VCU Rams' Shaka Smart Would Be Not So Smart To Take Gig As Texas Basketball Coach

Imagine that you’re VCU Rams head coach Shaka Smart.

You’re happy with your job. You’re doing something you love in a city that loves you and succeeding at it year-in and year-out. You’re one of the most recognized names in your field, despite legends like Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, Jim Boeheim still in the business.

Oh, and don’t forget, you’re making around $1.6 million a year.

This year, like every year, a big-name school offering big-time money comes calling. They’re expected to offer nearly double your already hefty salary, and the school participates in one of the most respected conferences in college basketball. Recruiting would be easier, making the NCAA tournament would be easier and your life as a coach, at least initially, would be much less stressful.

Seems like a simple decision, right?

However, Smart would be – apologies for the pun – smart to look at the big picture when it comes to deciding on whether or not he should take the Texas Longhorns‘ coaching job. In fact, Smart might be making a huge mistake by taking the job.

Former Texas and now current Tennessee Volunteers coach Rick Barnes went to 16 NCAA tournaments in 17 years, five Sweet 16s and a Final Four and they fired him. Texas has only been to three Final Fours in its history and gone to the NCAA tournament 31 times. Barnes held more than half of the team’s trips to the NCAA tournament in school history, and they fired him.

Do you know how many schools in the country would kill to have just half of the success that Barnes was able to achieve? Smart would be insane to take a job in an environment like that, no matter the money.

Texas suffers from the same problem as the UCLA Bruins. Their expectations for themselves are far too high. UCLA’s Steve Alford made the Sweet 16 with a mediocre team and the fanbase is still unhappy with him. The difference between UCLA and Texas, however, is that the Bruins actually have a past with the highest standard possible due to John Wooden’s legendary run. Texas? No such thing.

“But it’s Texas, they’re supposed to win.” That’s worked out for their football team pretty well the past few seasons and, if you compare the players who have come into their football program and underperformed with the players who have come into the basketball program and underperformed, it seems that maybe a common variable might be involved in the failure of these players.

So Smart may end up taking the Texas job; he’s reportedly taking a tour of the university very soon. He may have success with the Longhorns and go down as one of the greatest coaching hires in college basketball history. Who knows, he might go to the Final Four next season, because he is legitimately one of the best basketball coaches in the country.

However, he’s built something at VCU – something that will continue to grow and continue to last. Smart will never have an opportunity to do what he’s done and is still doing at VCU if he leaves, and throwing that away for Texas could be the biggest mistake he makes in his entire life.

Taylor Sturm is a Featured Basketball Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TSturmRS, like him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.