Porter Moser turns down St. John’s in favor of staying at Loyola

Porter Moser will remain the men’s basketball coach at Loyola after turning down an offer from St. John’s. The Ramblers’ coach reportedly was offered a significant raise from his current salary but declined it in favor of staying at the school he has been associated with since 2011.

“People in business say I’m crazy for passing up opportunities and the money,” Moser said in a statement provided by Loyola. “But what they don’t know is the amazing young men I coach and the culture we have built.

“What they don’t know are the amazing young men who are committed to come to Loyola and wear the Maroon and Gold. What they don’t know are the people and friends that make up the Loyola community. And what they don’t know is what makes me tick. So what I do say to Rambler nation is … let’s keep building this culture and making a difference. Let’s keep chasing championships.”

“Let’s do things better than we have ever done before. With that said … I’M ALL IN!”

St. John’s tried to replace Chris Mullin with a much different option in Moser. The 50-year-old Moser has mainly coached in the Midwest — first at Little Rock and Illinois State before landing at Loyola — and would have been in for a major challenge taking over a struggling Big East program.

Moser, who led the Ramblers to the Final Four last season, visited with officials from St. John’s this week to discuss the job opening. The New York Post reported the school offered him an annual salary topping $2 million, a substantial increase from the $900,000 per year he reportedly makes at Loyola.

Moser believed he would have taken the job if offered it during his visit, according to sources. But afterward, he was hesitant to move his wife and four children east while trying to tackle a new recruiting challenge in New York.

“We couldn’t be more excited to continue to have Porter Moser lead our men’s basketball program and have said all along that he is a perfect fit at Loyola,” Ramblers athletic director Steve Watson said in a statement. “Porter’s accomplishments here, especially over the last five years, speak for themselves, and most importantly, he has achieved success by doing things the right way with high-character student-athletes.”

Moser has a 141-125 record in eight seasons at Loyola.