Report: Porter Moser, Oklahoma Agree to 6-Year Contract After Loyola-Chicago Run
Loyola University Chicago head coach Porter Moser is the next head coach at the University of Oklahoma, accepting the job Friday following the retirement of Lon Kruger. Matt Norlander of CBS Sports reported the deal is for six years.
The Ramblers reportedly offered Moser a ten-year deal to remain with the mid-major program but couldn't keep him from leaving for the Big 12.
In eight seasons at LUC, Moser compiled a 188-140 record, reached the Final Four in 2018 and went back to the Sweet Sixteen this year. The 52-year-old Illinois native moves onto his fourth head coaching job after previous stints at Illinois State (2003-2007) and Arkansas-Little Rock (2000-2003).
Moser is 293-241 overall as a head coach and built the Ramblers into a perennial contender in a Missouri Valley Conference known for elevating programs like Wichita State, Northern Iowa, Drake, Creighton and Bradley to the national stage.
At Oklahoma, Moser inherits a Sooners team that reached the NCAA tournament seven times in ten years with Kruger (195-128) at the helm. Reaching the tournament will now be the standard expectation for Moser, who will have to prove he's capable of recruiting top talent to Norman in order to meet expectations.
OU has produced a number of notable stars in recent years with Buddy Hield and Trae Young leading the way.
On a macro level, the Moser hire comes at a pivotal moment on the college basketball coaching carousel. Chris Beard just left Texas Tech for Texas, Kansas signed Bill Self to a lifetime contract, Indiana hired Mike Woodsen, and North Carolina has one of the most desirable jobs in the country open following Thursday's retirement of Roy Williams.
Loyola will now have to find Moser's replacement in a highly-competitive market.
Before Moser made the Ramblers relevant again in 2017-18, the program hadn't made the NCAA tournament since 1985. Building on Moser's tenure won't be easy.
