Wake Forest fires Danny Manning after six seasons
After six seasons, Danny Manning is out at Wake Forest. The university made the move Saturday to relieve Manning of his duties, according to Jeff Goodman of Stadium.
The firing comes after Wake Forest lost to Pitt in the first round of the ACC tournament. That game took place Mar. 10. Wake Forest went 13-18 this season.
After a successful stint at Tulsa, Manning was hired to take Wake Forest to similar heights. That didn’t happen. While Wake Forest showed promise in 2016-17, making the NCAA tournament, the team immediately plummeted back to mediocrity. Manning went just 78-111 at Wake Forest, never finishing higher than 10th in the ACC. The Demon Deacons also lost 20 games in a season three times during Manning’s tenure.
While Manning’s record justified his dismissal, Wake Forest’s timing is unusual. With the world in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, Wake Forest not only made the move, but will pay Manning a buyout as a result of the firing. Other universities have laid low with the college basketball season on hiatus.
Because of that, Wake Forest should have time to think about its options. The university can make a list of top assistants it wants to hire, or can wait to see what other coaches become available.
Wake Forest will look to return to its former glory with its next hire. The team made the NCAA tournament 14 times between 1991 and 2010.
More from Yahoo Sports:
