Torero Time: Special Report Steve Lavin Fired

Torero Time: Special Report, Steve Lavin Fired 

    From the clouds on Wednesday afternoon the University of San Diego Athletic Director Kimya Massey did the right thing in firing head coach Steve Lavin from. After four season of leading the Toreros, Lavin had a record of 46-79 and an 18-47 record in conference play. After a promising sophomore year in 2023-2024 where the team finished 5th in the WCC, his sharp decline last season and lack of ability to compete regularly this season has hurt his standing with the fans and the University. This last off-season the USD Athletic Department made serious strides to upgrade both programs facilities and boost their ability to compete in the NIL space. The expectations of the former UCLA and St. Johns coach were to bring stability to the program through leadership and that his past success as an experienced head coach of major college basketball programs would lead to the Toreros competing against the top of the conference. Those expectations were not met. Though early on in the season this year Lavin and the Toreros competed with teams like Gonzaga and USC at the Jenny Craig, their general disfunction and lack of consistency have blurred and success this season. It seems clear that Lavin's ability to manage asset acquisitions for the Toreros basketball program is not up to par with the investment the school and donors have put forth. This seasons highs (Shocking UC San Diego on the road) weren't enough to save him as the end of the season and eventual transfer window draw near. Looking forward to seeing ol' Steve back on the broadcast desk next to Tom Crean. 

Now the fun part, looking forward for the Toreros and this momentous off-season! Who can the Toreros go get right now to make an impact on the next chapter of Toreros basketball and WCC basketball. The new landscape of Gods conference opens the door to power vacuum in basketball as Gonzaga leaves for Pacific pastures. Torero Athletics' in the NIL space make this a more attractive job than one may think, but the right hire is all that matters. Just in the last hour or so I had a few names come to mind but immediately I would love to see Andy Newman in that sweet Torero blue. Newman is in year three at CSUN having a rougher go at it this season (10-8 so far) than the previous two but still successful and a regular thorn in the side of the top of the Big West. Last season however, the Matadors quietly finished 3rd in a stacked Big West with 22 wins and a NIT appearance. Newman runs one of the highest tempo teams in the nation (#5 using KenPom) and has an energy filled team that has been able to pressure their opponents through relentless offensive pressure. Newman transitioning to a program like USD that has better funding and facilities seems like a logical next step for him, but may be a risk on the Toreros end. His lack of D1 experience (only 4 total seasons) may scare some. His tempo approach to the game help bridge the talent gap the Toreros often face, but has shown growth over the last 2 seasons that he is able to adapt with the turnover that comes with the sport now. What I do not think they can do is go back to a power conference cast off, the past resume is not as important as it once was as the landscape of college athletics has changed dramatically. I'll list below a few more names that are possible that I think could be good fits for the Toreros moving forward. These guys have shown stability in the lower ranks and have experienced success at their level. 

Grant Leonard - Queens University HC

Jase Coburn - Portland State HC

Chris Mudge - Sam Houston State HC

Rod Strickland - LIU HC