Arkansas Basketball: Dismissing Mike Anderson makes sense for the Razorbacks

After 8 consecutive winning seasons under coach Mike Anderson, the Arkansas Razorbacks will look for a new “head hog” to lead the program back to its’ first Sweet 16 appearance since 1996.

On Tuesday afternoon, athletic director Hunter Yurachek announced the dismissal of Arkansas Razorbacks basketball head coach Mike Anderson on the heels of an 18-16 season that ended with a loss to Indiana in the second round of the NIT.

Ironically, Anderson’s firing came on the 8 year anniversary of his hiring at Arkansas where he took over a program that had been in shambles for over a decade.  Anderson was an assistant under legendary coach Nolan Richardson at Arkansas and was a part of the program’s 1994 national championship team.

Many viewed his hiring as a homecoming of sorts.  After successful stints at UAB and Missouri, there was a popular belief amongst Razorback faithful that Mike Anderson was the answer for a program looking to restore a rich tradition of success.

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There is no doubt that Mike Anderson leaves the Arkansas Razorback basketball program in much better shape than he inherited it.  In 8 seasons, Anderson had a record of 169-102.  He never had a losing season at Arkansas, or anywhere for that matter.  He also led the Razorbacks to 3 NCAA Tournament berths and two NIT appearances during his tenure.

Make no mistake about it, Mike Anderson is one of the true “good guys” left in a business that is becoming more and more stained daily by scandal, particularly in the recruiting circles.  He has been a tremendous leader and ambassador for the Razorback basketball program and the University as a whole.

So, why let him go?

For everything that Mike Anderson did well at Arkansas, there has been a growing sense that he has plateaued and that the program was becoming stagnant and content.  One of the lures to Arkansas for coaches and recruits is a passionate fan base that can consistently put 16,000+ in Bud Walton Arena and is regarded as one of the toughest places to play in the country.

With that passion comes expectations.  In this case those expectations meant returning the program to national prominence, particularly a run into the Sweet 16.  Fair or not, Mike Anderson had expectations of being the next Nolan Richardson in Fayetteville.  While he made strides, he was never able to get over the hump and out of the first weekend in NCAA Tournament play.

This did not sit well for an Arkansas program with a rich tradition of success that has now seen every program in the SEC make a Sweet 16 appearance since the Razorbacks last did themselves.

Following last season’s opening round NCAA tournament loss to Butler, frustration began to build.  Many believed a veteran team that included standout guards such as Daryl Macon and Jaylen Barford as well as freshman phenom Daniel Gafford should have been the group to make a deeper run.

Anderson received a boost shortly after that with the surprising news that Gafford would forego the NBA Draft and return for his sophomore season.  That boost immediately took a hit when promising freshman wing Darious Hall and sharpshooter CJ Jones both abruptly announced their intent to transfer.  This eventually led to Arkansas entering the 18-19 campaign with one of the youngest teams in the country which included only one scholarship upperclassmen in junior reserve forward Adrio Bailey.

The Hogs received impressive contributions from young newcomers such as Isaiah Joe, Mason Jones, Desi Sills, and Reggie Chaney, but fans had a hard time giving Anderson much of a break with what appeared to be a “rebuild” in year eight of his tenure.  Despite having a projected first round draft pick in Gafford, Arkansas finished a disappointing 18-16 and missed out on a third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

It was no surprise that Gafford declared for the draft following the season, but it is surprising that no replacement for the uber-talented big man is committed and scheduled to replace him next season.  In fact, aside from guard Justice Hill who enrolled in January, the Hogs have no commitments in place for next season or in a loaded in-state 2020 class.  This left administration and fans wondering what the plan was for improvement moving forward.

The Razorbacks have consistently missed out on top in-state talent during Anderson’s tenure: KeVaughn Allen (Florida), Malik Monk (Kentucky), Isaac McBride (Kansas) to name a few.  In order to build a foundation of success, a program like Arkansas must start by locking down its own borders.

Combine that with a changing landscape in a now rugged SEC, and it is understandable why Yurachek decided to pull the trigger now.  Local ESPN radio host John Nabors is one that consistently points out that it is hard to ignore the quick success of in-conference coaches, mainly Bruce Pearl and Rick Barnes, who have turned things around in a short time at their respective schools.

Additionally, other SEC schools such as Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, and Alabama have dismissed their coaches who have had similar or greater success compared to what Anderson has produced at Arkansas.

Mike Anderson has done a commendable job at Arkansas.  At the end of the day, “commendable” does not match the expectations of a fan base and administration starved for a return to the glory days.  It is unfair to say that the embattled coach has worn out his welcome on “The Hill”, but there is an undeniable vibe that the program has started to become stagnant under his tutelage.  There is no doubt Mike Anderson will land on his feet wherever he goes, and hopefully Arkansas can finally lock down the right coach to elevate the program to where it desires to be.