Report: TCU Hires Pitt Coach Jamie Dixon
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pitt Panthers head basketball coach Jamie Dixon has reportedly decided to coach at Texas Christian University.
That's according to a report from CBS Sports.
Gary Parrish of CBS Sports tweeted Sunday that the local coach may make a move to his alma mater.
Pitt's Jamie Dixon is considering an opportunity to become TCU's next coach, a source told @CBSSports. STORY: https://t.co/buVKdFzsnc
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) March 20, 2016
Parrish joined "The Fan Morning Show" Monday to further discuss the Dixon situation. He confirmed that Dixon has been interested in the job, as originally reported.
"I don't know whether he will or won't (leave)," Parrish said. "I just know that he is absolutely considering the opportunity."
Parrish thinks that Dixon could be motivated by a desire to feel more appreciated, and that Pitt's move to the ACC and change in administration may have showed some discontent for him as well.
Parrish does not, however, believe that Dixon is motivated by worries about his job security.
"You're not at risk of being fired," Parrish said of Dixon. "I don't even think Pitt could fire you if they wanted to from a financial perspective. So, this isn't like, you'd better get out or you'll be fired next year. It just comes down to, how attractive is possibly more money - but hopefully not less - with a fresh start, fresh expectations?"
Parrish also noted that, if TCU were to hire Dixon, he wouldn't be taking a pay cut to return to his alma mater. He'd get at least as much money as he's getting from Pitt now, if not more.
"I was told definitively that Jamie would not be asked to leave money on the table," Parrish said.
Listen to the interview here:
This comes following TCU firing Trent Johnson last week, and Pitt losing to Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament.
A source told CBS Sports that TCU is willing to "make the money right," as Dixon has a long-term contract with Pittsburgh.
Sources tell 93-7 The Fan's Colin Dunlap that that Dixon may be seeking to help TCU raise its profile during a crucial coaching search, or may looking to raise his own profile in an effort to garner a lucrative offer from Stanford, which also has a coaching vacancy.
Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is hearing that TCU is closing in on Dixon as well.
Hearing that TCU is closing in on former TCU player & current Pitt coach Jamie Dixon as its next men's basketball coach.#GoFrogs
— Mac Engel (@MacEngelProf) March 21, 2016
Carlos Mendez, also of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, believes that it's more likely than not that Dixon is TCU's head coach by the end of the week, if not sooner.
"I think it would be fast," Mendez said. "Two people I talked to separately last night both said today or tomorrow, Monday or Tuesday, you know, next couple days - they used that kind of phrasing," he said.
Mendez thinks that that the two sides are currently focused on working out the financial terms of a potential deal.
"That's the big thing, is just making sure that all the proper people want to write the proper checks," Mendez said. "But, it sounds like Dixon is the school's first choice, and as long as he has interest, I think they'll try their best to make it happen. So, I think that's the way it's leaning right now, and it could happen pretty quick."
Listen to the full interview here:
However, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Paul Zeise says local sources believe "this isn't likely to happen."
All of the leaks in this Dixon saga are from TCU. Sources up here have no idea what is happening or say "this isn't likely to happen"
— Paul Zeise (@PaulZeise) March 21, 2016
Zeise joined "The Fan Morning Show" to talk about the rumors Monday and said he'd be surprised if anything happens at this point.
Listen to the interview here:
CBS college basketball insider Jon Rothstein appeared on CBS Sports Radio's "Tiki and Tierney" Monday.
"Jamie has told confidants that he feels it is time to move on from Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh's geographic recruiting footprint has changed a lot since Pitt went from the Big East to the ACC," he said.
Our partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report that Dixon makes about $3.2 million each year and his contract has a buyout believed to be in the $10 million range.
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