KANSAS CITY — The Bobby Hurley era is over in Tempe after 11 seasons and more than 180 wins.
The Sun Devils’ season ended in the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday, and with it, the finale of Hurley’s time with the program.
Hurley told CBS Sports in the aftermath of ASU’s record-setting 91-42 loss to Iowa State on Wednesday (the 49-point margin was the largest in the history of the league tournament) that he had not yet been informed by ASU athletic director Graham Rossini that he was done, but in talking to sources on the ground at the Big 12 Tournament, everyone around the program understands that the end is imminent.
It is not a firing: Hurley’s contract, which expires in June, will not be extended. The writing has been on the wall since last season when Hurley did not get an extension ahead of his final year, and thus he coached out the end of his contract this season (a rarity in modern college sports) and will move on to another gig in the months to come.
The Sun Devils finished 17-16 this season and 7-12 against conference opponents.
Hurley went 227-187 in 11 years at ASU, taking the program to the NCAA Tournament in 2018, 2019 and 2023. His 2019-20 team was also projected to dance but never got the chance. Hurley did not win an NCAA Tournament game in Tempe.
As for Hurley’s successor, a quick note: There’s an off-the-radar name that sources told CBS Sports is in play: Derek Glasser. The UC Santa Barbara assistant is extremely close with ASU alum James Harden; the two were teammates in the last 2000s. Glasser was an ASU standout from 2006-10, and when he graduated with 551 assists he was the school’s all-time leader. Having the Harden connection and the money opportunities that could come with is a major selling point for Glasser, but he has never been a head coach.
If not Glasser, there is still speculation over whether Saint Mary’s coach Randy Bennett would finally consider it. Sources also said Michigan assistant Mike Boynton could also be an option.
Hurley’s Tempe tenure better than most realize
Arizona State wasn’t a consistent team year over year, but keep in mind this is a program that historically is one of the more anemic at the power-conference level in men’s college basketball.
Compared to almost everyone else who’s had the job, Hurley was pretty good, building the occasional NCAA Tournament team while being the distant second-best job in his state and not having anywhere close to the institutional or financial commitment the University of Arizona touts.
Hurley leaves as the second-winningest coach in program history; Ned Wulk’s 405 victories from 1958-1982 won’t be broken for two generations at minimum, if not longer. Hurley is the only coach other than Wulk to take the Sun Devils to the NCAA tourney at least three times. He also is responsible for the only home win over a No. 1 team in program history (2018 vs. Kansas). That same season saw ASU start 12-0, a school record, reaching as high as No. 3 in the AP rankings — matching a record set by two of Wulk’s teams.
With the Arizona State job coming open, its prospects will likely have it fall in the middle tier of this year’s high-major vacancies. The program hasn’t been flush with NIL, and it’s a little brother to in-state Arizona, but the location is good and the pressure in fairly minimal.
Whether Hurley hits the carousel this spring is to be determined, but all indications are that he’s still looking to coach in college in the years ahead. Let’s examine what could be next.
Gauging Hurley’s next landing spot
The Hurley name still resonates across college basketball. And although Bobby can run hot, just like his brother Dan, he’s got the résumé and the burn to get some immediate traction, I’ve been told.
The 54-year-old still wants to be a head coach and is eager to find another spot in this year’s cycle if the right fit surfaces.
“I love doing what I’m doing,” Hurley told CBS Sports after Wednesday’s loss. “I feel like I’m still in my prime right now, the way we played the last month and teams we’ve beaten. We are on the very lower tier of NIL in our league, and that’s going to equate to certain things, and there will be some limitations that are associated with that. But, again, if there’s an opportunity that presents itself, and it doesn’t have to be in a power conference or whatever, I’m open to looking at. lot of options.”
Here’s a few places that could open and/or seem willing to make contact in the days ahead.
Boston College: Sounds like there could be some interest here. The BC job is even worse than the Arizona State job, but beggars can’t be choosers and Boston College probably could not make a splashier hire than Hurley. He’d be back in the Northeast and wouldn’t have to coach against Dan in the Big East. Boston College athletics director Blake James should at least entertain the possibility.
Providence: Not technically vacant yet, but will be soon enough. Can you imagine two Pitinos and two Hurleys coaching in the same league? Never say never, right? Bobby once told he me wasn’t sure if he could coach against his brother twice a season, but I don’t know. This one feels like it could have some incredible storyline potential. Bobby is wired like a Providence coach, and the fan base would almost definitely sign on to this idea. As if the UConn-Providence rivalry (UConn fans hate when it gets framed this way) needed any more reason to up the ante and the temperature.
South Florida: Currently coach by Bryan Hodgson, who’s a rumored real player at two places expected to become available: Syracuse and Providence. Maybe Hodgson stays in Tampa, but if not, this is a job with renewed support and solid fan interest from the students and the local community. The Hodgson-to-Hurley transition would be an easy sell, and this might be his best fit of any job that could open this month.
Utah State: Why does it have to be a return to the Northeast? I was told Hurley would consider this one as well. If Jarrod Calhoun takes a job this cycle (which seems more likely than not), Utah State will be looking for yet another coach to keep the momentum going.
Could Hurley join his brother at UConn?
The Huskies don’t have a spot open on staff at present, but 1) Dan has the cachet to change that, and 2) Luke Murray and Kimani Young (as I detailed here) are deserving of their own chances for good jobs at this point. It seems possible either or both will get a program of their own to run by April, so if that transpires, a spot could theoretically open for Bobby there as well.
The idea of big brother and little brother tag-teaming again on the same coaching staff would have not only entertaining potential, but also genuinely would be a terrific brain trust for the Huskies in the next phase under Dan.
If the right head coaching spot doesn’t open up for Bobby, would he consider possibility of taking a gap year in Storrs and reuniting with Dan?
“I wouldn’t,” Bobby told CBS Sports. “I don’t think I would take an assistant position at this time. I may look in media if there wasn’t something that made sense for me this year in the cycle, but I don’t want to waste time. I got, like, 10 years I think in doing this and I think I have more to give to the game and I don’t want to stop.”
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If Bobby isn’t able to land a head coaching gig in the next fewe weeks, he could wait for something in the Northeast to potentially open in 2027 or 2028. One presumptive candidate would be Rutgers — remember the Hurley family Jersey ties — should that program continue to fall short in the back end of the Steve Pikiell era.
Although he’ll forever be most connected to his brilliant four-year career at Duke, Bobby Hurley long ago adopted the lifestyle and mindset of coach. Just like his father, just like his brother. It was consistently bumpy at Arizona State but that didn’t dissuade him from the profession; he still craves the chase and believes his best days on the sideline are yet to come.
I wouldn’t be shocked at all if another program scooped him up before the end of the month.
