Under head coach Greg McDermott, Creighton basketball has been on the best run the program has ever seen. That run saw Creighton jump to the new Big East Conference. McDermott is the architect of that jump, helping the Blue Jays become a mainstay in the NCAA Tournament and leading them to their best finish ever, an Elite Eight appearance. However, he is thinking about retirement.
McDermott is 60 years old, and retirement has been a topic of discussion. In preparation, Creighton and McDermott hired Alan Huss back to the Blue Jays from High Point and named him “coach in waiting.” He told Jon Rothstein recently that he plans to coach Creighton basketball for another two to three seasons before handing the reins to Huss.
Rothstein explicitly reported on Monday, “Greg McDermott tells me that he plans to coach at Creighton for 2-3 more years before retiring and handing it off to Alan Huss.”
Alan Huss has been a staple in Creighton basketball. He played with the Blue Jays from 1997-2001 and was Greg McDermott’s top assistant from 2017-2023 when he got into coaching. Then, High Point University hired Huss as their head coach, and in two seasons, he helped them earn an NCAA Tournament berth in the 2025 tourney after they won the Big South tournament crown.
The idea of retirement has been swirling around McDermott and the Creighton program thanks to rumors over the last few seasons. That idea came to fruition this past offseason with Creighton hiring Huss away from High Point and back as the top assistant, ready to take the reins when McDermott steps away.
One of the most prominent media figures in college basketball, John Fanta, was the first to report and comment on the news about what happened in Omaha.
“The transition plan at Creighton is in effect. Alan Huss is leaving High Point to head back to the Blue Jays and be the head coach-in-waiting whenever Greg McDermott retires,” said college basketball reporter John Fanta. “Greg McDermott is an outstanding coach and an even better human. He’s one of the most beloved figures in college basketball. What he’s built at Creighton, transitioning the program to the Big East and making them a perennial contender, is special. This transition plan with Huss is well done, IMO.”
McDermott is far from slowing down soon, given how well Creight basketball has recruited, particularly in the transfer portal. It’s fair to say that McDermott wants to end his career on a high note, and his recruiting success perfectly encapsulates that.
Jake Faigus graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 and has had stops at Catena Media, Playmaker, DraftKings, USA Today, Spike Up, and Spotlight Sports Group. He also writes for Sporting News and works at iHeartMedia in Phoenix.