CORAL GABLES — The University of Miami's search for a men's basketball coach enters its second week today with no signs the Hurricanes will speak to Kansas State's Frank Martin about the vacancy.
Martin, the 2010 Big 12 Coach of the Year and a Miami native, said Monday that he has not been contacted by UM officials even though he would listen to offers.
ESPN.com reported that UM acting athletic director Tony Hernandez and search committee chairman Paul DiMare were in Boston on Monday interviewing Harvard coach Tommy Amaker about replacing Frank Haith, who resigned last week to become coach at Missouri.
University of Alabama-Birmingham coach Mike Davis has also been cited in various reports as a top contender for the UM job. But, as of Monday morning, UM had not sought permission from UAB officials to speak with Davis, according to the Birmingham News.
The Hurricanes are looking for an athletic director, too.
The Miami Herald reported that UM spent Sunday interviewing candidates for that position, including California athletic director Sandy Barbour, Virginia Commonwealth athletic director Norwood Teague and Atlantic Coast Conference associate commissioner Michael Kelly.
Barbour said Monday, however, that she had not spoken to UM about the job.
"I am not a candidate to be athletic director at the University of Miami and categorically deny having interviewed for the position, as has been reported by some media outlets," Barbour said in a statement.
Hernandez, who is spearheading UM's search, is also in the running to become Miami's athletic director. He has been serving in an interim capacity since Kirby Hocutt left UM in early March to become Texas Tech's athletic director.
Hernandez said last week that hiring a basketball coach would continue "independent of where the athletic director search is at."
Hernandez hasn't spoken publicly since meeting with reporters last week to announce Haith's resignation.
Martin's name was one of the first to pop up in connection with the Hurricanes' vacancy. But according to a UM source familiar with the situation, Martin was informed last week through a third party that he was not being considered as a candidate .
Martin's told the Associated Press on Monday that the Hurricanes may have been turned off by a misunderstanding regarding his contract.
"Everyone's reporting that my salary is $1.55 million (annually)," Martin said. "Actually, my salary is $1.1 million.
"If I stayed the length of the (five-year) contract and I collect every bonus on the contract, it will average out to $1.55. And you know what? There is a chance that the University of Miami never called because they think I make $1.5 (million). There's a chance just because it was released at $1.55 (million) the University of Miami said, 'We can't call him. Why waste our time? We can't pay him.' "
But Martin could also be a victim of his controversial past. He was fired at Miami High for breaking rules that included recruiting Heat forward Udonis Haslem and fellow NBA player Steve Blake. Martin has also had to apologize for striking a player and has been criticized for his behavior on the bench.
UM has previously avoided coaching candidates with cloudy resumes . The school did not interview former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach in December after Randy Shannon was fired as football coach.
Leach expressed interest in the position, but UM was scared off by his past conduct. Leach was fired by Texas Tech in December 2009 for insubordination as the result of his alleged mistreatment of a player.
