“Not only leaving a job but also leaving friends you met”: USC HC Eric Musselman talks family’s departure from Arkansas to a new place

In April, the USC Trojans announced Eric Musselman as the new coach after Andy Enfield left to take up the same position at SMU. Musselman worked five years with the Arkansas Razorbacks, leading them to two March Madness appearances, including one Elite Eight.

This was a huge move for Eric Musselman, his wife Danyelle Sargent and their high-school-going daughter. On Jon Rothstein's "College Hoops Today" podcast called the decision "super hard" and said:

"We left a great job. My wife and daughter are still in Fayetteville and heading this way later on this week to permanently move here. But the family situation, they have great friends in Northwest Arkansas.

"So you're not only leaving a job, but you're also leaving friends that you've met. So it's hard. It's hard to change jobs, but there's also a ton of excitement in it, as well." (Timestamp 13:31)

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Eric Musselman explains why he chose USC over continuing in Arkansas

Despite a good run with the Arkansas Razorbacks, Eric Musselman was often criticized for not making the best use of his No.2 ranked recruiting class roster. This was one of the reasons why many fans were shocked by USC's move to hire Musselman.

However, USC AD called Eric the best fit for the role:

"His track record of building winning programs and his unwavering commitment to a culture of excellence make him the perfect fit for USC." (via Forbes)

During the chat with Rothstein, Musselman explained his reasons for choosing USC.

"I understood, my family understood, our staff understood that the University of Arkansas basketball job is one of the very, very best in the country historically and at the current time," he said.

"And we felt like in the five years that we were there, some great things happened from a winning standpoint — from NCAA Tournament, March Madness runs, and then from guys getting drafted.

"But USC is the right place at the right time both professionally and personally, and the USC brand is really, really special, as well. From an academic standpoint, it's a special place, as well."

Musselman began his coaching career in the CBA in 1989. He moved to college basketball in 2012 when he took up an assistant coaching position at Arizona State.

Eric Musselman's head coach career spans across two schools: Nevada and Arkansas. Despite his limited experiences as a head coach, Musselman has a track record of building programs from the ground up, something USC desperately needs right now.

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