After Billy left OU, who were the potential candidates for the job before Kelvin got hired? I think I remember one of his assistants being up for the job, but I can not remember for sure.
Best I got. I have to admit my memory is pretty fuzzy on this one:
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OU May Have Its New Man Sources: Sampson Will Be Next Basketball Coach
Bob Hersom, Staff Writer
Washington State basketball coach Kelvin Sampson flew to Oklahoma
City on Friday morning for a three-day visit with University of
Oklahoma officials, sources confirmed.
Sampson, 38, is visiting OU amid increasing speculation that he
will become OU's head basketball coach.
Before leaving for Oklahoma, Sampson had a phone conversation with
Billy Tubbs, who became TCU's head coach April 9, after 14 seasons at
OU.
This weekend's meeting will be Sampson's second with OU
officials. He also met with OU assistant athletic director John
Underwood last weekend at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport. Underwood
flew to Dallas to meet with Sampson, who had a layover while
returning from Florida to Washington.
Sources close to Sampson said they expect OU to offer him the
head coaching job this weekend. And they expect him to accept -
even though he has turned down several offers during his seven
seasons at WSU.
"My guess is that he is going to take it, and I've heard the job
will be offered," a source said. "He's made it clear that he's
serious about this," another source said, "and I think it's his job
to turn down at this point. "
In the last calendar year, Sampson has been offered and turned
down the head coaching positions at Auburn, Marquette and Washington.
He also may have been offered the head coaching job at South
Carolina.
"Kelvin feels like this may be the best offer he's had," a
source said. "This is intriguing to him because of the new
conference (four Southwest conference teams joining the Big Eight
in 1996).
"And the other jobs involved having to do more rebuilding. He
doesn't want to get into that again. He wants to go where he can be
successful. " Sampson signed a contract extension this year that runs through
2000. His base pay at WSU is approximately $ 95,000. Including
perks, his salary is about $ 150,000. He also has a sizeable but
undisclosed annuity that will mature after the 1997-98 season.
If Sampson would come to OU, his total salary would at least
double. OU will offer a base pay of $ 110,000, but the total annual
package could increase to $ 400,000 or more with perks, i.e., shoe
contracts, camps, clinics and TV-radio deals.
Sampson has been a head coach for 11 seasons. He was 73-45
(66-25 after a 7-20 first season) in four years (1982-85) at
Montana Tech. He has gone 103-103 in seven seasons at WSU. The
Cougars' records have been 20-11 (last season), 15-12, 22-11 and
16-12 the past four seasons.
WSU returns three starters next season, plus a recruiting class
that has been rated 18th nationally. WSU, located in small Pullman
(8,000 population, not incuding 17,000 WSU students), is difficult
to recruit to, as the nearest full service airport is 80 miles of
two-lane road away, in Spokane.
OU athletic director Donnie Duncan could not be reached for
comment Friday night. Earlier, he said there have been 35 to 50
"prospects" considered and that the list would be trimmed to 10 to
15 "serious prospects," then approximately six "candidates. "
Duncan has interviewed current OU assistants Mike Anderson and
Mike Mims, and Tulsa head coach Tubby Smith. Duncan also has
received permission to contact Saint Louis head coach Charlie
Spoonhour.
"There have been contacts from the pros, from head coaches, from
assistant coaches, and from former head coaches in the pros,"
Duncan said.
"We've covered the nation with the help of some people that are
prominent and active in basketball circles on a national basis. A
lot of calls have been made by them. It's impossible for us by
ourselves to cover what we've covered in the short period of time
that we've covered it. "
