Here We Go (Again) - Texas Reportedly Reached Out To John Calipari About Its Head Coaching Job And Kentucky Would Be Dumb To Let Him Leave

[Source] - 247 Sports National Recruiting Insider Travis Branham reports Texas has made contact with John Calipari through back channels. Additionally, Branham believes Calipari will jump at the opportunity to leave Lexington if Texas makes a competitive offer

If he steps away from coaching following the 2023-24 season, he can earn just shy of $1 million a year as an ambassador for the university. His buyout is 75% of the remaining money left on the deal if fired by UK, but if he leaves for another school, say Texas, there is none.

Here we go again. Just like UCLA, we now have Texas and John Calipari rumors meaning I have to do what pisses me off the most. Have an honest conversation about John Calipari and the Kentucky job. To me it's simple. John Calipari has been shit this year. He was shit against St. Peter's. That also falls on the players, make free throws, don't piss down your leg, etc. But it starts with Calipari.

You don't let him leave for Texas this year.

Not with the recruiting class coming in. Not with the recruiting class coming in PLUS the out after next season to move him into the ambassador role. There's an out from an albatross contract. The fact is simple. Calipari deserves one more year with that class coming in and you'd be an idiot to push him (and the class) out the door.

I know the transfer portal is what everyone keeps saying it. How many players are you truly getting in there to save the program for a year? The answer is less than you think. You don't immediately save yourself because of the transfer portal. You hope to get 1-2 players that help a team. 

Not to mention there's no surefire hire. Yes the list is easy. Scott Drew is the first option. Then it's Muss, Tommy Lloyd and Nate Oats. Those are the clear top-4 you call and try to get to Kentucky if Cal leaves. But again, I lived through Billy Gillispie. He was supposed to be the big time coach. He was supposed to save Kentucky. He put Kentucky back as far as anyone not named Eddie Sutton's sanctions. 

I'm not excusing Calipari. I'll say it again - he's been shit. The offense is atrocious. The lineups are atrocious. Everything he did right has gone wrong since St. Peter's (and the COVID year). Now 'his guys' are coming in next year. If he can't achieve with that you 100% move on from him. It's that simple. 

It's not wait for next year. It's you have one more year. You don't let him leave for Texas until that happens.