Rumors Of Oregon Pursuing Butler’s Brad Stevens Heat Up

According to The Register-Guard, Oregon is pursuing a Final Four coach, and it’s not Tom Izzo.

Apparently the Ducks are interested in Butler’s Brad Stevens to takeover in Eugene.

Butler’s coach is 33 and looks 23, and he’s what Oregon honchos have previously called the “flavor of the month,” the idea being they weren’t looking for the coach of a mid-major that makes a run in March. The preferred profile has been someone a little more mature, and a lot better known. [...]

We’ve all heard how Oregon wants a big name, someone to sell tickets on reputation alone. And then we’ve heard the erroneous reports. The Ducks never went after Izzo - they knew the chances of luring him were less than zero - and weren’t interested in Tubby Smith. [...]

Instead, they’re going after Stevens, who is coaching the best story to hit March Madness in many years.

SB Nation’s Oregon blog, Addicted To Quack, offers their brief reaction, and wonders if the school has been too quick to give up on big names: “No question Stevens has had recent success, but is this an indication the university has exhausted it’s attempts to land someone who’s more of a household name?”