Stanford outsmarted itself with Johnson
Posted: Thursday, April 10, 2008 9:01 AM
Filed Under:
Coaches, Pac-10
Who knew a school like Stanford could outsmart itself like this?
Ex-Cardinal coach Mike Montgomery had been an assistant athletic director at the school since he was fired by the Golden State Warriors in 2006. Last week, he took the job across the bay at rival Cal.
A week later, current Stanford coach Trent Johnson is expected to take the LSU job.
Wow. Who knew you could lose your current coach and Hall-of-Fame caliber replacement in waiting in just seven days? Stanford went from having the Pac-10 coach of the year and an ace in the hole to nothing.
If you saw this coming, well, you probably had George Mason in the Final Four two years ago. More likely, you’re amazed like the rest of us.
It’s strange because Johnson to LSU seemed to come out of nowhere. VCU coach Anthony Grant – Billy Donovan top recruiter and longtime assistant at Florida – always seemed like the ideal hire. He’s young, already had NCAA Tournament success and would thrive in Baton Rouge.
Yet LSU was taking its time on this one. It fired John Brady about two months ago and let assistant coach Butch Pierre finish out the season. In that time, Grant, UMass coach Travis Ford and Clemson’s Oliver Purnell were reportedly the leading candidates, but nothing ever came of it.
Grant’s working on an extension with VCU, Purnell stayed at Clemson and Ford is reportedly being wooed by Providence.
Meanwhile, there’s Johnson. The soft-spoken coach led the Cardinal to the Sweet 16 this season and, as a former Stanford assistant, seemed like an ideal fit for the job. Except for one thing -- Johnson’s Cardinal never thrived.
They missed the Big Dance in ’06 and had one-and-out stays in ’05 and ’07. Even when things blossomed this season, Stanford and needed a last-second miracle to advance to the Sweet 16 this season as a No. 3 seed.
And with Montgomery in the background, Johnson must have felt like he was being watched. The implication always seemed to be: “Well, if Trent can’t do it, we have Mike ready to step in.”
Except Mike left. And Stanford left its coach of the year hanging when it came to a contract extension. Oops. Some things you just can’t learn in a classroom.
Now Johnson’s off to make history at LSU. He’ll be the school’s first African-American head coach in men’s basketball or football. He’ll get a pay raise. And recruiting? It’ll be far, far easier. The Tigers have had NBA talent for years, but just one great season to show for it.
Will Johnson thrive in SEC? Put it this way: It’s a smart play for the LSU.
