KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports that Nebraska’s Tim Miles has been contacted by the University of New Mexico to be the Lobos’ next head basketball coach. According to KRQE, Florida Gulf Coast’s Joe Dooley has reportedly been interviewed while Miles and Georgia’s Mark Fox have been contacted.
Dooley was an assistant for New Mexico from 1999 to 2002, while Fox played for Eastern New Mexico. Miles main connection to New Mexico would be through associate head coach Chris Harriman, who left Nebraska for an assistant head coach position with the Lobos two years ago.
Other names reportedly interested in the New Mexico opening are Cal State Bakersfield’s Rod Barnes and Oregon assistant Tony Stubblefield.
New Mexico’s WisePies Arena is nicknamed “The Pit”, which is best known for the 1983 NCAA Final Four where Jim Valvano’s North Carolina State squad upset the Houston Cougars for the national championship. Now remodeled to hold 15,411 fans, Lobo fans have been proud to be a Top 25 team in attendance the last 50 years.
A move from Lincoln would be a step down for Miles, but could present him a soft landing from an increasingly uncomfortable position in Lincoln. While athletic director Shawn Eichorst has given Miles his support to return next season, the defection of forward Ed Morrow, Jr. has raised questions about the direction of the program.