Legendary Coach Jim Larranaga announced shocking retirement

Coral Gables, FL – Fans have been posting a lot of chatter on social media lately, calling for Miami Hurricanes Men’s Basketball Coach Larranaga to step down. Jim Larranaga did just that, as he announced his retirement on Thursday morning following recent talks with his inner circle.

Program downfall

A historical 2022-23 season saw the 29-8 Hurricanes go on a magical run to the Final Four. That season provided this program with much hope and ambition for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, those dreams of a March Madness title soon fizzled out.

The 2023-24 Hurricanes got off to a hot 11-2 start and were ranked as high as #8 in the nation. However, things took a turn for the worse when they lost their final 10 games of the season. As a result, eight players left to the transfer portal, leaving Coach L scrambling to put together a new roster.

Frustrations with player transfer and NIL

Jim Larranaga made his opinions about NIL and the transfer portal clear at his press conference. He was quoted as saying, “At this point, after 53 years, I just didn’t feel that I could successfully navigate this whole new world that I was dealing with…” He added,  “…because my conversations were ridiculous with an agent saying to me, ‘Well you can get involved [with a prospective player’] if you’re willing to go to $1.1 million,’ and that would be the norm.”

The direction of the current season was in doubt with injuries and new transfer players. Six new players joined the team via the transfer portal. Key transferee, Kriee Huie, sustained a hand injury during the off-season and was ruled out indefinitely. Standout guard, Nijel Pack, missed the last several games with a foot injury. As a result, the Canes have had an underwhelming season featuring two losses to Charleston Southern and Mount St. Mary’s.

Coach L’s legacy

Carrying five decades-long worth of coaching experience at the collegiate level is something worth recognizing. Jim Larranaga was an assistant at Davidson (1971-1976) as well as at Virginia from (1979-1986). His head coaching resume includes runs at American International (1977-1979), Bowling Green (1986-1997), and George Mason (1997-2011), where he also had a Final Four appearance in 2006.

Jim Larranaga will undoubtedly go down as the school’s most successful coach in program history. He held a 274-174 coaching record with the Hurricanes, which saw them make six NCAA Tournament appearances, including four Sweet 16 runs, and their first trips to the Elite Eight (2022) and Final Four (2023). Larranaga won ACC Coach of the Year twice in 2013 and 2016.

Regarded as one of Jim Larranaga’s best friends, associate Bill Courtney will take over as the interim coach for the remainder of the season. Although Larranaga won’t be at the helm from the Canes sidelines anymore, he made it clear, “It’s still all about The U.”