UNLV head coach Dave Rice has been offered the same position at the University of South Florida, a source confirmed to CBSSports.com on Friday.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal first reported the development. The deal on the table for Rice is five years at $1.2 million per year, according to the paper.
Rice, who just completed his third year with the Rebels, is 70-31 with two NCAA Tournament appearances. The 45-year-old UNLV graduate led the program to a 20-13 record in 2013-14, missing the postseason for the first time in his tenure. But the possibilities for next season are encouraging considering Rice has commitments from three elite recruits -- specifically Rashad Vaughn, Goodluck Okonoboh and Dwayne Morgan. Whether they would remain committed to the Rebels if Rice leaves is unclear. But the recruiting class is one obvious reason why UNLV officials might be willing to pay to keep Rice, because keeping Rice would mean keeping the recruiting class.
Earlier this week, a deal that would have brought Manhattan coach Steve Masiello to USF fell through when it was revealed Masiello did not complete his degree at the University of Kentucky, as his resume stated.
