Arkansas hiring John Calipari as next head coach
Hunter Yuracheck swings for the fences and connects on next Razorbacks head coach
Full disclosure: I’m writing this at 9:34 p.m. on Sunday, April 7th, as the rumors have started pouring in from Arkansas, Kentucky, and nationwide. I got a text from an Iowa State fan friend I haven’t heard from in years. If you’re reading this, it means those rumors proved to be true. John Calipari is the next head coach at the University of Arkansas.
This post will be pretty short, and we’ll have more to say as the weeks go on. We’ll do film threads on what to expect schematically and we’ll talk about how he fills out the roster. Right now, I’m still in shock.
I mean, I wrote a piece this morning that made a compelling argument for an up-and-comer from Samford. I rationalized Chris Beard’s past in my brain because he had been to one Final Four. I fretted over Will Wade and his lack of March success. That all feels pointless now because here we sit talking about Hunter Yurachek landing a Hall of Famer.
Before we dive into a bit more on Coach Cal, Yurachek needs his flowers. Hog fans were considering the merits of Chris Jans before he pulled in a coach of this CALiber.
This hire saves his job.
How do we not trust him moving forward? He is vindicated in letting Muss walk and has certainly instilled confidence in fans for future coaching searches.
In Calipari, Yurachek has landed a college basketball powerhouse
Quick side story: Kyle Reynolds is my oldest friend. I’ve known him since Kindergarten. For my birthday in 1996, he came out to a sleepover at my cousin’s house, and we played College Slam on Super Nintendo. He knew about Calipari then. He whipped my ass with his UMass team too. Repeatedly. Wild how we’ve come full circle, and that coach still has CALche in 2024.
There is a lot to like about this hire for Arkansas. The man has taken every school he has coached to the Final Four, and he’s had one losing season (the shortened COVID campaign) since 1989. Neither my brother nor my wife were even alive then.
He still has recruiting clout. According to 247, he has signed the number two recruiting class in the country. It's hard to imagine any in-state kids saying no to him when he strolls into their local gym in Benton or Des Arc or Springdale or Tuckerman.
It’s fair for Razorback fans to voice their concerns, too. For instance, he hasn’t guided Kentucky to the second weekend of the tournament since 2018-2019.
From 1990-1995, Arkansas had more wins than any other program in college basketball. Nearly thirty years later, this hire proves what Arkansas Razorback basketball fans have always believed: this is one of the elite jobs in college basketball.
Hot damn Margo,If this doesn’t make the kids eyes round out nothing will.
I’m still shocked and amazed by this!
Uwroteacheck really came through for us.
I can’t believe we are going to have “The John Calipari” coaching the Razorbacks.
We’ll be back to standing room only at the Bud.
The song “Happy Days are Here Again” keeps rolling through my head.
Also Bunny Sigler’s “let the good times roll”(Feels so Good)