Tubby's departure leaves Wildcats in flux

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A decade toiling under the glare of one of college basketball's most exacting spotlights was enough for Tubby Smith.

Now, Kentucky must find a way to restore the program's luster while replacing a highly respected coach who grew tired of the high expectations and ever-present grumblings.

Smith left for Minnesota on Thursday, despite a 263-83 record in 10 seasons that included a national title. His departure was greeted with glee by some on the school's campus. Several cars driving by Memorial Coliseum -- the team's practice gym -- honked their horns at reporters and gave the thumb's down signal.

Athletic director Mitch Barnhart's short list could include some of college basketball's biggest names, including Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Florida's Billy Donovan and Texas A&M's Billy Gillispie.

Whoever steps into the one of college basketball's most demanding jobs must work quickly to retain the nucleus of a team that went 22-12 and lost to Kansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Center Randolph Morris led the team with 16.1 points and 7.8 rebounds this season, playing with a consistency he lacked his first two seasons. But Morris might not stick around.

After the Kansas loss, Morris said he planned to return for his senior season, but he didn't rule out leaving the Wildcats. Morris already has flirted with the NBA Draft before.

He and the rest of Kentucky's players were not available for comment Thursday.

Smith's departure also leaves the school's incoming freshman class up in the air. Kentucky has heavily recruited highly touted forward Patrick Patterson, a teammate of O.J. Mayo's in Huntington, W. Va., and guard Jai Lucas of Houston, son of former NBA player and coach John Lucas. The two dynamic players would give the team a much-needed athletic boost. Neither player has committed to a school and might look elsewhere now that Smith is gone.

Barnhart said the coaching search will be "exhaustive, comprehensive and focused."

Some of that focus could fall on Donovan, who broke into coaching as an assistant coach for then-Kentucky coach Rick Pitino from 1989-1994 before leaving to coach Marshall.

Donovan's Florida team plays Butler on Friday in the NCAA's Sweet 16, and he had no immediate comment. Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley called any speculation about Donovan and Kentucky "highly inappropriate."

"Billy's trying to coach his team," Foley said. "He's trying to win a national championship, and we're trying to beat Butler."

Pitino, now the coach at Louisville, could not be reached for comment. He recently praised Smith's efforts for dealing with the pressure that comes with coaching the Wildcats.

Messages left for Izzo were not returned. Gillispie, coaching the Aggies against Memphis in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night, was not available for comment.

The ideal candidate will require a high tolerance for the scrutiny that comes with being the leader of the self-dubbed "Big Blue Nation." For years Smith seemed immune to the criticism, saying it was simply part of the job.

"There's a lot of pressure to win there (Kentucky)," said former Kentucky forward Chuck Hayes. "Maybe it was the best situation for him and his wife and his family. Maybe him and the AD had different outlooks on the season. Maybe it's just best for him."

What's best for the Wildcats will be bringing in a coach who can win right away. Kentucky hasn't been to the Final Four since Smith led the school to its seventh national title in 1998, Kentucky's longest drought between national semifinal appearances since the NCAA Tournament began.