Brian Dutcher when asked about the U: “I’m so focused on San Diego State right now that that doesn’t need to be in any of our heads.”

[BleedGopher]

per a column in the San Diego Union Tribune:

So, Montezuma Mesa nervously waits for the other sneaker to drop 1,525 miles away.

“I just told them in our first meeting, whenever anything happens at the University of Minnesota, my name’s going to come up because I went to school there and my dad coached there,” Dutcher said Monday, when asked about how he addresses the situation with a team preparing to open the Mountain West tournament Thursday.

“I’m so focused on San Diego State right now that that doesn’t need to be in any of our heads.”

On June 30, the current $6,925,000 cost for any school not named Minnesota drops to $5,745,000. A year later, it’s $4,415,000. A year later, it’s $3,010,000. A year later, it’s $1,530,000. As the dollars drop and fans begin to return, the athletic department money begins to flow anew.

But is this Minnesota thing scary? Right now? You bet.

Column: Should Aztecs fans be nervous about Brian Dutcher leaving?

University of Minnesota, which could part ways with coach Richard Pitino, full of connections for SDSU coach

www.sandiegouniontribune.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[MennoSota]

Dyslexic's of the world untie!

 

[EG#9]

This is probably more interesting than any supposed leak out of Minnesota/Coyle.

Dutcher's contract averages about 1.3 million a year, but it's not there yet. Minnesota could offer a deal averaging 2.5 that starts at what Pitino was scheduled to make (or slightly less). In the article when Dutcher signed his extension, the SDSU A.D. seemed to suggest they were at about the top end of what they could pay there. I would guess if Dutcher were to leave it would only be partly about the money though as Minnesota seems at worst to be intriguing to him and at best to be an aspirational job for him. He also has a Senior heavy roster at SDSU and would be looking at a bit of a rebuild in '21-22.

I think the talk of a coach in waiting to pair with Dutcher is a complete non-starter especially when it's someone who he has no prior relationship with. On his staff at SDSU he has David Velasquez who is very well regarded and viewed as a future head coach somewhere. If Dutcher was to come to Minnesota, Velasquez would likely be the frontrunner to take over at SDSU and if he doesn't get the job would have a spot waiting for him on Dutcher's bench here.

Of the non-Musselman names being mentioned, Dutcher would be the one that would win the press conference both nationally and locally given his recent success and Minnesota ties (not arguing that makes him the best or right choice).