Virginia Tech Fires James Johnson As Head Coach

James Johnson, Former VT Head Coach

Whit Babcock has been Virginia Tech's athletic director for only a month and a half and has already made a big coaching move with the Hokies.

James Johnson was fired after two years as the Hokies head basketball coach.

“I want to thank Coach Johnson for his dedication and hard work for our university and our 
basketball program over the past seven years,” Babcock said. “A change of this significance affects many people and is never taken lightly, but I felt a change and a new direction was necessary for the long term, best interest of our department.”

Johnson became head coach after then Virginia Tech athletic director Jim Weaver fired Seth Greenberg. Johnson was on Greenberg's staff for five years.  It was a highly questionable decision by Weaver two years ago.

This year the Hokies finished one of its' worst season's in program history going 9-22 overall and 2-16 in the ACC.
VCU head coach Shaka Smart might be on Babcock's crosshairs or at least Hokie fans hope that is the case.  

Cincinnati's Mack Cronin may be another possible candidate regarding his ties to Babcock,  The two worked together when Babcock was athletic director at Cincinnati.

Bruce Pearl's name I'm sure will come up but that's as far as that goes.

One name that might build traction is Danny Manning at Tulsa.  If the Golden Hurricane win a few games in the NCAA Tournament Manning might be a hot commodity.  Would this be the ACC opening that Manning might be interested in?

Let the coaching carosel spin.