It’s been a time of speculation and swirling rumors for the Louisville men’s basketball program.
Second-year head coach Kenny Payne continues to deliver underwhelming results for the Cardinals — Sunday’s 22-point home romp over Pepperdine aside — and the popular belief is that it’s a matter of when, not if, Payne is removed from his post.
In less than two full seasons as U of L’s head coach, Payne has compiled a 9-34 overall record and a 2-19 mark in ACC games. This includes a 4-28 overall record last season, which set a record for the most defeats in one season in program history.
Payne’s tenure as head coach has featured embarrassing losses at home inside the KFC Yum! Center to the likes of NCAA Division II schools Lenoir-Rhyne and Kentucky Wesleyan (exhibitions), and to Bellarmine, Wright State, Lipscomb, Chattanooga, and Arkansas State in regular season contests.
Questions have and will continue to be asked about Payne’s future as head coach. Following Sunday’s win over Pepperdine, Payne said he’s recently had conversations with Louisville athletics director Josh Heard about how to take the U of L program “to the next level.”
“For me, I think it’s important that people understand that I am emotionally committed to this program,” Payne said.
All of this also begs the question of what Louisville basketball recruiting has looked like under Payne. And what effect would his dismissal have on current Louisville recruiting efforts.
