Mark Gottfried: N.C. State Finds Its Coach

After a long and strenuous search, it looks as though North Carolina State basketball has finally found their new head coach.

Mark Gottfried, the former Alabama head coach, will head to NC State after spending a year working for ESPN.

Gottfried will take over an NC State team that has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2006.

Gottfried was certainly not North Carolina State’s priority, as the head coaching position was offered, but never taken, to a few coaches around the country. Gottfried was hired the day after VCU coach Shaka Smart declined the NC State position to stay with his Final Four Rams.

Wichita State’s Gregg Marshall and Arizona’s Sean Miller were also candidates for the job, but declined, staying at their respective universities.

Gottfried last coached at the University of Alabama for nine years, where he led the Crimson Tide to five NCAA tournament bids, reaching the Elite Eight in 2004. He compiled a record of 210-132 while at Alabama, but a mediocre 84-83 record in conference play.

Prior to coaching at Alabama, he coached the Murray State Racers for three seasons, winning the Ohio Valley conference in every season and receiving two bids to the NCAA Tournament.

He was an assistant coach under UCLA’s Jim Harrick for some time before taking the Murray State job.

Gottfried resigned his position at Alabama under somewhat controversial terms. After the departure of star player Ronald Steele, Gottfried left his post during what had become a down year for Alabama, at the surprise of many of his players.

Sources say that Gottfried will make $1.2 million a year for five years.