With a month to go in the season, the task of filling the retiring Mike Brey’s job as Notre Dame coach isn’t urgent yet. However, one name already appears to be emerging as a front-runner. According to the Twitter handle Coaching Changes, Oklahoma coach Porter Moser is interested in the job, and Notre Dame reportedly is interested in return:
We are told Porter Moser is doing everything he can to get the Notre Dame job and that ND is equally interested.
This seems likely to occur and if so expect Grant McCasland and Paul Mills to get well earned long looks by OU.
Kellen Sampson could be very involved, too
— Coaching Changes (@CoachingChanges) February 7, 2023
Moser, in his second season with the Sooners, is no stranger to coaching at a Division I Catholic university. He spent 10 seasons at Loyola-Chicago, leading the program to a surprising Final Four run in 2018 and helping make Sister Jean a household name. His background alone has to have made him a candidate for at least some Irish fans. He is for us.
Before you get too excited though, Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune rightfully points out that Moser pulling up stakes would be costly for the Sooners. Still, Moser failing to replicate the success he had in Chicago thus far could give them cause to bite the bullet:
Worth monitoring, but also worth noting – Moser has four years remaining on original OU contract with a buyout of $9 million, which drops to $6 million on April 1
Hard to justify paying that, but OU might let that slide for someone who is 31-25, 9-17 in two seasons in Big 12. https://t.co/yfdBUfyrQt
— Tom Noie (@tnoieNDI) February 7, 2023
So basically, we have a long way to go before the Irish name Brey’s successor. Until then, we will continue to speculate. Don’t you just love coaching rumors a week into February?
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