/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/30938641/20140313_st3_kkt_041.0.jpg)
No white smoke emanating from Conte Forum, so here are some actual updates on the men's basketball coaching carousel:
On Sunday, ESPN's Andy Katz reported that current Cal coach Mike Montgomery is meeting with AD Sandy Barbour today to discuss his future with the Golden Bears. No word on what Montgomery's decision may be, but reports indicate that retirement is a very viable option. Montgomery has had a long and successful coaching career, making head coaching stops at Montana, Stanford and Cal, as well as a brief stint as the Golden State Warriors head coach. His run at Stanford (393-167, .702) is largely considered the best run ever at the school.
Should Montgomery choose to retire, that would open up a fourth major conference job this offseason. Cal would join Boston College, Wake Forest and Washington State as major conference programs looking for a head coach. Just spitballin' here, but you have to think that if the Cal job becomes available, this becomes an attractive landing spot for Ben Howland or Mike Hopkins, both California natives.
Howland is originally from California and has already worked in the UC system. I'm sure he'd love to have a minimum of two chances a year to knock off the program that unceremoniously fired him after the 2013 season; one that made him the first coach in college basketball history (!) to get fired shortly after winning an outright conference title in a power conference.
Syracuse assistant Mike Hopkins also hails from California and nearly landed the USC gig last offseason before Dunk City's Andy Enfield parlayed Florida Gulf Coast's Sweet Sixteen appearance into the job. If Hopkins doesn't land the BC job, he could very well find a soft landing spot in another major conference closer to home.
Cal has reached out to a search firm to access potential replacements for Montgomery, the timing of which is important considering many coaches will congregate at this weekend's Final Four in Arlington.
In other coaching news, South Florida is set to hire Kentucky assistant Orlando Antigua as its next head coach. Like, for real this time. Pending a successful background check, of course.
South Florida will hire Kentucky assistant Orlando Antigua as its next head basketball coach, multiple sources told CBSSports.com.
A press conference is expected to occur on Tuesday afternoon.
Antigua has been on John Calipari's staff at Kentucky since 2009 and spent the prior season under Calipari at Memphis.
Antigua's deal is for five years.
Kentucky assistant Orlando Antigua will receive 5-year deal at USF, sources told @ESPN
— Brett McMurphy (@McMurphyESPN) March 31, 2014
Remaining job openings (14-15): Appalachian State, Boston College, Coppin State, Delaware State, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Jacksonville, Manhattan (?), Marquette, Marshall, Montana State, Southeastern Louisiana, Tennessee State, Wake Forest, Washington State