Pitt invited to coach Mike Brey's going-away party at Notre Dame

Mike Brey said he’s excited about almost everything that will occur Wednesday night at Joyce Center on the Notre Dame campus.

He said 30 of his former players are coming to the game against Pitt, Brey’s last at home after nearly 23 years as Notre Dame’s coach.

The night will be a memorable send-off for the Irish’s all-time winningest coach, a man who has been head coach at Notre Dame nearly twice as long as any Irish football coach. He’ll step down after the season, with at least 482 victories and 13 NCAA Tournament berths since he was hired 10 days after the Fourth of July in 2000.

He said he won’t allow the matter of confronting the ACC’s first-place team ruin the evening.

It’s also a big night for Pitt (21-8, 14-4). With a victory against the Irish (10-19, 2-16), the Panthers would do no worse than share the ACC regular-season championship with Miami and Virginia.

It also would secure a double bye and immediate entry into the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament next week.

A 22nd overall victory would be Pitt’s most since its first year in the ACC (2013-14) when the Panthers won 26.

“I’m trying not to concentrate on how good Pittsburgh is,” said Brey, whose team has lost seven games in a row. “And (the fact) they could be the regular-season champion and they got the ACC Coach of the Year in Jeff (Capel), in my opinion.

“I made my mind up (Sunday): I’m going to enjoy it, win, lose or draw. I’m really excited about the next phase, too. We’re going to go to Greensboro (for the ACC Tournament) with hope and tell the guys to pack for a few days and let’s play.”

Through most of his coaching career, including eight seasons as an assistant at Duke, Brey, 63, has become a voice of reason in college basketball. So much so that a few writers on the ACC coaches conference call Monday invited him to join their podcast upon his departure from coaching.

Back when he played at Duke, Capel spent many hours in Brey’s office, seeking counsel.

Brey is leaving college basketball at a time of major change. Players can transfer and play immediately. They can profit from their name, image and likeness, a potential inducement for transfers and high school players.

He understands the need for change and the inevitability of it in the third decade of the 21st century. But he has concerns, too.

“I’m really worried that we’re headed down that road fast of employer-employee, the student-athletes are employees and really distancing them even more from the educational mission,” he said during an ACC coaches conference call Feb. 6.

Brey has argued against the immediate transfer rule, remarking it “was kind of healthy” for student-athletes to sit out one season in deference to academics.

“I actually transferred. I sat out a year at George Washington. It was great for me,” he said.

NIL and the transfer portal might be unwanted distractions for some coaches, but they are not profound enough for Brey to rule out a return to coaching someday.

Big news out of Notre Dame.

Mike Brey tells me that he is not retiring.

“Definitely not done coaching.” - Brey

Great to hear from one of the best guys in the business.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) February 13, 2023

“If you looked back at the (news) release and how we talked at the press conference a month ago, (it said), ‘I think it’s time for a new voice at Notre Dame,’ ” Brey said recently.

“It didn’t say flat-out retirement from coaching. I’d love to keep an open mind to that. Absolutely. I think I still have a lot to offer, got good energy.

“You kind of analyze that through the spring and the summer. I don’t know, maybe you sit out a year. Maybe you try to come back. But teaching and coaching and being in the gym is something I would like to explore.”