MTSU coach Kermit Davis leaving for Ole Miss
MURFREESBORO — After 16 seasons, the Kermit Davis era is over at Middle Tennessee.
The program's all-time winningest coach, Davis is leaving the MTSU men's basketball team to take over as coach at Ole Miss, the school announced Thursday morning. Davis, who led the Blue Raiders to a second straight Conference USA regular-season title this season, has compiled a record of 332-187 since first arriving in Murfreesboro in 2002.
"It’s a bittersweet time for me," Davis said. "Sixteen years in Murfreesboro and a lot of sweat equity right here in this locker room . ... There’s been hundreds of guys that have sat right here in front of me that have kind of made this whole thing possible. It’s been the best 16 years Betty and I have ever spent. Got to raise our two daughters in this wonderful city. Obviously we’ve got a special needs daughter, Ally, and the whole city of Murfreesboro helped raise her into the lady she is today, and that’s meant so much to us.
"I have a president whose been my same president for 16 years. Dr. (Sidney) McPhee. Not many people can say that. He’s my boss but he’s a great friend. I’ve worked for two great athletic directors, (Boots) Donnelly, Chris Massaro, also guys that are my bosses but are great, great friends. There’s a lot of people to thank. The fanbase, just my pals, former players, assistant coaches, support staff who have just done so many wonderful things for us."
A national search is under way to find Davis' replacement. MTSU will retain a search firm to assist in the process.
"As we turn the page, being the head basketball coach at Middle Tennessee is a very attractive job and will draw interest from top-notch candidates because of the work Kermit and his staff have done the past 16 years," Massaro said in a school release. "We will name someone who will continue to build on the national brand that has been created for Blue Raider basketball."
Davis will continue to coach MTSU in the NIT. The Blue Raiders play at Louisville in the second round on Sunday.
Reports concerning Davis, 58, and Ole Miss began when former Rebels coach Andy Kennedy announced on Feb. 12 he was stepping down. A Leakesville native and Mississippi State grad, Davis has natural ties to Mississippi, with much of his family — including his parents and siblings — still living in the state.
"I would have only left Middle Tennessee for just this kind of special opportunity at a prestigious place like Ole Miss, to go back home and to coach in the SEC," Davis said.
The top-seeded Blue Raiders took an early exit at the Conference USA tournament on March 8 after being upset by ninth-seeded Southern Miss. MTSU had put together a worthy NCAA tournament résumé, only to be snubbed in favor of Power Five programs.
Davis said that he met with Massaro and MTSU president Sidney McPhee on Sunday and informed them about his decision to leave — before the NCAA tournament selection show in which MTSU was snubbed.
"It wasn’t like all of a sudden we didn’t get in and I said, ‘Yeah, I’m going to Ole Miss.’ That was not it. But that does carry over throughout the years," Davis said. "Was it a thought of maybe eight bids in the SEC versus fighting like heck for two bids in Conference USA? Maybe overall."
Davis had agreed to a new contract with MTSU in March 2017. The deal ran through 2024 and put Davis at a $750,000 total salary ($575,000 base, $175,000 in TV and radio obligations). Per his contract, he owes MTSU a $700,000 buyout for leaving before the end of the agreement.
"We take great pride in the hard work and enormous contributions by Coach Davis toward the progress and success of our university," McPhee said in a school release. "He has led student-athletes to victory on the court and in the classroom. He has raised the national profile and brand of our university.
"Kermit is my friend and Liz and I treasure the relationship we have with his family and him. While I wish he was staying at MTSU, and we worked hard to keep him here, including putting forward a significant counter-offer. Nevertheless, we all wish him the best in his move to his native Mississippi and thank him for the tremendous impact he has had at our university and in our community."
Davis has led MTSU to three NCAA tournament appearances, more than any other in program history. MTSU earned its first Associated Press Top 25 ranking this season, a year after being ranked in the USA Today Coaches Poll for the first time.
"I've really enjoyed playing and learning from him, and I wish him the best," senior guard Giddy Potts said. "He is an incredible coach and person, and we are all happy for him to have such a great opportunity back in his home state with his family."
In front of nearly 9,000 fans, MTSU defeated Ole Miss by 19 points at Murphy Center earlier this season after winning by 15 in Oxford last year. Davis went 4-1 against Ole Miss since the 201112 season.
Davis said leaving the place he has called home for 16 years is a bit surreal.
"Even just thinking about it coming to the game on Tuesday, just driving to the arena," He said. "I told my guys today, 'I’ve been in that locker room for 16 years, and it’s gotten a lot nicer than it was when I was here 16 years ago, but there have been hundreds of guys who have sat there.' You be at a place as much as Betty and I love this place, just with the city and your community, and just the working relationship I have with Dr. McPhee and Chris — they’re my bosses but they’re good friends, and that’s meant a lot to me — it's tough.
"They’ll be tears but there’ll be some happy faces and I know our family, after we’re all through with the basketball here, we’ll look forward to getting down there. We’ll miss old friends, but try to make new ones."