Earlier this week, video of Kevin Stallings attempting to break his clipboard during a huddle surfaced and, immediately, jokes began to fly about the former Vanderbilt head coach. After all, Stallings had very little success at Pittsburgh over two seasons and it was oddly fitting that the incident occurred during the team’s final game of the campaign.
On Thursday, though, another reminder of Stallings’ lack of accomplishment with the Panthers came to be and, this time, it cost him his job.
Pitt has parted ways with Kevin Stallings, per a source.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 8, 2018
Kevin Stallings is out at Pittsburgh, sources confirmed. But the two sides are still negotiating on terms.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 8, 2018
As reported by multiple outlets, Stallings will be looking for work and Pittsburgh will be in search of a new basketball coach just two seasons after hiring Stallings to replace Jamie Dixon. Prior to final word emerging that Stallings would be on his way out, buzz came to light that there was a brewing battle over his buyout and, as noted above, that discussion appears to be ongoing, even after Stallings was shown the door.
I’m told Kevin Stallings has informed them he will not accept the reduced buyout of about $7.5M that Pitt boosters had hoped he would. He wants $9.4M and it is headed for a showdown — or most likely Pitt paying the whole thing to part with him.
— Colin Dunlap (@colin_dunlap) March 7, 2018
In two seasons at Pittsburgh, Stallings compiled a dismal 24-41 record and, after a 4-14 mark in ACC play during the 2016-2017 campaign, the Panthers went winless in conference during what became Stallings’ final season on the sideline. As if that wasn’t ugly enough, Pittsburgh currently ranks at No. 227 in the country on KenPom and, for a team in the ACC, that is virtually unthinkable.
Prior to Stallings’ arrival, Pittsburgh garnered at least 19 victories in 16 consecutive seasons and the fall has been swift. His firing isn’t a shock as a result but, in the same breath, it has to be noted that it took extreme circumstances to come to this point and, at the moment, there is still something short of finality given that the buyout looms.
