Billy Gillispie asked for A&M job back after loss to Gardner-Webb

LEXINGTON, KY — During a team meeting on Sunday, Kentucky head basketball coach Billy Gillispie told his Wildcats that he will be staying in Lexington and not returning to Texas A&M.

Following last week’s shocking loss to tiny Gardner-Webb, reports suggested that Gillispie immediately called his former school to inquire about getting his old job back. According to team sources, Gillispie did nothing to deny those reports, but he did apologize to the team for the distraction when his potential return to A&M was shot down by Aggies boosters.

Coach was embarrassed about the loss and told us he just wanted to put some feelers out there,” Kentucky guard Joe Crawford told SSNN. “I can’t really blame him.”

Expectations were high for the Wildcats this season after Gillispie replaced former head coach Tubby Smith. It appears those expectations – coupled with an embarrassing loss to a low-profile team – spooked the new Wildcats coach. Yesterday, Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne confirmed the rumors surrounding Gillespie.

“It is true that Billy called to see if we might take him back. While we are grateful for everything he did for the A&M basketball program, we declined his offer and are looking forward to a great future with Coach Turgeon,” Byrne read from a prepared statement. “And even if we were interested, the folks who pay our players— er, pay for a lot of equipment an whatnot for our players… Well, they don’t really want a coach who loses to schools like Gardner-Webb.”

Gillispie declined to comment on the matter, but a spokesperson for the Kentucky basketball program said that the entire athletic department is looking forward to putting the Gardner-Webb debacle behind them and focusing all their attention on upcoming opponent Liberty University.