Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins met with USC Trojans athletic director Pat Haden this week to discuss their head coaching vacancy.
Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins meets with USC
Hopkins, who has long been considered Jim Boeheim’s replacement at Syracuse, met with USC this past week to discuss their job opening.
Rich Barnes-US PRESSWIRE
Hopkins, 42, is believed to be the coach-in-wainting at Syracuse once Jim Boeheim finally retires. It is unclear when Boeheim will retire though, and Hopkins could be getting the itch to become the leader of a program. Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports confirmed the news of Hopkins meeting on Thursday.
The USC job is one what would appeal to most coaches around the country.
There’s very little pressure. The Trojans love their football in Southern California, and it’s clearly a football-oriented school. The Galen Center, which opened in 2006, is one of the best basketball facilities on the West Coast.
Then there is the recruiting aspect: some of the nation’s top prep talent resides in SoCal every year, and USC would have few problems getting elite talent onto their campus with the right coach in place.
Hopkins also grew up in California and attended Mater Dei High School, which is a basketball powerhouse.
It is unclear how much interest Hopkins has in the job, but it makes sense for him to at least consider it. Syracuse is an elite coaching opportunity, but if Hopkins feels Boeheim is going to stick around for a couple more years, he may feel it’s his time to head his own program.
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