SMU expected to hire USC's Andy Enfield as next head coach, per report
As SMU transitions into the ACC, athletic director Rich Hart knew he needed to make a splashy hire for the men’s basketball program. His mission will likely be accomplished next week, with the Mustangs set to hire Andy Enfield as the program’s next head coach within a week, according to Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, SMU and USC have been working on details of a buyout, which has delayed the official announcement. A source from the Trojans also told Nakos that this move was not expected.
Enfield was previously at USC, spending the last 11 seasons in Los Angeles. He was set to move conferences with the Trojans too and become members of the Big Ten via the Pac-12. Instead, Enfield will be hoping to build SMU up and help them compete against some of the biggest brands in all of college basketball.
Rob Lanier was previously in charge on the Hilltop and got just two years. SMU did not make the NCAA Tournament on either occasion but there was some progression. This season saw a 10-win improvement compared to 2022-2023. Even so, SMU moved on from Lanier with the thought of hiring a well-known coach ahead of the ACC move.
SMU has made the Big Dance just twice since the turn of the century, both coming as members of the AAC. Larry Brown led the Mustangs there in 2016 after winning the regular season and conference championship. Two years later, Tim Jankovich did the same.
On both occasions, SMU was a six-seed but was a quick first-round exit. Ironically, the 2018 loss was to Enfield and USC, while Brown’s 2016 squad fell to UCLA.
Andy Enfield expected to leave USC after 11 years
SMU will be just the fourth job Enfield has had in college basketball, dating back to 2006. Enfield moved from the NBA to become a Florida State assistant, working under Leonard Hamilton for five seasons.
Florida Gulf Coast then came calling where Enfield produced one of the more memorable NCAA Tournament runs in recent times. The Eagles upset two-seed Georgetown and seven-seed San Diego State to make the Sweet Sixteen before the journey ended against Florida.
Not too long after, USC called and hired Enfield to restore the program and bring back consistent postseason play. The Trojans have made five NCAA Tournaments and an NIT in 11 seasons under Enfield. Had the event not been canceled in 2020, USC was expected to be an at-large team but was on the bubble.
Enfield had a career record of 4-5 in the NCAA Tournament while with the Trojans. However, three of those wins came in 2021 when USC made a run to the Elite Eight — just the fourth time the program had made that deep of a run.