SOUTH KINGSTOWN – Archie Miller will make his return to coaching in the Atlantic 10 Conference, this time donning Keaney Blue.
Miller has been named the University of Rhode Island’s new men’s basketball coach, taking over a program that has taken a step backward over the last couple of seasons. He replaces the recently fired David M. Cox, who was the program’s coach for four years after Dan Hurley departed the Ocean State to take over the University of Connecticut’s men’s basketball program in 2018.
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URI Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn confirmed Miller’s hire on Twitter, showing a screenshot of Miller’s Twitter profile that notes he is the new head coach at URI. “Looks good on you @Archie_Miller !! Go Rhody!!!!,” Bjorn tweeted.
According to his five-year contract with URI, which the university provided Providence Business News a copy of, Miller will receive $2 million in base salary, or $400,000 annually, for the duration of his deal. He will also receive an additional $750,000 per year for the first two years and an additional $1 million annually in years three through five from gate receipts to all home games at The Ryan Center.
Miller will also receive $200,000 more annually in each of the contract’s first two years for appearing and participating “in athletic events and functions reasonably scheduled” by the university’s athletic director. In years three through five, Miller will receive an additional $450,000 per year, per the contract. Miller will also get an additional $250,000 over the contract’s duration for participating in the URI men’s basketball radio and television programs.
Miller is also eligible for various bonuses for team performance at any point during his tenure. Per the contract, he could receive a $20,000 bonus, if the team earns a No. 1 seed in the Atlantic 10 conference tournament; a $20,000 bonus if URI wins the conference tournament; a $20,000 bonus for each first-, second- and third-round NCAA Tournament game that URI participates in a given year; and a $25,000 bonus for each NCAA “Sweet 16,” “Elite 8,” “Final Four” and “National Championship” game that the Rams play in. He’ll also receive bonuses if he is named coach of the year by either the Atlantic 10 or the NCAA. Miller will also get a $10,000 bonus if the team’s grade point average is higher than 3.0, the contract states.
A formal announcement of Miller’s hiring is expected Monday based off social media posts.
Most of Miller’s success as a coach came with the University of Dayton in Ohio, an Atlantic 10 foe of URI’s, from 2011 through 2017. He compiled a 139-63 record with the Flyers, with five 20-plus-win seasons in that stretch. He also led Dayton to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances from 2014 through 2017.
Miller in 2017 became Indiana University’s men’s basketball coach in the Big 10 Conference, and he didn’t have the similar success in the Hoosier State as he had in Dayton. Miller went 67-58 with the Hoosiers with no NCAA Tournament appearances before being fired in 2021. Although, Indiana’s 20-12 season in 2019-20 was derailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled all college basketball tournaments in March 2020.
In a tweeted statement Friday, Miller said he and his family are “beyond excited” for the opportunity to lead URI’s men’s basketball program. He said he wants the program’s fanbase to know that it is going to do things “a certain way on and off the court.”
“In transition it doesn’t always take off smooth. We will improve … we will be good again … and then we will be really good!,” Miller said. “Honoring the process takes time, but we will be relentless in our quest to develop an identity that all of New England will be proud of.”
Cox had two years left on his six-year contract before being let go by URI. He was the highest-paid state employee in 2021, making making $715,188 that year. In Cox’s last two years with the Rams, the team finished under .500. URI in 2021-22 went 15-16 overall and 5-12 in conference play.
(UPDATE: Adds comment from Miller. contract details)
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.