No shortage of potential coaches for new Tulsa position, team expected to compete in 2026-27

Above: Former TU coach Bill Brogden gives advice to Colton Staggs. Who will be the next TU coach?

By Ken MacLeod

Managing and making sense of finances at a collegiate athletic department in 2025 in light of the House Settlement, conference rules, NIL and other payments to players and ongoing lawsuits is an all encompassing nightmare for athletic directors across the country.

It may be at the University of Tulsa as well, but first-year Director of Athletics Justin Moore did something this week that few of his counterparts would contemplate in the current environment when he announced Tulsa would be bringing back men’s golf for the 2025-26 season.

Thanks to the diligent efforts of a group of former players who raised close to $9 million to endow the program, the university was able to add a men’s sport in a time when many will be looking to drop men’s programs.

Moore said Tuesday that the reaction has been extremely positive, including from potential coaches, those he had on his list and many others who have made contact since the announcement. His expectations are high for the return of the program after a nine-year absence and he wants it to be a top-25 level team in short order.

“We have a lot of interest in the job,” Moore said. “I think it’s a top 25 job and the industry thinks so as well. With the different courses we have that support the program it’s a unique situation.”

Tulsa has always been able to practice and play at venues such as Southern Hills, Tulsa Country Club, Oaks Country Club, The Patriot and Cedar Ridge Country Club. Doing even small college-am fundraisers at those clubs could bring in additional revenue that would add to the base the endowment is expected to generate, which should be enough to cover salaries and travel.

Moore said his expectations are the new coach will begin recruiting immediately but that TU will not compete as a full team until the fall of 2026-27. He doesn’t want players signed who are not at the level to meet the expectations just to field a team.

The new coach will have nine roster spots per the House Settlement and more than the 4.5 scholarships that was the previous limit to divide up if not a full nine.

The amount that golfers can expect from revenue sharing will be minimal. As an American Conference member TU is committed to spending $10 million over six years with 75 percent of that going to football, 15 percent to men’s basketball, five percent to women’s basketball and the rest spread among all the other sports. Golfers can receive NIL money if they do legitimate work for companies for fair market value and individuals can also make donations they want earmarked to a particular team.

Moore said he hoped the new coach would be named within two weeks.