New Mexico, Alford in talks

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By Steve Batterson | Thursday, March 22, 2007 12:49 AM CDT | () comments

Iowa basketball coach Steve Alford watches from the sidelines during the first half of the basketball game against Michigan at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich., Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

New Mexico called, and Steve Alford is listening.

The eighth-year Iowa basketball coach is talking to officials at the Mountain West Conference school about their coaching vacancy, a job opportunity he shrugged off as "just another rumor’’ less than two weeks ago.

If a deal can be finalized, Alford could be introduced as the Lobos new coach before the end of the week.

It’s the same job Alford suggested he had no interest in when he was asked about it after the Hawkeyes’ season-ending loss to Purdue in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

That didn’t prevent New Mexico director of athletics Paul Krebs from continuing to pursue one of his initial primary targets to replace Ritchie McKay, who was fired earlier this month after a 15-17 season. McKay posted an 82-69 record in five years at the school.

Krebs also talked with Winthrop coach Gregg Marshall earlier this week about the vacancy after sending an associate athletics director to watch Winthrop’s games in the NCAA Tournament last weekend in Spokane, Wash.

Iowa director of athletics Gary Barta said he was contacted Wednesday by Krebs, who sought permission to speak with Alford.

"I have granted that permission to New Mexico officials. It will be coach Alford’s decision as to whether he speaks with them," Barta said in a statement.

Barta said he expects to know more about the situation today.

Typically — and as is the case in this instance — much of the legwork gauging Alford’s interest has been done behind the scenes through his agent.

There is a tie between Alford and the New Mexico administration.

The institution’s new president, David Schmidly, was the president who brought Alford’s former college coach, Bob Knight, to Texas Tech, and Schmidly reportedly has been heavily involved in the search.

Alford was in Sarasota, Fla., on Wednesday and unavailable for comment. He has not spoken with any of his players, either, about a possible departure.

This is the second straight year that Alford’s name has been mentioned prominently concerning coaching vacancies.

Indiana spoke with former Iowa director of athletics Bob Bowlsby about Alford a year ago but chose not to pursue the former Hoosiers’ all-American further before hiring Kelvin Sampson.

Alford was mentioned as a possible candidate for a vacancy at Missouri last spring but has since denied having any interest in the position.

The 42-year-old Alford has been at Iowa since leaving Southwest Missouri State in 1999 and has a 16-year coaching record of 308-184.

He is 152-107 with the Hawkeyes, leading the team to two Big Ten Tournament championships, three NCAA berths and winning records in each of the past seven years.

However, fallout from Alford’s handling of two sexual assault cases involving former Hawkeye Pierre Pierce, combined with a 61-67 record in Big Ten play and one win in NCAA tourney games during his tenure have made the Iowa coach a divisive figure among fans.

After a 17-14 season that ended without a postseason berth this year, Barta dismissed the idea of making a coaching change at the present time but indicated he expected the Hawkeyes to show improvement next season.

Steve Batterson can be contacted at (563) 383-2290 or sbatterson@qctimes.com.

EARLIER STORY

Iowa athletics director Gary Barta has given University of New Mexico officials permission to speak with Iowa basketball coach Steve Alford about its coaching vacancy.

“It will be coach Alford’s decision as to whether he speaks with them,” Barta said in a statement.

Barta said Lobos athletics director Paul Krebs phoned Tuesday seeking permission to speak with Alford, who recently completed his eighth season as the Hawkeyes coach.

New Mexico is looking to replace Richie McKay, who was fired earlier this month after five seasons at the Albuquerque school.