After a memorable five-year run at Arkansas, Eric Musselman will depart for the head coaching position at USC, the program announced Thursday.
The move was first reported by CBS Sports college basketball insider Jon Rothstein.
“The last five years have been so special for my family and I,” Musselman wrote, in part, in a post to his X account. “They have been filled with so many moments that I will remember for the rest of my life. I hope this time gave you some special moments, too.”
Trojans athletics director Jennifer Cohen spoke highly of Musselman in the program’s official release announcing the hire.
“We were determined to find the best coach to champion the development of our student-athletes and elevate our men’s basketball program,” Cohen said. “His track record of building winning programs and his unwavering commitment to a culture of excellence make him the perfect fit for USC. Eric displays heart, boldness, resiliency, and everything that it means to be a Trojan.
“He inspires togetherness and will help build and grow the program’s connectivity within the Trojan community. As we move to the Big Ten and enter a new chapter for USC Men’s Basketball, there is no better fit than Eric Musselman to launch our program to new heights.”
Musselman becomes the first men’s basketball head coach to leave Arkansas at his own volition since Eddie Sutton took the Kentucky job in 1985.
“A national search for the next leader of our men’s basketball program has begun,” Razorbacks AD Hunter Yurachek wrote in a post to his X account.
Musselman finishes his tenure in Fayetteville with a 111-59 overall record, which includes a pair of Elite Eights and an additional run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
After winning 20 games in the covid-shortened 2019-20 season, Musselman orchestrated a 25-7 campaign the following year and led the Razorbacks past the opening weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1996.
Arkansas defeated Colgate, Texas Tech and Oral Roberts before falling to eventual national champion Baylor in the Elite Eight.
Musselman’s Hogs doubled down in 2021-22 with another stellar season, winning 28 games and knocking off top overall seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 prior to falling against Duke and coming up just short of an elusive trip to the Final Four.
Arkansas had an injury-riddled 2022-23 campaign but ultimately earned an 8-seed and snuck past Illinois and defending national champion Kansas to advance to a third consecutive Sweet 16.
Last season was a disappointing one for an Arkansas program that entered the year ranked inside the top 15 of The Associated Press Top 25 poll.
The Hogs finished 16-17 overall – the first losing season since 2009-10 – and their 6-12 mark in SEC play was good for 12th in the league standings. It was the first of Musselman’s nine seasons as a college head coach that his team did not win at least 20 games.
Musselman has put 11 players in the NBA Draft since 2019, boasted a pair of top 10 high school recruiting classes, signed four McDonald’s All-Americans and is regarded as one of the country’s most feared transfer portal recruiters.
He did some good in the past but this year was nothing if not a dumpster fire. No accountability. Blaming the players when he recruited them (running off talented sophomores who wanted to be here and splitting up twin brothers to do it), he coached them, and he game-planned for them. The buck stops anywhere but with him. Bye, Felecia.
I’m yet to see Coach Muss develope high school players into NBA caliber players…
All of his players come with predeveloped from other programs…Congrats on your new challenge.. good luck…