Days after new deal, Josh Schertz interviewing elsewhere raises real questions

It’s fair to ask the question because the timing simply doesn’t add up. Just days after agreeing to a massive extension at Saint Louis, reports surfaced that Josh Schertz is interviewing for the NC State job. Not months later, after reflection. Not after a season reset. Immediately.

That’s where this starts to feel uncomfortable.

Schertz didn’t just sign a deal. He reinforced a message about stability, commitment, and building something in St. Louis. A program and a city that had fully bought into him. When a coach agrees to that kind of extension, it signals alignment from top to bottom.

Then, almost instantly, his name is tied to another job. That’s not normal timing, and it’s not great optics. It forces a fair question into the open.

Did he ever truly plan to stay?

The Saint Louis connection suddenly feels complicated

Spend even a short amount of time looking at Schertz’s public presence, and it’s clear how much he has leaned into St. Louis. He was at Opening Day supporting the Cardinals. He spent the night at a Blues game. He’s actively engaging with the city and its sports culture in a way that fans notice.

That matters.

It helped build the image of a coach who understood the assignment. Someone who wasn’t just coaching in St. Louis, but becoming part of it.

That’s why this situation lands differently.

Because this wasn’t a distant figure quietly doing his job. This was someone visibly embracing the city, strengthening that connection in real time. And now, almost as quickly, he’s reportedly exploring an exit.

You can’t sell authenticity one day and entertain leaving the next without people questioning how real it actually was.

This isn’t about NC State; it’s about timing and trust

To be clear, NC State is a high-level job with real appeal. Power conference resources, national visibility, and a bigger stage make it an understandable opportunity. No one would question the basketball logic if Schertz ultimately took that position.

But that’s not really what this situation is about.

This is about timing and trust.

Signing a six-year deal reportedly worth around $22 million sends a clear message to players, administrators, and fans that you’re invested. It says you’re not looking, that you’re committed to building something long-term.

When your name surfaces in another search almost immediately after that, it chips away at that message. Even if nothing ultimately happens, the perception has already shifted.

And perception matters in college athletics.

A career built on winning; and now a different kind of question

Josh Schertz has earned his reputation as a winner. A 451-130 career record speaks for itself. His run at Lincoln Memorial was dominant, with 11 straight 20-win seasons and multiple deep postseason runs. He revitalized Indiana State, leading the Sycamores to an NIT runner-up finish, and quickly turned Saint Louis into an Atlantic 10 contender.

That’s why his name is coming up in searches like this.

But this moment isn’t about X’s and O’s or offensive efficiency. It’s about something less tangible but just as important.

It’s about alignment. It’s about intent. It’s about whether the words match the actions.

Because when a coach signs an extension and immediately becomes part of another job search, it forces everyone involved to reconsider what that extension really meant.

Does he really want this job.... Or just the next one?

There’s another layer to this that can’t be ignored.

If Schertz is seriously considering NC State, he would be stepping into a situation that just came open under messy circumstances, following Will Wade’s exit. That raises a different kind of question.

Does he really want that job specifically, or is this simply about taking the next available step up, regardless of context?

Because those aren’t the same thing.

Taking over a program in transition, dealing with the aftermath of a sudden departure, and inheriting a situation you didn’t build comes with its own challenges. It’s not just a promotion. It’s a reset.

And fairly or not, it can feel like stepping into someone else’s situation rather than your own.

So what does Schertz really want?

That’s the question hanging over all of this now.

Does he want to build something long-term at Saint Louis, where he just secured a major commitment and has full buy-in from the program and city?

Or is this simply a stop along the way to something bigger?

There isn’t a wrong answer. Coaches move. Opportunities arise. That’s the reality of the sport.

But the way it happens matters. The timing matters.

And right now, it feels like Saint Louis might be learning that lesson in real time.

Because if you’re truly all in, you don’t look around this quickly.

And if you are looking, then maybe the commitment was never as firm as it seemed.