Eric Musselman pens heartfelt goodbye to Arkansas after taking USC job
After five seasons, Eric Musselman is leaving Arkansas to become the next head coach at USC. He will be replacing Andy Enfield, who also left in favor of the SMU Mustangs. A great pickup for the Trojans entering their inaugural season in the Big Ten.
Musselman penned a heartfelt goodbye to Arkansas shortly after his hire was made official by USC. Thanking everyone involved with the program, Musselman spoke on behalf of his family. A lot of “special moments” occurred while in Fayetteville and it’s something Musselman will never forget.
“From the moment my family and I stepped into this state and onto this beautiful campus, you have welcomed us and made us feel at home,” Musselman said.
“The last five years have been so special for my family and I. 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.
“Thank you, Razorback fans. You are among the most passionate, knowledgeable, and dedicated in the country.
“We would like to thank Hunter Yurachek, the entire athletic department, the student-athletes, student body, and alumni for their unwavering support and energy.”
While the 2023-2024 season did not go how Musselman planned, he still had an immense amount of success at Arkansas. In three NCAA Tournament appearances, all of them went into the second weekend. Two Elite Eights and a Sweet Sixteen are on the resume.
Musselman’s regular season record was quite good as well. He finished 111-59 while at Arkansas and 47-42 against SEC foes. No conference championships came back home but that’s an easy tradeoff for NCAA Tournament success.
Eric Musselman hoping to translate success at USC
Enfield spent 11 seasons at USC and made the NCAA Tournament on five occasions. All but two were losses in the first round, with the 2021 run ending in the Elite Eight. A greater level of success, especially heading into the Big Ten, is wanted in Los Angeles.
Musselman now comes in with a whole bunch of postseason wins under his belt. The Big Ten is much more of a basketball conference than the Pac-12. Plenty of pros and cons are there but Musselman will expect to win games early and often with the Trojans.