Sean is ushered out after 2-year, hot-and-cold tenure
AD denies rift, says new leadership needed
Sean is ushered out after 2-year, hot-and-cold tenure

By Andrea Cohen

Published: April 2, 2008

STILLWATER — Saying he thinks Oklahoma State can do better, Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder closed the book on the Sutton era of Cowboy basketball on Tuesday, announcing the resignation of Sean Sutton after two years as head coach.

"Whether it's right or wrong, we have high expectations of our basketball program.” Holder said at a Tuesday press conference. "We felt like we could do better and hopefully we will do better. Only time will tell. I feel like this is the best decision for us going forward.”

The announcement ended weeks of speculation about Sean Sutton's future with the program, which as a player and coach he helped build into a power over the past 18 years. And it may have been the heights the program reached — including a pair of Final Four trips under his coaching legend father Eddie Sutton — that caused the quick fall for Sean.

Sean Sutton was head coach for two full seasons, compiling a record of 39-29.

"Sean was a victim of those expectations,” Holder said. "It's hard to follow a legend and when that legend is your father, that's tough to the third power.”

Just four years ago, it appeared Sean Sutton's future was set. The Cowboys were coming off a sweep of the Big 12 regular and tournament titles and a trip to the Final Four when then athletic director Harry Birdwell negotiated a contract that named Sean Sutton the Cowboys' head coach designate. The following year, Sutton put together a recruiting class ranked No. 1 by Rivals.

All of that quickly unraveled when four of the players in that recruiting class eventually left Oklahoma State and another — Gerald Green — never arrived.

Then, on Feb. 10, 2006, Eddie Sutton was involved in an alcohol-related car accident. He admitted that he had a problem with drinking and was charged with aggravated driving under the influence. Eddie wouldn't coach at OSU again, giving Sean's career a quicker-than-expected start. Sean Sutton coached OSU's final 10 games in 2006.

Since taking over for his father, Sutton's teams played hot and cold, losing 19 straight games on the road at one point. Sean managed to land McDonald's All-American James Anderson, but this season ended with a third straight loss in the opening round of the NIT.

Holder dismissed the question that he had any sort of personal rift with the Suttons, which somehow led to Sean's resignation.

"I like coach Sutton, both Sean and Eddie. This is my job as AD to make tough decisions. I did this because it's in the best interest of our basketball program,” Holder said.

Holder met with Sutton on Monday to discuss the future of the program. Holder said at the end of that meeting he and Sutton had agreed that there should be a "new leadership.”

That now puts Oklahoma State in the market for a head coach.

A messy contractual dispute with Sutton does not appear likely. It is expected that Sutton will receive full compensation for his $750,000 a year contract, which had three years remaining.

Assistant coach James Dickey will handle day-to-day dealings with the players until a new coach is hired.

When that might be is anybody's guess. Holder, who will be making his second hire as athletic director, said he hasn't yet made a single call to a coach, athletic director, agent or search firm.

The most talked-about potential candidate, Kansas coach Bill Self, said Tuesday at his news conference that no one from OSU has called him, "and if they did, I would strongly recommend that they move in a different direction.”

The direction the Suttons will take in regard to their alma mater is also a question. Sean could not be reached for comment on Tuesday, and reached by phone, Eddie said simply, "I'm shocked. I've stayed out of this deal,” and declined further comment.

The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel contributed to this story.

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