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Eric Musselman Makes Arkansas AD Look Very Foolish By Bolting For USC

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Eric Musselman walks off the court at an Arkansas basketball game.

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Eric Musselman is reported to be the next head basketball coach at the University of Southern California. Previously at Arkansas, it was a move many expected to happen after Musselman set up an interview in Los Angeles earlier this week.

One man potentially surprised by the departure is Razorbacks AD Hunter Yurachek. In fact, he posted a video insinuating a return to Fayetteville was imminent.

Noise surrounding Musselman’s interest in the USC job grew when former Trojans leader Andy Enfield bolted for SMU. After leading the Hogs to a pair of Elite Eight appearances and a Sweet 16 over the last four seasons, he quickly became a top target for Southern Cal.

Given Musselman’s California ties, having played his college ball at San Diego while also coaching the Warriors and Kings in the NBA, most believed the recent interview to be nothing more than a formality.

On Thursday, they got their confirmation.

Now, Musselman will have the task of convincing Bronny James to stay in LA after entering the transfer portal earlier this offseason. He’s coached against his father, LeBron, in the league. Will that familiarity impact a decision?

To be determined…

As for Arkansas, a coaching search must now get underway.

While there are obvious targets in mind, most notably the head coach of an SEC rival whose potentially unsigned contract extension could play a part in negotiations, it’s not the place the athletic director wanted to find himself in this April.

Eric Musselman’s decision makes Hunter Yurachek look very foolish.

Just days before news of the head coach’s future move broke, the AD posted an edited video to his X timeline suggesting that Musselman was, in fact, returning to Arkansas.

It was a recreation of a previous post, though with a slight edit.

When asked about that clip, he said he was “just trying to have a little bit of fun.”

“That was a video that was recorded a few years ago… We edited it down… Coach Musselman, much to his success, has been rumored for multiple jobs that have been open this offseason.

“He’s still the basketball coach as we sit here today and record this podcast at the University of Arkansas… That video was just to kind of dispel some of the rumors, and say, ‘Hey, he’s still our basketball coach.'” 

-Hunter Yurachek

Eric Musselman was not aware that the video was being made.

With that being said, he is no longer the coach Arkansas coach despite Yurachek’s attempts to “dispel the rumors.”

Now, the Razorbacks are back at Step 1 in their search for a new hire.