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From an outside opinion it looked like Marshall freaked out a bit in regards to their coaching search for their new basketball coach in Huntington. Now Chuck Landon of the Herald-Dispatch in Huntington has brought the mishaps of the search to light.
The first focus of this very public search was on Lakers head coach Mike D'antoni who eventually turned down the job in probably an effort to hedge his bets if the Lakers were to fire him. Here is the timeline for the Marshall search according to Landon.
April 13: Marshall Looks Beyond Mike D'antoni
The list (of candidates) included Robert Morris head coach Andrew Toole, Eastern Kentucky head coach Jeff Neubauer, Stephen F. Austin head coach Brad Underwood and West Virginia University assistant Ronnie Everhart.
Before the interviews even started Toole withdrew his name from consideration.
April 15: Ronnie Everhart Interviews in Charleston
April 17: Jeff Neubauer/Brad Underwood Interviews on Campus
April 22: Mike D'antoni Removes His Name From Search
April 23: Jeff Neubauer is your new Thundering Herd Head Coach! WAIT....
Suddenly, the otherwise lethargic search became frenzied. On Wednesday, Marshall officials offered the job to Neubauer and he accepted. But as the Eastern Kentucky coach reportedly was driving to Huntington, a highly respected Marshall booster met with Marshall president Steve Kopp and urged him to hire Danny D'Antoni rather than Neubauer.
As a result, Marshall officials telephoned Neubauer and told him they had changed their minds. So, he turned his car around and headed back to Richmond, Ky.
April 23: Danny D'antoni Interviews via the Phone
April 23: Brad Underwood is your new Thundering Herd Head Coach! WAIT....
Marshall offered the job to Underwood and negotiations began with his agent. But, as it turned out, Underwood was more interested in the vacant Southern Miss job and apparently was using Marshall's job offer as leverage with Golden Eagles officials.
Long story short, Underwood played Marshall and, then, said no to the job offer.
April 24: Jeff Neubauer is your new Thundering Herd Head Coach! WAIT....
So, Marshall called Neubauer back and offered him the job again. He declined in no uncertain terms. Then, Neubauer met with his Eastern Kentucky players Thursday morning and told them not to believe anything they had heard or read because he was not accepting the Marshall job.
April 24: Danny D'antoni is your new Thundering Herd Head Coach!
Chuck Landon's articles has to be one of the craziest things I've read in a while. Marshall could have a seasoned, up and coming college head coach and now they have a nearly 70 year old first time college head coach who hasn't sat on the bench for a college game since 1971.