Kenny Payne not concerned about his future at Louisville

After one truly disastrous season and an abysmal start to year No. 2, Louisville basketball coach Kenny Payne’s seat couldn’t be hotter, but he’s not feeling the heat.

Many Cardinal fans called for Coach Payne’s firing last spring, when the first team under his watch turned in, by all accounts, the worst season in the history of the program, winning four games while losing 28. Seeing as 2023 was just his first season and Payne is a beloved alumni of the program with strong internal support, a second year was never really in question.

However, year two is off to just as bad a start as year one on the court. Then there’s drama off the court, too, as one player missed a game for not having the correct tights, while another player was just dismissed from the team after refuting the school’s own statement that he was transferring.

Later that night, this past Wednesday, Louisville lost to Arkansas State, their third straight defeat to drop to 4-6. The dismissed player, Koron Davis, watched that game from the stands. Afterwards, Kenny Payne was asked if he’s starting to fear for his job and answered that no, he doesn’t really consider that sort of thing.

“No, not really. If I live my life and not be be true to myself, then I probably would. I live my life in faith. I live my life knowing that — to be honest with you, am I doing right by the young people?”

Payne went on to explain that he ultimately cares about doing right by the young people on his roster, which he believes he has with this group.

“Every single day, I question that. And what I mean by question it: When the day is over, did I cheat Skyy Clark? Nine out of ten days the answer is no. Have I cheated Tre White? No. Did I cheat Brandon (Huntley-Hatfield)? No.”

With that assurance in mind, Payne lets the rumors and the clutter around the program bounce off of him.

“I live my life that way, not worrying about the outside.”

That’s a nice outlook to have, since the Louisville head coach is staring at what are likely to be a very bleak few months for him and the program. With certain financial motivations in play, who knows whether Louisville pulls the trigger on Payne’s firing now or at the end of the year. But either way, the move feels completely inevitable.

You just can’t have a 4-28 basketball season at a historic powerhouse like Louisville, first of all. And second, the start to this season is unacceptable, too, featuring the following results barely a month in: a loss to Chattanooga at home by 10, a loss vs. 1-7 DePaul and then a loss back at home vs. Arkansas State, who scored their first power conference victory in nine seasons vs. the Cards.

Despite his own lack of attention on the issue, Kenny Payne’s job security certainly does not appear to be in a good spot.