Post by RUFresh on Jan 27, 2007 15:08:00 GMT -5
some great news in a very well-written article by beat writer Ray Cox. I like some of the candidates and it's good to hear a lot of assistant coaches out there saying that the RU head coaching job is very hot and enticing.
www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/wb/xp-101932
www.roanoke.com/sports/college/wb/wb/xp-101932
Radford steps up coach search
By Ray Cox
381-1672
RADFORD -- The formerly slow-moving search for a new Radford University men's basketball coach found a higher gear Friday.
University president Penelope Kyle is huddling this weekend with adviser Dave Braine, the retired Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech athletic director, to draft an advertisement of the job opening.
The notice is expected to be sent to appropriate media early next week, university spokesman Rob Tucker said.
Braine will also assist Kyle in the establishment of a search committee.
Radford officials said last week that plans to advertise the job or to form a search committee were not underway. Radford athletic director Greig Denny said as recently as Thursday night that he knew of no immediate plans for a search committee or an advertising campaign for the vacancy.
No want ads have been posted since lame-duck coach Byron Samuels announced just before practice began in October that he would be stepping down when his contract expires June 30.
In previous hires for Samuels as well as predecessors Ron Bradley and Oliver Purnell, a search committee with a national focus was launched.
Kyle has declined to make Braine or herself available for comment.
Meanwhile, several potential candidates to become the sixth coach in the history of the men's program have emerged in addition to Brad Greenberg, the Virginia Tech assistant coach. The brother of Hokies boss Seth Greenberg emerged last week as a leading contender.
Greenberg has been coy about his prospects and has declined to return telephone calls. However Seth Greenberg, speaking on his brother's behalf last week, heartily endorsed his candidacy. Seth Greenberg called his brother, a former general manager for the Philadelphia 76ers, "overqualified."
Radford alumnus Don Burgess, an assistant at High Point, said he hasn't been contacted.
"But I have a strong interest," said Burgess, who started his coaching career at Radford as a graduate assistant. "The chance to be able to go back and coach where you went to school, now that's something special."
Burgess has extensive Big South Conference experience after stints as an assistant coach at VMI and Coastal Carolina. Among his recruiting coups were VMI standouts Reggie Williams and Matt Murrer and former Coastal force Pele Paelay.
Others former Radford players may also be candidates. Chris Hawkins, an assistant at the University of Buffalo, was in the mix when Samuels won the job vacated by Bradley five years ago.
Robert Lineburg, a Radford native, played for the Highlanders out of high school.
The son of newly retired high school football coaching legend Norman Lineburg has a Division I assistant coaching resume that include stints at Southern Methodist (twice), James Madison, and UNC Greensboro.
Lineburg, a year removed from his last tour with SMU, lives in Dallas and works in commercial real estate.
"But if Radford wants to talk to me, I'd love to listen," he said. "It's a great job. To me, it's a job on the same level as Winthrop. Why can't Radford do what Winthrop has done? They don't just try to go the [NCAA] tournament anymore at Winthrop, they plan to go and advance. Why not Radford?"
Lineburg's cousin Mike Young, the veteran head coach at Wofford, said Friday he doesn't plan to go anywhere. He also called Radford a "great job" and said his cousin Robert would be an excellent candidate.
North Carolina assistant coach Steve Robinson is a Radford alum and was involved with a previous Radford opening.
He's been head coach at Tulsa and Florida State in addition to being a Roy Williams aide at both Carolina and Kansas.
A couple of more possibilities are George Mason assistant Scott Cherry and West Virginia assistant Mike Maker.
"I have a ton of interest," Cherry said.
Maker said his policy is not to discuss any other job than his own in season.
"But I'm flattered when my name is mentioned in connection to any job," he said.
Neither Maker nor Cherry said they've been contacted.
College of Charleston assistant coach Mark Byington, a former Salem High star who played at UNC Wilmington, has quizzed reporters about the Radford situation.