Florida Atlantic’s Dusty May recalls thinking he “just committed career suicide” and took the job as head coach

Dusty May has already taken Florida Atlantic to new heights with a Final Four appearance in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

However, the fifth-year head coach admitted on Tuesday that he thought he made a bad move when he originally took the job with the Owls. He told CBS Sports he signed a contract to be the head coach without looking at anything at the Boca Raton school. He made a gut decision.

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“I walked into the room and started crying and said, ‘I just committed career suicide. I am not good enough. I can’t do this,’ May told his wife after he signed the deal. Not a big screamer, but I burst into tears like a baby.”

May said the facilities were outdated by the time he was finally able to tour them. He came over from Florida as Mike White’s assistant. Brian White, Mike’s brother, is an athletic director at Florida Atlantic.

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Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May cuts the net after Florida Atlantic defeated Kansas State in an Elite 8 collegiate basketball game in the East Region Finals of the NCAA Tournament Saturday, March 25, 2023 in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

“At that point, I wasn’t in our gym, our weight room, our locker room,” May added. “The facilities weren’t up to scratch. And I had already taken the job…I would have left and returned to Gainesville after I signed the contract if it weren’t for my relationship with Mike (White) and his family.”

May credited his wife for convincing him to stay the course. He was 17-15 in his freshman and sophomore seasons with Florida Atlantic. He won 13 games in the pandemic-shortened season and was 19-15 in his fourth year.

Prior to his season, Florida Atlantic had made the tournament only once – under Sidney Green in 2002. The team had only won 20+ games once – under Mike Jarvis in 2011. May has taken Florida Atlantic to new heights.

Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May directs his team in the first half of an Elite 8 collegiate basketball game against Kansas State in the East Region Finals of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday, March 25, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

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Florida Atlantic is 35-3 and #9 seeded in the Final Four. A win over San Diego State on Saturday night puts them in the national championship.