FAYETTEVILLE — Former Arkansas women’s basketball coach Jimmy Dykes is returning to ESPN. Dykes said Monday that he has signed a three-year contract with the network to be a color analyst, a job he previously held from 1995-2014. He will call men’s games on the network and also do studio work at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., and at the SEC Network headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
About 80 percent to 90 percent of his games will involve SEC teams. “That was my league in the past, and that’s what I’m most familiar with,” Dykes said. “I’m very, very grateful and very thankful.
“Going back to ESPN is a natural fit for me and the timing is great.” Dykes, 56, previously was one of ESPN’s most recognizable analysts. He left the network in 2014 to accept the head coaching position at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, his alma mater. Dykes, a Fayetteville native, lives in the area with his wife and daughter.
The Razorbacks went 43-49 in Dykes’ three seasons and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2015. He resigned in March after his team finished with a 13-17 record and 11 consecutive losses.
“You view the game differently as a head coach,” Dykes said. “My view of the game is probably a little bit sharper because you have to be so detailed … so I think I carry a lot of that back with me.”