Let's Make a Deal: Anderson Joins Brey With Security Into Next Decade
Mike Brey has come a long way in college basketball since commencing his playing career by averaging 5 points per game with Northwestern State (Natchitoches, La.) in 1977-78 and 1978-79 when the then NCAA Division I newcomer Demons compiled a 19-34 two-season record while losing to Louisiana College three times and East Texas Baptist once.
It might not duplicate the lifetime contract of Brey's former mentor, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski, or agreements for Rick Pitino with Louisville (through 2025-26) and Ben Jacobson with Northern Iowa, but his deal with Notre Dame through 2021-22 is among the longest defined coaching contracts. Only West Virginia's Bob Huggins, Pittsburgh's Jamie Dixon, Akron's Keith Dambrot, Valparaiso's Bryce Drew and Virginia Commonwealth's Shaka Smart surpass them by one year.
The length of Brey's pact certainly can be justified if he eventually directs the Irish to its initial NCAA Tournament championship game, but he first needs to guide them to first Sweet 16 appearance since 2003. A shaky economy is not deterring universities from dishing out long-term agreements as Arkansas' Mike Anderson joined the following alphabetical list of coaches boasting contracts extending at least five additional seasons into the next decade: