Tarleton State Places Head Coach Billy Gillispie On Administrative Leave

Here we go again. Just when you think the college basketball coaching carousel has settled down for a nice, long nap, Billy Gillispie’s name pops up, and it’s never because he won the lottery. This time, Tarleton State has politely shown him the door, placing him on “temporary administrative leave” while they look into an anonymous complaint. If you’ve followed Gillispie’s career, “anonymous complaint” is basically the opening chord to his greatest hits album.

What Led To This Situation?

The university is playing this one close to the vest, offering up the classic “no comment” and giving no timeline for the investigation. In the meantime, Associate Head Coach Glynn Cyprien gets the fun job of stepping in as the acting head coach.

For those new to the Billy G. experience, this is just another stop on his controversy world tour. This is the same coach who faced a player mutiny at Texas Tech back in 2011-12 over alleged mistreatment, a situation he gracefully exited by resigning and citing “health concerns.” It is funny how those health concerns always seem to flare up when the heat is on.

Gillispie’s Rocky Road: A History Of Controversy

You can’t talk about Gillispie without mentioning his disastrous stint at Kentucky. He was fired in 2009 after just two seasons, with the athletic director at the time essentially saying he “wasn’t the right fit.” That is the corporate-speak equivalent of saying, “This was a dumpster fire.” The divorce was so messy that it ended with Kentucky writing him a check for nearly $3 million just to make him go away. Allegations of player mistreatment and a generally abrasive style followed him out of Lexington, too.

A Career Of Highs and Lows

What makes the Gillispie saga so frustrating is that the guy can actually coach. He engineered massive turnarounds at UTEP and Texas A&M, earning Big 12 Coach of the Year honors and building a reputation as a master program-builder. He finds diamonds in the rough and turns struggling teams into winners. He’s had success at Tarleton State, too, leading them to a 25-10 record last season.

But for every brilliant on-court moment, there seems to be an off-court meltdown lurking just around the corner. It is like watching a tightrope walker who occasionally decides to juggle chainsaws. It is thrilling for a moment, but you just know it’s going to end badly.

Now, at 65, Gillispie finds himself sidelined once again, with his career hanging in the balance over yet another investigation. Will this be the final chapter in one of college basketball’s most turbulent coaching careers? Who knows. But one thing is for sure: with Billy Gillispie, it is never boring.