The long shot candidate to take over TCU men's basketball, Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon, is out of TCU’s price range, according to several sources at the school.
“He is not a viable candidate at this time,” said one source.
Dixon’s financial demands would be too much for TCU. He makes over $1.7 million at Pittsburgh, where he has been the head coach nine years. Additional substantial financial incentives with Pitt would not only make it hard for Dixon to leave, but also hard for TCU to match.
TCU athletic director Chris Del Conte has been "nonstop" making and taking calls on the coaching vacancy all week, according to sources. Former Horned Frog coach Jim Christian left Monday after four seasons to take the head job at Ohio. Del Conte has not returned calls, but he spoke with a TCU student reporter Thursday.
Del Conte told TCU's student online news site that the school would not overpay for a coach.
"There’s coaches that say, ‘Hey, I want to come in and make a crazy amount of money,’” Del Conte told TCU360. “We’re just not going to do that. We have to be mindful of who we are.
"It’s been an exhausting process,” Del Conte said. “But we have something truly to sell at Texas Christian University.”
One source said the candidate needs a “good coaching and recruiting resume; someone who has been successful.”
Christian was earning around $590,000 at TCU. A source said TCU will have to pay more to attract an appropriate replacement.
“The school knows if it’s going to be in the Big 12 it has to be like a Big 12 school,” one source said. The desire is to hire away a coach currently at another school, but other candidates are not out of the question. “I think Chris has turned over a few rocks and been surprised,” a source said.
-- Stefan Stevenson
@FollowtheFrogs
I don't know if Dixon will go to TCU or if he will will even be approached, but never, ever think the Frogs can not afford him. They have plenty of money and well heeled alums that will come up with the cash if necessary. Someone like TCU alum Dixon is what is needed to get people to care about basketball. There are currently only three sports seasons at TCU....football, baseball, and spring football. This needs to change.
Posted by: Rodney | April 05, 2012 at 08:03 PM
TCU probably won't sniff another BCS game. Could possibly? but they just went from a D conference to a round robin in an A conference. JMT
Posted by: FB Connect Application | April 09, 2012 at 12:49 AM
It will be interesting to hear how Trent Johnson explains why he’s leaving LSU for TCU. Comparing these two basketball jobs isn’t close. LSU has a rich history in the sport. And here we have a sports gift for him:)
Posted by: Sports Gift | April 10, 2012 at 02:19 AM