"I mean their just losing games": Miami fans react to Jim Larranaga stepping down from head coach position

Modified Dec 26, 2024 18:58 GMT

NCAA Basketball: Georgia Tech at Miami (FL) - Source: Imagn — "I mean their just losing games": Miami fans react to Jim Larranaga stepping down from head coach position (Image source: Imagn)

Jim Larranaga left a strong impact on the game of college basketball. This is why many were surprised by the news of him stepping down as coach of the Miami Hurricanes men's basketball team.

The news came out on Thursday, seeing Larranaga's time with the Hurricanes come to an end after 13 years. This season featured a difficult start for the team, losing eight of their first 12 games.

It didn't take long for fans to react to the news, not being surprised because of the struggles the team was facing despite having a Final Four run in 2023. Here are some of their reactions:

"I mean their just losing games," one fan said.

A fan reacts to news about Jim Larranaga. (Credits: Instagram/@on3)

"They are rly bad this year like shocking bad. I''m not surprised," a fan replied.

"Heck of a run in 2023 but it was time," another fan said.

Others reflected on Larranaga's impact on Miami basketball, getting it out from the down seasons to winning success in recent memory.

"Turned Miami basketball from nothing into a very good program," a fan said.

"Coach L is one of the best. Thank you Coach," one fan wrote.

"Heck of a coach. Just time for a new beginning," a fan stated.

Jim Larranaga's solid coaching career

Even though he didn't win a national championship, Jim Larranaga left an undeniable impact on college basketball.

He has coached since the 1970s, getting his first gig when he served as American International's coach at the NCAA D2 level. After two seasons there, he became an assistant at Virginia before taking his second head coaching job at Bowling Green in 1986.

That was where Larranga started building himself as a solid coach, leading the Falcons to a 170-144 record after 11 seasons that featured three appearances in the National Invitational Tournament.

His next stop at George Mason is where he cemented himself as one of the sport's best. Following multiple NIT and NCAA Tournament appearances, he orchestrated one of the best underdog runs to the Final Four in 2006 with the Patriots, staying with the program to have more postseason runs until embracing Miami in 2011.

Larranaga continued his strong coaching form with the Hurricanes, first making two Sweet Sixteen runs in 2013 and 2016, an Elite Eight run in 2022, then topping it off with the Final Four appearance in 2023 before losing to eventual champs UConn. He steps down with a 274-174 record at Coral Gables, continuing his case as one of the best in the sport's history.

With Jim Larranaga stepping down, Miami (4-8) will count on interim head coach Bill Courtney to lead the way, beginning 2025 with a conference matchup against Boston College at the Silvio O. Conte Forum on Jan. 1 at noon ET.

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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos