Southern Miss basketball coach Doc Sadler said he's given it a lot of thought, but decided it's time to pass the torch to someone else. Sadler announced his resignation as head coach Thursday. He and incoming athletic director Jeremy McClain answered questions for the media during a news conference at Reed Green Coliseum. "It's been a tough day," he said. "It's something I've been thinking about for a while. I've come to this decision myself, after talking with Jeremy a few times. If I'm going to ask kids to give everything, then they should get that in return. "It's time for me to step back and evaluate what I want to do." Sadler's contract was set to expire March 31, 2020. He said he and McClain talked about him staying two more years, but in the end decided now was the right time for him to leave. He said leaving the players is the hardest part of stepping down, but felt it was the right thing to do for them as well. "I don't want the responsibility of holding 13 players accountable in every area that there is," he said. "I've been blessed to have 16 years of it and in my situation it was enough. "I love coaching, there's no question about that, but I am in a position now to think that it's time for somebody else to be given the opportunity." Story continues below photo gallery. Sadler addressed rumors that he was leaving Southern Miss for Nebraska, saying "that's probably a possibility," but has no bearing on his decision to leave Southern Miss. Sadler had coached at Nebraska from 2006-12. McClain in a news release praised Sadler for his "time, effort and commitment to the University of Southern Mississippi." "He inherited a difficult situation and he has put us in a good spot here in our program, so I commend him for that," McClain said. "I appreciate him being honest. And at the end of the day, he and I both agree that the guys in the locker room — that's what's most important." Sadler came to Southern Miss in April 2014 and guided the basketball program through an uncertain time as the Golden Eagles played through NCAA sanctions with limited scholarships. "Looking back now, I not going to say I wouldn't have changed anything, but at the same time I think it's made me a better coach. Hopefully it's made me a better person." He led the Golden Eagles for the last five seasons, guiding the team to a 20-13 overall record in 2018-19, going 11-7 in Conference USA. The Golden Eagles this year finished tied for second in league play — the highest finish in the Sadler era. "We wish (Sadler) and his family the very best on the next step in their journey," McClain said. "Our attention now turns to the student-athletes within our basketball program and to find the right leader to help them continue to grow as athletes and men." A national search for a new head coach will begin immediately, McClain said. "I think it's a unique situation," McClain said. "The timing and the timeline is critical from a student-athlete perspective, from a recruiting perspective. We are well into April it's a critical time for us in basketball terms." McClain, who is athletic director at Troy University, was not slated to begin his tenure at Southern Miss until May. He said Sadler's resignation required him to step forward sooner than planned. McClain still plans to remain at Troy through may, but will also be assisting in the Southern Miss coach search. "The folks back at Troy understood that this was important and that I needed to be here," he said. Who do you think should be the next Golden Eagles basketball coach? Contact Lici Beveridge at 601-584-3104 or lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @licibev. More:Southern Miss gives basketball coach Doc Sadler a vote of confidence More:USM's Sadler making some headway in recruiting More:USM, Sadler looking forward to 'strictly basketball'<doc-sep>He left for Southern Mississippi after that year. Now, he's leaving Southern Miss and could be coming back to Lincoln. Sadler went 101-87 in six seasons at the helm for NU, taking the Huskers to the NIT three times. "After 16 years as a college head coach, it's time to evaluate what's next for me," Sadler said in the statement. "With a new athletic director in place and a talented young team, I feel the best days are ahead for Southern Miss basketball." Sadler was fired after the 2011-12 season, Nebraska's first in the Big Ten, after NU went 12-18 and 4-14 in the conference. Beloved by the Nebraska fan base, Sadler finished with winning records in four of his six seasons on the Nebraska sideline. But he never finished above .500 in conference play. He fits the mold of the defensive coach Hoiberg is looking for. Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said last week Hoiberg was "in hot pursuit" of a defensive coach for his staff. Three of Sadler's Nebraska teams finished in the top 22 nationally in defensive efficiency and were also strong in keeping opponents off the offensive glass, according to data from KenPom.<doc-sep>
Former Huskers basketball coach Doc Sadler, who is thought to be the leading candidate to be an assistant on Fred Hoiberg's staff, has resigned his post as head coach at Southern Miss. It opens the door for Hoiberg to now finalize his staff of assistant coaches, with Sadler likely to join Matt Abdelmassih and Armon Gates on the staff. The possibility of the former Husker head coach Sadler joining Hoiberg's staff has been in the air since Hoiberg decided to take the job, but Husker247 was told that as of yesterday nothing was set for sure, with Sadler planning to meet Thursday morning with the new Southern Miss athletic director, Jeremy McClain, to discuss his situation in Hattiesburg. It is understood why an assistant's spot at Nebraska would be attractive to Sadler. Even though he was fired after not making the NCAA Tournament at Nebraska after six seasons and a 101-89 record from 2006-2012, he was a popular personality with most fans. He also spent a year on Hoiberg's staff at Iowa State and the Huskers can probably pay him a salary that matches or even surpasses what he was making at Southern Miss – $350,000 a year. It's already known the Huskers are paying Abdelmassih $380,000 a year and have a pool of around $1 million for the three assistants. Hoiberg was looking for a defensive-minded coach to add to his staff, and that's known as Sadler's specialty. "I'd like to take the time to thank the administration, fans, and especially the players for sticking with us through difficult times but also in the fun times," Sadler said in a statement, announcing his decision. "As a coach, one of the things that I always try to do is prepare my players for life and hopefully I have lived by that example. With the support of my family, I’ve decided it’s time for me to take a step back from being a head coach. I feel very comfortable doing that as I know that I am leaving this program in a good position. After 16 years as a college head coach, it’s time to evaluate what’s next for me. With a new athletic director in place and a talented young team I feel that the best days are ahead for Southern Miss basketball.” Sadler had a deal through the 2020-2021 season with Southern Miss. Sadler was 56-94 in five years at USM, but his team had its best season under his watch this last season, going 20-13 and qualifying for the CBI.