Arizona head coach Sean Miller has already started to shift his focus back to recruiting with the Wildcats' season ending last Monday night in Oregon. The program is currenlty serving its self-imposed postseason ban meaning UA will have to watch the Pac-12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament from home.
There are plenty of lingering questions heading into the offseason with Miller's status as the program's leader being at the forefront of that list. The longtime UA head coach signed a contract with the Wildcats that comes to an end in 2022, but it is a difficult task for any coach to recruit well without having at least a couple years left on his deal.
Miller said last week that he would eventually have discussions with the UA administration about his future as head coach, but up until Monday the university's decision-makers had remained quiet about the situation.
That was until UA president Robert C. Robbins was asked about the basketball program during a virtual news conference Monday. The university was forced to release its NCAA Notice of Allegations this week revealing five alleged Level I violations including a claim that Miller failed to promote 'an atmosphere of compliance" and closely monitor his coaching staff from March 2016 to September 2017.
On the heels of that document being released, Robbins was asked Monday what it means for the program and Miller's future as head coach. The president didn't dive too deep into the details, but he did offer up some support for Miller.
“Coach Miller is our coach," Robbins said. "We’re working with him about remaining our coach, obviously. We’re very eager to find out of all of those allegations. We’ll have our opportunity to address those, but we have not heard from the IARP. So, the IARP is going through this process. They will be the final word. There’s no appeal process with the IARP, but we will have a chance to address the new notice of allegations that will come from the IARP.
“... I’m not sure what the timing is gonna be. We hope as soon as possible. That we can get past this as a university, coach Miller and his family and basketball program can move forward and look forward. He’s out there recruiting. I think signing day is coming up soon. We’ve got a really good team. They’re young but good, and we’re eager to move forward and get the final chapter of this now almost four-year saga over. But, coach Miller is our coach. I talked to him last week, and we want to move forward to continue to make progress and keep our team together. Give him the ability to go out and recruit players, and plan for next year."
As of last week Miller was still uncertain about where the process would lead as he had yet to have conversations with Robbins or athletic director Dave Heeke about his future.
"I don't expect anything," Miller said when asked after the loss to Oregon what his expectations are about having the matter of his contract and future resolved. "I know now that the season is over I'm gonna have the opportunity to talk to Dr. Robbins and Dave Heeke, and I look forward to having the opportunity to do that. When that time happens I think that I'll certainly know a lot more."
Miller's staff offered a few underclassmen recruits over the weekend, including current eighth grader Koa Peat, and Robbins mentioned the future recruiting efforts by the UA staff in his comments Monday.
For now, the 12-year Arizona coach will have to focus on that aspect of his role while awaiting some kind of clarity about his contract situation this offseason.
READ MORE: Details on what we're hearing about Sean Miller's future at Arizona
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