Marshall mum on USC job

COLUMBIA — Gregg Marshall very well might be interested in succeeding Dave Odom as South Carolina's basketball coach, but the first-year Wichita State and former Winthrop coach doesn't seem ready to talk about it anytime soon.

He said as much Monday afternoon in a release through his current school.

"My total focus is on building the Wichita State basketball program toward excellence," said Marshall, originally from Greenwood. "I have not been contacted by, nor have I contacted, the University of South Carolina or any school, for that matter, for any position. Period.

"Going forward, I do not plan to discuss any other job, position or situation other than the one I have, head basketball coach at Wichita State University."

Marshall's Shockers are currently a disappointing 8-10 overall and 1-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference, considered the best mid-major league in the country.

Marshall took Winthrop to seven NCAA appearances in nine seasons. Last year, Winthrop upset Notre Dame in the opening round before being ousted by third-seeded Oregon.

Virginia Commonwealth took Marshall's oath of silence one step further this past weekend by saying it wouldn't grant USC permission to speak with coach Anthony Grant until after the season.

Right now, Grant's Rams are 13-4 overall and 6-1 in the Colonial Athletic

Association. Last season, Grant's first at VCU after 10 years as an assistant at Florida, he took his team to the NCAA Tournament, where it upset Duke in the opening round.

Those are just a couple of names that have surfaced during the embryonic stages of the coaching search, which was kickstarted by Odom's announcement Friday that he'll retire effective April 1.

Odom, 65, is 123-94 in six-plus seasons at USC and 401-268 in 22 overall seasons that also included stops at East Carolina and Wake Forest.

The search to replace him is expected to begin in earnest this week for USC athletic director Eric Hyman. Hyman declined all questions Friday about the search, saying it was "Dave's day."

Hyman is expected to meet with the media later in the week to discuss the process.

Other names that are bound to surface, in some capacity, are Kent State coach Jim Christian; UMass coach and former Kentucky guard Travis Ford; and Miami coach Frank Haith, a former Wake assistant under Odom.

Monday was Odom's first appearance on the SEC coaches' teleconference since his decision. He again talked at length about the dearth of fan support in the Colonial Center and how that played a part in the timing of his announcement.

The Gamecocks (9-8, 1-2 SEC), coming off last week's upset at Arkansas, host Florida on Wednesday night.

"The fans I felt like were in limbo, along with maybe our team, in terms of if I was going to be coaching next year," Odom said. "I thought there was more attention focused on me and my status than there should be.

"By announcing my intentions to retire I have asked our fans to now take all of their energy and generate it toward encouraging our team, supporting our team. Our team deserves that."

Odom said he thinks the team was initially caught off guard by his decision, but that the players responded well in practice.

"I think they'll be fine," Odom said. "Obviously they're going to have a good coach here next year. Eric Hyman is going to take care of that."

The conference call also brought the opportunity for Odom's peers to praise the outgoing coach, regarded by most as a gentleman in the game.

Florida coach Billy Donovan relayed the anecdote of Odom dropping off handwritten, well-wishing notes to Donovan before the Gators' appearances in the past two Final Fours. UF won the national title each year.

"Maybe the greatest compliment I could give coach would be if my son were ever good enough to play at a place like South Carolina, or in the SEC," Donovan said, "I'd want him to play for a guy like Dave Odom. ... I just hope he's happy."

One person who wasn't happy about how some fans had recently treated Odom was former USC point guard Tre Kelley.

Kelley, now playing in Europe, credited Odom with instilling confidence in him after a tragically rough upbringing in Washington, D.C.

"Who will they get to replace him?" Kelley said in an e-mail to USC. "Dean Smith is retired. Red Auerbach is dead. You won't find a guy better or a staff better. He is one of the greatest coaches alive."

Kelley was an All-SEC selection and the leading scorer on last season's team that finished 4-12 in the SEC, Odom's worst conference record in six seasons at USC.

"I heard some fans booed him at the Tennessee game," Kelley said. "That is a disgrace to the university and to him. ... He didn't deserve to be treated like that. Right now, I wish I had taken a medical redshirt so I could be there right now."

Reach Travis Haney at thaney@postandcourier.com.