LSU has info for coaching search

• By SCOTT RABALAIS
• Advocate sportswriter
• Published: Feb 27, 2008

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LSU’s own prep work for its men’s basketball coaching search won’t involve input from an outside search firm — but will likely include input from Nike.

Athletic Director Skip Bertman said the school discovered in its discussions with search firms that it had most of the information it needed to compile a list of worthwhile candidates.

LSU is seeking a replacement for John Brady, who was fired on Feb. 8 during his 11th season. Lead assistant Butch Pierre has filled in as the interim head coach and is also a candidate.

“We spoke to four — count ’em, four — search firms,” Bertman said. “It appeared after speaking to all four, and most of them agreed, that we had most of the information we needed.”

Bertman said a search firm if hired would have likely charged LSU between $25,000 and $50,000.

LSU’s leg work has been handled by Eddie Nunez, associate athletic director for operations who is a former basketball player at Florida.

“Eddie knows many basketball coaches on a first-name basis,” Bertman said.

“We had names, information you could get from a search firm, say 10 guys, their salary range, what their buyouts are. We have all that information.”

Some input could also be coming from Nike’s Martin Newton. He is the son of basketball hall of famer C.M. Newton, long-time coach at Alabama and Vanderbilt.

“Martin Newton from Nike is also very helpful,” Bertman said.

“We’re a Nike school. Martin knows basketball very well. He said he would help any Nike school. We’re assuming we’ll get some help from Martin.”

Overall, Bertman said LSU’s coaching search continues to be in essentially a holding pattern. So far, no coaches from other schools have been contacted.

“We have to wait until after the season, of course, when the last games are played for us to speak to that particular coach,” Bertman said.