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Butler has fired men’s basketball coach LaVall Jordan, the school announced Friday. Jordan took over the program in 2017 and compiled a 83-74 record in five seasons. Butler made the NCAA Tournament only one time in that span, though the Bulldogs were expected to reach the postseason in 2019-20 before it was canceled.

"After a thorough evaluation, I have come to the decision that a change in the leadership of our men's basketball program is needed," athletic director Barry Collier said in a release. "These decisions are never easy, but are incredibly more difficult when it impacts a high-character Bulldog who has represented our university so well for many years. I want to thank LaVall for his dedication to our program, and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward."

Jordan, 42, played at Butler (1998-2001) and helped lead the team to three Midwestern Collegiate Conference (now Horizon League) tournament titles. While he was there, the team won its first NCAA Tournament game in 39 years during the 2001 season.

Jordan began his coaching career at his alma mater as an assistant and then took jobs in the same role at Michigan and Iowa. He was head coach at Milwaukee for one season in 2016-17 before being hired in Indianapolis to replace Chris Holtmann, who left for Ohio State.

The Bulldogs finished 14-19 (6-14) last season, tied for ninth in the Big East.

(Photo: Rich Schultz / Getty Images)

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Butler basketball coaching candidates: Jeff Boals and Ronald Nored lead list

Why did Butler make a change?

Brian Hamilton, senior college basketball writer: The trajectory of the program in the last two seasons, combined with the increasingly treacherous Big East, probably spurred Collier and school administrators to make a move. The Bulldogs have had losing records in three of the last four seasons. The roster isn't exactly teeming with high-end talent and the lone recruit signed out of the Class of 2022 is ranked No. 304 nationally.

As for the timing? Jordan's buyout dropped significantly on April 1, per sources. The school let a former player and his staff twist in the wind for a while to save some money, which is truly not a great look. Then again, who ever said this business was fair?

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What are the pros and cons of the job?

Hamilton: Butler's history and spot in the middle of a basketball-mad state should make it an attractive landing spot. Any coach should be able to fill a roster with wings and shooters and ball-handlers without crossing state lines.

The biggest con is having the smallest budget in the Big East — as underscored by some of the financial motivations behind the timing of Jordan's departure. It's not a league for the faint-hearted now. You wonder if the school has to find a way to ante up and level up, just to keep pace.

Who will Butler look to as a replacement?

Hamilton: The apparent odds-on favorite is Ohio coach Jeff Boals. Lots and lots of smoke around Boals' name circulating in the last day or so, and Boals' buyout also drops in the coming days. It would suggest Thad Matta has Collier's ear and is advocating for his former assistant at Ohio State.

But if it's Brad Stevens with the most influence, and if a direct connection to the program still matters, it could be former Butler player and current Indiana Pacers assistant Ronald Nored getting into the mix.

View a full list of Butler candidates here.

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