Texas’ Shaka Smart is in talks with Marquette to become the next head coach of the Golden Eagles, sources told ESPN.
A transaction is expected to be imminent.
Smart, originally from Wisconsin, was head coach in Texas for six seasons. The Longhorns have competed in three NCAA tournaments under Smart, but have yet to win an NCAA tournament game with him in charge. They won the Big 12 Conference earlier this month, but were then upset by 14-seed Abilene Christian in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Smart has been in the hot seat of Austin for two years, but the pandemic probably saved him after the 2019-20 season. His acquisition after this season for Texas would have been about $ 7 million.
Prior to taking the lead in Texas, Smart coached VCU, leading the Rams to five consecutive NCAA appearances – including a final in the 2011 Final Four.
Smart would replace Steve Wojciechowski, who was fired earlier this month after seven seasons with the Golden Eagles.
Texas Tech coach Chris Beard is expected to be among Texas’ top targets. Beard left for Texas and was an assistant student for the Longhorns under Tom Penders. His acquisition to go to another Big 12 school drops to $ 4 million on April 1, sources told ESPN.