Many media outlets are reporting that NC State Assistant Basketball Coach, Larry Hunter, has been offered the Head Coaching job at Western Carolina University.
Folks…you can chalk it up that Hunter is gone.
Larry Hunter joined the Wolfpack staff in May of 2001, coming to Raleigh simultaneously with the “Julius Hodge recruiting class” that was ranked in most Top 5 recruiting rankings in the country.
Hunter is generally credited with helping connect Herb Sendek and staff to a contact that came to Raleigh and taught the coaching staff and the team the “Princeton” offense that was implemented in Hunter/Hodge’s first season. In many time out situations, Sendek consults primarily with Hunter prior to addressing the team (a task that Hunter has even executed in the past, as well).
Larry Hunter was a head coach for 25 years prior to joining NC State’s staff, achieving winning records in 23 of his 25 seasons as a head coach and compiling an overall record of 509-224.
Story Behind the Story?
Many people scratched their heads in bewilderment at how easily friggin Ohio could cast away such a consistent performer as Hunter?
When Hunter was dismissed from his head coaching job at Ohio University after 12 successful seasons in 2001, he ranked as the 16th-winningest active coach in the country. It seemed that nothing merited his firing on the court in his final season, either. Heck, the performance of his final Bobcats squad would have made Herb Sendek and Lee Fowler froth at the mouth with praise – in his last season at Ohio, the Bobcats were 19-11 and 12-6 in MAC competition.
Hunter’s current transitional period is equally perplexing to a discerning outsider’s eye.
Although Hunter has never made a secret of wanting to re-enter the head coaching ranks…why the Western Carolina job? why now? What really is the impetus for this move?
Over the last couple of weeks, Hunter has obviously been job shopping. It seems obvious that he had either made a decision to leave, or a decision had been made for him. Hunter’s name has been linked to numerous openings, including an assistant position at Arkansas. Now, it seems as though he is set on leaving NC State for Western Carolina.
Are we supposed to believe that Larry Hunter’s grand plan to get back into the top spot on the sidelines of a college basketball program included him leaving a supposedly strong ACC program for one of the traditionally worst college basketball programs in the country? Really? He has passed on opportunities in past years…and kept his name out of many hats…all to move to Cullowee, NC and coach in the Darth Vader dome?
You can buy it if you want. I’m not biting. But, I’m not really looking for the “truth” to publish on the blog. Just taking the opportunity to point out the obvious since so many people live in such oblivion. (I know that just for saying such a thing I will be castigated and attacked by what the ACC Areas Sports Journal labeled the “Powerful NC State Basketball Spin Machine”. Just imagine if I were to ever transfer what they might say about me?)
At face value, this move makes no sense.
At realistic value (the truth behind the scenes), this shake-up on the staff is a necessity and is just they way that it has to be. We should all wish Larry Hunter the best as he embarks on the next phase of his career and be grateful for his role in helping deliver four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, even if they were unspectacular.
The Future?
There will be a lot of speculation about the future of the composition of the basketball staff once Hunter’s departure is official. It should be interesting.
