LSU announced Feb. 8 the dismissal of former coach John Brady. And nearly a month later, he is no longer looking for a job. Arkansas State hired Brady as the Indians’ next coach March 19. Former Arkansas State coach Dickey Nutt resigned Feb. 19 after finishing 10-20 this past season and losing in the first round of the Sun Belt conference tournament. “I think there’s an opportunity to win here,” Brady told The Associated Press. “I think there’s an opportunity to win the conference tournament. I think there’s an opportunity with the recruiting base here to get the kind of players that can do that in this league.” While Arkansas State looks to the future with its new coach, the hiring will benefit LSU financially. According to Brady’s contact with LSU, the University was required to pay Brady his $300,000 base salary for the three remaining years of his contract unless he found employment elsewhere. With Arkansas State’s hiring of Brady, LSU will now only pay him $200,000 – the difference of $300,000 and his new Arkansas State base salary of $100,000. LSU will pay Brady $200,000 for the next three years to honor the remainder of his contract. LSU interim coach and former Brady assistant Butch Pierre said he is happy his long-time friend found another job quickly. “I’m glad he had the opportunity to continue to be a head coach,” Pierre said. “I just want to congratulate him and wish him the best of luck, and I’m sure he’ll do a good job there.” Brady began at LSU in 1997 after the Tigers went 10-20 and lost in the first round of the Southeastern Conference tournament the previous season. In 10 and a half seasons at LSU, Brady led the Tigers to two SEC championships, four NCAA tournament berths and a 2006 Final Four appearance. But LSU was also on pace for its fifth last place SEC Western Division finish with Brady at the helm when Athletic Director Skip Bertman decided it was time for a change. Brady was not the only notable former SEC coach linked to Arkansas State’s coaching search. Arkansas State talked with former Arkansas Razorbacks’ coach Nolan Richardson in early March before Richardson withdrew his name from the search March 11. Richardson won the 1994 NCAA championship with Arkansas and brought the Razorbacks back to the championship game in 1995 before losing to UCLA. Richardson has spent the past year coaching the Mexican National team, but told the AP he is interested in another college coaching job. “I’ve got all the fire in the world in my belly,” Richardson said. “I’m looking for that fit.”
—-Contact Jerit Roser at [email protected]