Is Minnesota really one of the hardest jobs in the country?

Former head coach Richard Pitino doesn't seem to agree with the national perception.

Jan 30, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Gophers mascot Goldy entertains fans during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Harrison Barden-Imagn Images / Harrison Barden-Imagn Images

Minnesota is directly in the middle of a chaotic coaching carousel in men's college basketball, which has a lot of people talking about how tough the Gophers job is. Really, the idea that Minnesota is an ultra-difficult job was fueled by respected college hoops insider Seth Davis.

What does former Gophers head coach Richard Pitino think of the notion that Minnesota is one of the toughest jobs in the country?

"People have to realize it is a hard job. Do I think it's one of the hardest power five jobs in the country like Seth Davis said? No, I do not. But it is a hard job and it's not always Ben Johnson's fault, it's not always my fault, it's not always going to be the next coach's fault," Pitino said during an interview with Dan Barreiro on KFAN-FM 100.3 on Tuesday.

"You need to band together and help those guys to try to slay the dragon of the Michigan States, the Indianas, the Illinois', Ptino continued. "Minnesota fans, they do care, but there's another level that that could reach."

It's obvious that there are a lot of challenges to building a consistent winner at Minnesota, with a lack of financial support being atop that list. But, what else truly makes it a tough job?

For example, Texas just fired head coach Rodney Terry after leading the Longhorns to three consecutive NCAA tournaments. He had a unique situation after replacing Chris Beard, but there are a lot of things that make that job a lot harder than Minnesota. If the ultimate goal is to win the national championship, yes, the Gophers probably have one of the toughest situations in power conference basketball to consistently be at that level, but the sport is so much more than that.

Pitino got eight years before the rug was pulled out from under him. Johnson got four years. The leash in Minnesota might be getting shorter, and that's a good sign for fans who have been begging the Gophers to hold the program to higher expectations. Do they need to fire the coach after three straight NCAA tourney appearances like Texas? That might be a little too aggressive, but demanding more is a step in the right direction.

There are 364 teams in Division I men's basketball and there is only one national champion. College basketball is more nuanced than that and it's not national title or bust at Minnesota. But winning rivalry games shouldn't be the bar to clear.

Some people believe a major issue facing Gophers basketball is that it's in a pro sports metro. That's true, but Minnesota isn't the only program in the country facing that challenge.

You don't hear programs like Houston, TCU, Washington or Miami (FL) complain about how they're in a major metro area and have a lot to compete against. Saint John's is based is Queens, New York and they've rocketed to the top of college hoops this season.

Maryland, one of the top teams in the nation and a Final Four darling in a plenty of brackets, is located a stone's throw from Washington, D.C. If there's a college in the country that has more distractions than Maryland—the Commanders, Wizards, Nationals and politics—good luck finding it. They seem to be doing just fine.

Pitino is right. Minnesota needs a head coach who can establish an identity, win on the recruiting trail, coach an exciting brand of basketball and convince local companies to write checks and support Gophers basketball financially.

"If every coach, and again, I think Minnesota is a great place and I think it's a good job, but if every coach in the history of the program has been fired, they need to look inward of what can they do to assist the coach," Pitino said. "Really pushing [athletics director Mark Coyle] to get them the resources, the staff... now obviously with rev-share, are there additional NIL opportunities in the Twin Cities? That can really help because you're just going against some really stable programs at the top and you're trying to break through."

If Houston, Maryland, St. John's and other programs can break through, there's no reason the University of Minnesota can't do the same.

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