After news broke on Thursday that Dan Hurley was headed to UConn, rumors began to swirl about who Pitt might set its sights on to fill its coaching vacancy. Washington head coach Mike Hopkins’ name was floated by Jeff Goodman of ESPN on Wednesday, and Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog reported on Thursday that Hopkins had spoken with Pitt about the position.
Hopkins was asked about Pitt’s reported interest in him during a press conference on Thursday, and although he did not directly deny discussing the job, he suggested the reports about him were inaccurate and noted that he’s happy in his current role with Washington.
”Don’t believe what you read. Every year, they’re going to have ‘sources.’ Three months ago, I was involved with three different jobs,” Hopkins said during the press conference. “At the end of the day, me and my family are exceptionally happy here. I work for a great leader in [Washington athletic director] Jen Cohen, and I wanted to go someplace where we could build something special. ... I think I’ve done that.”
The coach’s appeal to Pitt is understandable, as he served as an assistant under Jim Boeheim at Syracuse for 22 years and developed a reputation as a skilled recruiter in the Northeast during that time. His familiarity with the region and the ACC would have likely served him well at Pitt, but it’s unsurprising he would opt not to spurn Washington for a struggling former rival.
With Hopkins apparently uninterested in the position, Buffalo head coach Nate Oats appears to be the university’s most notable remaining target.
Oats broached the topic of potential offers during a press conference on Monday, pointing to his impressive recruiting class and noting that his plan is to stay put in Buffalo. However, he left the door open for a potential move in the event that “something great” comes up.