After two disastrous seasons at Louisville, Kenny Payne has been fired. The Cardinals went 12-52 during Payne’s tenure and only won 5 games in the ACC. With a great fanbase, state-of-the-art arena, and deep NIL pockets, the Louisville head coach position is one of the most coveted jobs in the country. The only question left is who?
Four Names Rumored to Be the Next Louisville Head Coach
Mick Cronin
One of the names most heavily linked to the position is Mick Cronin. Despite having a disappointing season this year, Cronin has had a pretty strong tenure at UCLA. During his time in Westwood, the Bruins have won the PAC-12, made the final four, and appeared in three NCAA tournaments.
After being out west for a few years, Cronin may want to return home as he is a Cincinnati native and he has coached in the area at Murray State and his alma mater Cincinnati. Cronin also has experience at Louisville where he was an assistant under Rick Pitino for two years. There is a pretty good chance that Mick Cronin will be the next Louisville head coach.
Will Wade
Despite not having much connection to the program or the area, Will Wade is someone to watch for the Louisville head coach position. Wade was on the track for stardom at LSU. He had made three NCAA tournaments and a Sweet Sixteen. However, he was caught by the FBI for offering a recruit payment to play at LSU. While Louisville might not want controversy in its program, many are disregarding Wade’s firing after the rise of NIL.
Wade now coaches at McNese State where has led the Cowboys to a 30-3 record, and both a conference regular season and tournament victory. He also won coach of the year for the Southland Conference. Although it has been a few years since Wade coached a high-major program, he will certainly be a candidate to be the next head coach at Louisville.
Scott Drew
An interesting name that has been rumored to be the Louisville head coach is Scott Drew. He has been at Baylor for 20 years and has turned down offers to leave before. But, the basketball donors at Louisville have deep pockets and may want to make a big splash. Drew has a decorated career in Waco, he has multiple conference championships and won a national championship in 2021.
Drew is currently the odds-on favorite for the job. His hiring would send immediate shockwaves around the country as Lousiville would instantly become one of the best teams in the country. However, there is not much indication that Drew would take the job, but it seems clear that he is the pick if he wants it.
Josh Schertz
If Louisville opts to hire an up-and-comer instead of a well-established coach, look at Josh Schertz from Indiana State. Schertz has had two great seasons at Indiana State where he has won nearly fifty games over the past two seasons. The Sycamores have an elite offense, which is currently ranked 23rd in the country according to Kenpom.
However, he does have no experience at a high-major school, which could be a problem for Louisville fans. He is a good coach but may not be well-received as most fans and boosters likely want a big-name hire.
