SOUTH BEND – Massive roster change is sweeping through the Notre Dame basketball program.
A change in the head coach is not expected.
A source close to Micah Shrewsberry told the Tribune on Tuesday, March 24, that he is not a candidate to return to Butler University, where he previously served as an assistant coach (2007-11), to replace head coach Thad Matta, who announced his retirement on March 16.
Word surfaced this week and spread Tuesday that it was seemingly only a matter of time before Shrewsberry, 41-56 overall, 19-39 in Atlantic Coast Conference play at Notre Dame, would be named Matta’s successor. Former Butler coach Brad Stevens, a Shrewsberry confidant and president of basketball operations for the Boston Celtics, was said to be working behind the scenes to help the Bulldogs hire Shrewsberry. A formal interview for Shrewsberry with Butler athletic director Grant Leiendecker was supposedly Tuesday.
An announcement would be on Wednesday. Several of Shrewsberry’s players at Notre Dame, including his sons and Stevens’ son, would follow him to Butler. All of it made for good social media fodder for two frustrated college basketball fanbases.
All of it false.
Shrewsberry spent Tuesday afternoon on the Rolfs Hall practice floor with his team, which is expected to look far different than the one that ended last season 13-18 overall, 4-14 and kept home from the ACC tournament. He was at Notre Dame on Tuesday. He plans to be at Notre Dame next Tuesday. And every Tuesday after that. Wednesdays, too.
Every day that ends in “y,” in fact.
“He wants to be at Notre Dame; he feels a responsibility to get this thing turned around,” the source said of Shrewsberry, three years into the seven-year contract he signed in March 2023 to replace Mike Brey, the winningest coach in program history (483 wins over 23 seasons). “He’s not running from anything.”
The source stressed that there was never any work done behind the scenes by Shrewsberry or anyone else to get the Irish head coach back to Butler. There was never an interview. There has only been work to figure out how to keep Notre Dame competitive and rebuild its roster.
That will take serious work.
On Tuesday, Notre Dame had two players – sophomores Sir Mohammed and Garretty Sundra – jump to the transfer portal, which doesn’t open until April 7. Those two were expected to leave. They won’t be alone. There will be more. Key guys. Main guys. Likely, some of Notre Dame’s best players from last season.
The same source that stressed Shrewsberry’s desire to stay also indicated that Notre Dame expects its potential 2026-27 roster to be gutted, similar to the spring of 2023 when Shrewsberry arrived after two seasons at Penn State.
Notre Dame carried three scholarship players – former Irish J.R. Konieczny, Tony Sanders and Matt Zona – after Shrewsberry was hired. Notre Dame’s roster may be left with only three scholarship players by the time the transfer portal exodus is complete.
Having players go to the portal has become a way of life in college basketball. Asked about it earlier this month on the eve of the regular-season finale at Boston College, Shrewsberry accepted the fact that somebody would leave Notre Dame.
“We’ve got a bunch of guys that do believe in what we’re doing and want to still be here,” Shrewsberry said. “There’s going to be a core group of guys that are ready to help us make the next step next year. The guys that aren’t here, I wish them all the best. They’ve been a big part of this, but change always happens.”
It was a trying season for Shrewsberry, often for reasons outside of basketball and outside of wins (13) and loses (18), the fourth straight season that Notre Dame finished with a losing overall and league record.
Notre Dame went 0-5 against ranked teams this season and is 0-13 against ranked teams in Shrewsberry’s three seasons. For a third straight season, Notre Dame struggled to consistently sustain success in league play. The Irish staggered through conference stretches with two five-game losing streaks. They lost 10 of 11 and 12 of 14 at one point. The season’s high point arrived Feb. 28 with an overtime victory over North Carolina State, an NCAA Tournament team.
It was Notre Dame’s last win.
In January, with Notre Dame 4.4 seconds away from starting 2-0 in the ACC for the first time since 2017, the Irish allowed Cal to make a 3-pointer and covert a free throw in a 72-71 loss. When that game in Berkeley went final, Shrewsberry charged one of the game officials, Adam Flore, in an ugly incident for all to see. Shrewsberry had to be restrained by members of his coaching staff and players.
Shrewsberry was publicly reprimanded the next day by the ACC, which then considered the incident to be closed. He was not publicly reprimanded or suspended by Notre Dame.
In late February, Notre Dame suffered the most lopsided home loss in Purcell Pavilion history when it was beaten by No. 1 Duke by 44 points (100-56). Late in the first half, while walking the sideline in front of the Irish bench, Shrewsberry ruptured his left Achilles tendon.
He limped off the floor at halftime and returned wearing a walking boot. Shrewsberry was encouraged to have surgery on the injury the following Monday but waited until two days after the regular season ended.
This season marked the first time in program that Notre Dame did not qualify for the ACC postseason tournament after finishing 16th in the 18-team league.
Follow South Bend Tribune and NDInsider columnist Tom Noie on X (formerly Twitter): @tnoieNDI. Contact Noie at tnoie@sbtinfo.com
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: What is the coaching future of Micah Shrewsberry and Notre Dame basketball?
Reporting by Tom Noie, South Bend Tribune / South Bend Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
