Seat heat and wallet width don’t necessarily move in lockstep.
Arizona State coach Bobby Hurley is out $20,000 following sweeping sanctions by the Pac-12 (reprimand, fine and one-game suspension) for his behavior towards officials following a loss Saturday at Stanford.
Yes, the free throw disparity was something to behold (41 attempts for Stanford, nine for ASU). But Hurley’s abdication of leadership after the game was inexcusable: While players confronted the officials — one made contact — Hurley did nothing to calm the situation.
Instead, he turned away, continued to rage and walked off the court, leaving responsibility for separating players from officials to an ASU staff member.
It was a bad look for a coach under increasing scrutiny as his program staggers and stumbles for a second consecutive season. But Hurley’s accomplishments are too great, and the program’s downturn too short, for the school to seriously consider a coaching change.
In our view, only a complete stretch-run cratering, with the players quitting on their coach, should move Hurley to the brink of losing his job.
Now, let’s step out of the moment and allow for context.
Hurley has two seasons remaining on a contract that reportedly pays him about $2.5 million annually — somewhere in the middle of the Pac-12 basketball coaching salary structure.
The current deal was approved by the Board of Regents in the summer of 2019. At the time, ASU was coming off its second consecutive NCAA Tournament berth and its first March Madness victory (in the First Four) in a decade.
And the Sun Devils would have made the NCAAs the following year, as a No. 8 or 9 seed, if the tournament hadn’t been canceled.
So the downturn that has turned up the heat on Hurley isn’t even two seasons old. And the first of those seasons unfolded during a pandemic that derailed ASU to a greater degree than average within the Pac-12.
Hurley clearly miscalculated with his roster last season (poor chemistry), and he hasn’t found the answers yet in ’22. A serious self-scout will be required this spring.
But he’s recently removed from back-to-back-to-back 20-win seasons — the program was relevant pre-COVID like it hadn’t been in eons — and he has proven capable of recruiting high-level talent.
Coaching changes are expensive, they’re disruptive, and they don’t guarantee lasting change for the better. Put another way: The risk-reward calculation in basketball isn’t the same as it is in football.
The Hotline never hesitates to call for a change when the situation warrants it, anywhere in the Pac-12. At this point, ASU is not one of those situations.
Barring a total tank, Hurley has done more than enough over the sweep of seven seasons to deserve one more year to get it right.
To the power ratings …
(NET rankings through Sunday)
1. Arizona (16-1/6-0)Last week: 1Results: won at Stanford 85-57 and Cal 96-71Next up: at UCLA (Tuesday)NET ranking: No. 1 (last week: 2)Comment: Just like old times in Pauley Pavilion tonight, and the conference is better for it — much, much better.
2. UCLA (13-2/5-1)Last week: 2Results: won at Utah 63-58 and Colorado 71-65Next up: vs. Arizona (Tuesday)NET ranking: No. 16 (last week: 21)Comment: The Bruins need 45 combined points from Johnny Juzang and Jaime Jaquez. Otherwise, they will have trouble keeping pace with the Wildcats.
3. USC (17-2/7-2)Last week: 3Results: won at Colorado 61-58 and Utah 79-67, beat ASU 78-56Next up: vs. Stanford (Thursday)NET ranking: No. 24 (last week: 28)Comment: The best defensive team in Los Angeles, at least for the time being, calls the Galen Center home.
4. Oregon (12-6/5-2)Last week: 4Results: beat Washington 84-56Next up: vs. Colorado (Tuesday)NET ranking: No. 49 (last week: 62)Comment: With each passing week, the offensive offense we saw from the Ducks early in the season makes less and less sense.
5. Colorado (12-6/4-4)Last week: 5Results: lost to USC 61-58 and UCLA 71-65Next up: at Oregon (Tuesday)NET ranking: No. 87 (last week: 89)Comment: CU was in position for what would have been a huge sweep of the L.A. schools, but the late-game execution left just about everything to be desired.
6. Stanford (11-6/4-3)Last week: 6Results: lost to Arizona 85-57, beat ASU 79-76Next up: at USC (Thursday)NET ranking: No. 93 (last week: 91)Comment: Well positioned for a stretch-run charge: Six of the Cardinal’s nine games in February are at home, where it has beaten USC and Oregon.
7. Washington State (10-7/3-3)Last week: 7Results: vs. Oregon and OSU (postponed)Next up: vs. Utah (Wednesday)NET ranking: No. 62 (last week: 58)Comment: The Cougars declared Monday that they were “Happy to be able to get back at it this week,” so the COVID impact appears to have been limited to two games.
8. Washington (9-8/4-3)Last week: 8Results: won at Oregon State 82-72, lost at Oregon 84-56Next up: vs. Colorado (Thursday)NET ranking: No. 139 (last week: 140)Comment: Above .500 in league play and overall. Two conference road wins. Tied for fifth place. At this rate, Mike Hopkins will be in contract extension territory by March. (Kidding!)
9. Cal (9-8/2-6)Last week: 9Result: lost to Arizona 96-71Next up: at UCLA (Thursday)NET ranking: No. 129 (last week: 129)Comment: Everyone expected the Bears to struggle on offense and, welp, they’re struggling on offense.
10. Arizona State (6-11/2-5)Last week: 10Result: lost at Stanford 79-76 and at USC 78-56Next up: at Arizona (Saturday)NET ranking: No. 148 (last week: 156)Comment: The Sun Devils shot just nine free throws in the controversial loss at Stanford. You know how many they shot against the Trojans on Monday night? Five.
11. Utah (8-12/1-9)Last week: 11Results: lost to UCLA 63-58 and USC 79-67Next up: at Washington State (Wednesday)NET ranking: No. 121 (last week: 122)Comment: The Utes are one of four teams in the top 125 of the NET rankings with a losing overall record. The others: Syracuse, Bradley and Northern Iowa.
12. Oregon State (3-14/1-6)Last week: 12Results: lost to Washington 82-72Next up: at Oregon (Saturday)NET ranking: No. 223 (last week: 206)Comment: OSU lost the first game on a late 3-pointer by the Ducks. One team has gotten a lot better since then.
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