Will WadeWith Thursday night’s late announcement that Virginia Commonwealth head basketball coach Shaka Smart has accepted the same position at the University of Texas, the Rams are on the clock as the latest team looking for a coach.
That search could extend to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
The Times Free Press has learned that Will Wade, who just completed his second season as head coach of the Mocs, is expected to be on a short list of potential replacements for Smart. Wade was an assistant at VCU for four seasons before taking over the Mocs’ program in May of 2013.
The 32-year-old Wade recently passed on an opportunity to be the coach at UNC Charlotte, which plays in Conference USA. The job, had he taken it, would have possibly tripled his UTC salary of $187,000.
Wade is 40-25 in his two seasons as a head coach, which includes a 27-7 record in conference play. He was the Southern Conference coach of the year after his initial season.
He’ll be on a VCU list that is expected to include Rice head coach Mike Rhoades, former Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel and recently released Alabama coach Anthony Grant, who had a prior coaching stint at VCU.
One report had Texas’ deal with Smart in the neighborhood of $3 million a year over five years. He was making $1.57 million per year at VCU.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfree press.com. Follow him at twitter.com/genehenleytfp.