Eric Musselman Now Has Some More Competition in SEC West

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas coach Eric Musselman probably didn't figure he'd be seeing Chris Jans this often.

After Saturday night's 53-48 win in Buffalo, N.Y., in the NCAA Tournament, unless Musselman knew something nobody else did, he probably didn't anticipate seeing him at least twice a year in a game.

But that's what happened Sunday morning with the announcement Jans was hired at Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs are apparently trying to duplicate the success of Arkansas basketball over in Starkville.

For two days we heard Musselman talk about how well-coached New Mexico State was headed into their game Saturday night.

Considering the timing of the announcement coming within hours of the Aggies being eliminated from postseason, well, this wasn't exactly a spur of the moment thing. They seldom are.

But now in less than a week the SEC has hired a pair of coaches considered to be the next big thing for a Power 5 school from a mid-major program. Todd Golden was hired by Florida earlier in the week.

Jans is "considered by many to be one of the top coaches in the game," Bulldogs athletics direct John Coen said in a released statement. "He is a tireless recruiter, brilliant Xs and Os tactician, and his overall resume speaks for itself."

Sounds a lot like Musselman three years ago.

He was considered one of the top coaches when he built Nevada into a consistent tournament team. Arkansas athletics director Hunter Yurachek apparently thought the same thing Coen did.

Now the SEC will be tougher, especially if Jans is a big-time recruiter.

Historically, the Hogs have had both Mississippi State and Ole Miss grab good high school players in Arkansas.

Right now Musselman has built a pretty solid fence around the state and backed it up with back-to-back Sweet 16 runs.

It may be Elite Eight if the Hogs can figure out a way to slow down Gonzaga later this week..

But fans have to be paying attention to what other schools are doing grabbing big-name mid-major coaches.

For once, the Hogs are out in front the pack and other schools are trying to do what they are doing.

Kinda beats a decade of waiting until the wagon starts rolling and jumping under it.

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