt was expected to interview this week.
Unlike the football coaching search Tech conducted in December, during which two main targets -- Chad Morris and Kliff Kingsbury -- were identified early in the process, at least to this point it has been more difficult to get a read on which direction Hocutt and the rest of the administration may be leaning with the basketball search.
Asked last week by reporters whether Tech would hire only someone with previous experience as a head coach, Hocutt pointed out that he had just hired Kingsbury, who to that point had only worked as an offensive coordinator.
Tech on Saturday morning fired six staff members who worked with the program this season, including assistant coaches Bubba Jennings and Jeremy Cox.
It is believed that the new coach would be given the ability to hire his own staff and could choose to bring members of the previous staff who were let go.
Walker has not returned a message seeking comment.
Comments (8)
Add commentAlford
Alford would be too good to be true.
Alford
I as well would be excited to see a Coach Bobby Knight diciple as head coach. Be very nice.
Coaching in the BIG 12 is much bigger exposure than at UNM.
Let's be real
Chris Walker will be Tech next coach, Steve isn't leaving a good New Mexico program to come to Tech , why would he leave a school where the average around 16,000 per game to come to a place where on a good night you might get around 3,000 to 4,000 per game?, I can tell you this he is the King of New Mexico and he makes a boat load of money. To be honest I do believe it would look bad for us to let Mr. Walker go that would be our third coaching change in three years and Kirby knows that s not good for a rebuilding program. So I see them giving Chris a 4 year contact to see wbat can he do
I see
Steve just go a sweet long term deal with New Mexico, I guess you can take his name off the list, that cut the list to three names, Doc Sadler, Chris Walker and someother coach I've never hear of.
what did he do to get special consideration
the team :
couldn’t shoot free throws made poor choices regarding shot selection early in the shot clock couldn’t get a rebound defeated by the vast majority of Big XII opponents
If the entire coaching staff is fired why ever is Walker given any special consideration ? He deserves no better than the rest of the staff…
Walker
when is the last time that Texas Tech had an African American head coach. If that maybe the holdup. Tech has had many opportunities to hire or position an African American leader(Football and Basketball).I wonder if walker will even make it to head coach at texas tech. I hope they do whats best for tech and not the color of a candidate like chris walker. This will hurt tech if so.
losing FRAZIER
Losing Frazier would hurt the program and Walker cause Walker wouldn't have a chance to be successful with a quality recruit or recruits. Chris Walker is the only chance to revamp this program put us on the map. Kingsbury is the show now we need a show in the basketball program (ladies are good). Kingsbury is the headliner but Iwould like to heart that the men are doing good as well as the ladies. Hocutt knows what he gots with Walker why bring somebody in that might not ride it out with tech. Once a coach comes here and gets a little notarity he will Walker is a man of commitment.
losing FRAZIER
Losing Frazier would hurt the program and Walker cause Walker wouldn't have a chance to be successful with a quality recruit or recruits. Chris Walker is the only chance to revamp this program put us on the map. Kingsbury is the show now we need a show in the basketball program (ladies are good). Kingsbury is the headliner but Iwould like to heart that the men are doing good as well as the ladies. Hocutt knows what he gots with Walker why bring somebody in that might not ride it out with tech. Once a coach comes here and gets a little notarity he will Walker is a man of commitment.