Remember when LSU had Ben Simmons and failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament? Well the coach who was the architect of that disaster followed it up with an even worse 10-20 record this year, and is reportedly being relieved of his duties.
Johnny Jones has been coaching at LSU since 2012, and in October of 2014, signed an extension through 2019 which would have paid him $1.5 million per season. But the program will be eating the last two years of that botched deal as Jones will be fired after the Tigers exit the SEC Tournament, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
This year, LSU lost 15 consecutive games, setting a new program record for futility. Despite that, Jones still believed — for some reason — that his team could make the NCAA Tournament anyway.
The Tigers had turmoil off the court as well, as they dismissed forward Craig Victor during the season.
Jones was 90-71 during his five seasons at the helm, which is the fourth-most wins all-time in LSU basketball history, and the most by any coach in his first five years.
The 55-year-old played at LSU from 1980-84, including a Final Four appearance as a freshman, and spent 13 seasons as an assistant coach from 1984-97. He led the North Texas Mean Green to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his 11 years in Denton.
LSU will become the second SEC program — joining Missouri — to change their head basketball coach this year.