Boston College Basketball Coaching Search: Syracuse Assistant Mike Hopkins Reportedly In The Mix

Syracuse.com is reporting that ajerseyguy.com's Mark Blaudschun is reporting that long-time Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins could be in the mix for the vacant Boston College basketball head coaching position.

Syracuse University assistant coach Mike Hopkins could be at the top of Boston College's list of candidates in its coaching search if the school can't come to terms with Harvard head coach Tommy Amaker.

According to Mark Blaudschun of ajerseyguy.com, Boston College officials have yet to reach an agreement with Amaker, who had been considered the obvious choice to replace Steve Donahue, who was fired last week after four years at BC.

Blaudschun said that Hopkins and Towson head coach Pat Skerry could be at the top of Boston College's secondary list.

A source confirmed to Syracuse.com that Hopkins could become a candidate at Boston College, but the school has yet to contact the long-time Syracuse assistant.

This is how Shaka Smart-to-Marquette rumors start, people.

Mind you, this is the same guy who has penned the following over the past week while "covering" the Boston College men's basketball coaching search:

-- "And Amaker is a much better coach now than he was 10 years ago or even five years ago when he was giving Harvard its first booster shot in basketball."

-- "Other than Amaker, Skinner sounds like a perfect candidate to coach the Eagles. That won't happen-although BC officials might be surprised at the answer they receive if they asked Skinner about it."

-- "Should be a no brainer, should be a done deal as soon as Harvard ends its season...but...if something happens, here's a list."

-- "Can there be any doubt anymore about what Boston College should do, must do? The only uncertainty for Eagles' athletic director Brad Bate should be when he can officially seal the deal to make Harvard's Tommy Amaker the Eagles' next basketball coach."

-- "There would be other options for Bates, if a deal with Amaker can not be made, including former UCLA coach Ben Howland, who guided the Bruins to three consecutive Final Fours. But if BC wants to get into the mix of the ACC, Amaker remains the best option."

-- "In terms of pop, the only two names that would generate both excitement and anticipation mixed with accomplishment at BC are Harvard's Tommy Amaker and former UCLA and Pittsburgh coach Ben Howland."

-- "Anyone who has watched Harvard basketball the past few years, the past months and the past few days, knows that the Amaker should be the first and only choice. There is no need for any vetting process. There is no need to look at a list, talk to other people."

-- "Hiring someone like a Tommy Amaker would be a start. But if Amaker is smart-and he is-he will not come without reassurances that things at The Heights will change, that the support to succeed will be there when it is necessary.
Whether this happens or not remains to be seen. T"

-- "Such a move, coupled with the word that as of Monday afternoon all was still quiet about contact with Harvard, would suggest that BC is not making Harvard coach Tommy Amaker its primary choice. Things could change rapidly in the next few days, especially if Fogler puts Amaker at the top of HIS List."

-- "[Amaker] felt that he was beyond the point of auditioning. If you wanted him, offer him the job. If you didn't want him, don't bother calling. He did that when he was hired by Seton Hall. He did that when he was hired by Michigan. He did that when Harvard hired him seven years ago."

-- "The longer there is no word on whether Harvard Coach Tommy Amaker will make the move across the Charles River to Boston College, the question grows about who is at the Top of the Plan B list."

If the list of people that consider Amaker "the obvious choice to replace Steve Donahue" is greater than one, I would be ... surprised.

To all legitimate mainstream media outlets: Can we please stop acting like Blaudschun has any idea what is going on with Boston College's men's basketball coaching search? Please? He's averaged over an article a day pimping Amaker-to-BC, even going so far as to stipulate initial contract demands. 6 years, $10 million, right? The motive is fairly obvious to those paying even the slightest bit of attention.

Amaker may be in the mix for the BC job, but the only one who claims that he is BC's Plan A is Blaudschun. This is how you lose control of the narrative. This is how Smart-to-Marquette rumors start.

As for Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins, his name may or may not be on the list, but it was on a list.