BY MATT SUGAM & ADAM ZAGORIA
Dan Hurley turned down an offer to become the next head coach at Rutgers on Monday — and will not return home to New Jersey to try to save the day.
Hurley has agreed in principle to a contract extension through 2019-20 at Rhode Island, sources with direct knowledge told SNY.tv. He is expected to sign the extension soon.
Hurley initially signed a six-year deal worth approximately $4 million at Rhode Island a year ago after leaving Wagner following a two-year stint there. The Rutgers offer was not significantly more than what he makes at Rhody.
It was reported here last week that Rhode Island was working on Hurley’s extension.
Rutgers still must hire an athletic director, but for now is moving ahead with ts coaching search anyway — with former South Carolina and Vanderbilt coach Eddie Fogler running the coaching search, sources confirmed to SNY.tv. Now they must look elsewhere for a coach to take them into the Big Ten in 2014.
Hurley, a Seton Hall alum, a New Jersey native and the son of St. Anthony coach and Naismith Hall of Famer Bob Hurley Sr., has opted to stay to rebuild Rhode Island.
In Hurley’s first season at Rhody after two years at Wagner, the Rams struggled to an 8-21 campaign, but they should be much stronger in the revamped Atlantic 10 Conference next season with the addition of transfers Jarelle Reischel (Rice), DeShon “Biggie” Minnis (Texas Tech) and Gilvydas Biruta (Rutgers).
They also add four-star Michigan guard E.C. Mathews and three-star New York forward Hassan Martin.
Meantime, Rutgers interim head coach David Cox — who went 3-0 during Mike Rice’s suspension — has gained the support of at least some players.
“I feel that he would be a good choice,” Sandra Mack, the mother of sophomore point guard Myles Mack, told SNY.tv.
“He provides the stability and strength that the team needs at this critical time. The team had also voiced this to the administration and I feel they should honor their wishes after all they’ve had to endure.”
In other New Jersey coaching news, Seton Hall is looking at bringing in former Rutgers head coach Freddie Hill as an assistant to replace Chris Pompey, who is no longer on the staff, sources confirmed to SNY.tv.
Hill recruited Gill St. Bernard’s point guard Jaren Sina while an assistant at Northwestern under Bill Carmody.
Sina is currently visiting Alabama and is also considering Seton Hall, Northwestern and Indiana.
Photo credit: NJ.com
