Best Coaches in College Basketball

[champs99and04]

Everyone made up their mind ten years ago that Jim Boeheim was overrated and it's obscured the amazing work he has done from an x's and o's standpoint, specifically defensively, in the tournament since then. I would put Pitino one, Boeheim two with respect to gameplanning and in game adjustments over the last decade, assuming we're not counting Brad Stevens.

I'd put Roy in the same camp as Boeheim but with offense rather than defense. He figured out how important tempo was before anyone else. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Bo Ryan could sure coach as well.

As far as younger guys, Mack and Marshall have really impressed me. Sometimes it feels like they're from the future with the sets they run. Tim Yankovich from SMU has to prove he can win with his own players, but I'd keep an eye on him.

Self actually strikes me as a guy who'd be better off coaching in the NBA, and I say that as a testament to his sets, especially out of timeouts. Beilein is an obvious one. K can do it all, so his work with the clipboard sometimes gets lost, but make no mistake that he flat out out coaches guys in the tournament (like Izzo). It's not all ammunition with him. As far as Cal is concerned, I'm not sure he's a great x's and o's coach, but I also don't think he's bad like a lot of people believe. You don't come back from as many runs/deficits in the tournament as he does unless you can make adjustments in game. I would say the same about Sean Miller.

A lot of guys I haven't even mentioned like Few/Wright/Bennett (who has to prove he can do it in the tournament). With somebody like Izzo, you wonder if maybe he'll have a harder time than most adjusting to the modern game. Then again, he did one of his best coaching jobs a couple years ago with an offensive minded team and then lost to a 15 seed in the first round, so who knows? I still believe in Kevin Ollie on this front, as well. Problem is he was a disaster in every other area.

 

[Matrim55]

Everyone made up their mind ten years ago that Jim Boeheim was overrated and it's obscured the amazing work he has done from an x's and o's standpoint, specifically defensively, in the tournament since then. I would put Pitino one, Boeheim two with respect to gameplanning and in game adjustments over the last decade, assuming we're not counting Brad Stevens.

 

[FriarJ]

Interesting Question

I will answer for Stunning Steve

1. Greg Marshall
2. Mick Cronin
3. Kelvin Sampson
4. Fran Dunphy
5. Danny Hurley
6. Tim Jankovich
7. MIke Dunleavy
8. Penny Hardaway
9. Frank Haith
10. Johnny Dawkins
11. Brian Gregory
12. Joe Dooley*

* Edit

 

[intlzncster]

I thought this exercise was active coaches. So no Pitino, JC, or Ryan. Nor Larry Brown.

 

[jibsey]

Let's see what K and Calipari can do with just 2,3, and 4 star players. But they'll never have to. It's kinda like being a chef. Anyone can take a beautifully marbled prime steak and cook it a number of ways to be delicious. Then try doing that with road kill.

 

[geordi]

I don't see how you put K up that high. Sure he has a great record, but he's not that good of a bench coach. JC whupped him almost every time they played. He's a great recruiter, but Duke (the school) has much more to do with that than K, I think. Look. He's had the #1 recruiting class in 4 of the last 5 years. Where are his championships? Not saying he shouldn't be on the list, but much farther down.

 

[intlzncster]

Surprised at all the disrespect K is getting. Feels like the Geno thread almost.

 

[UConnJim]

Bohemia has been a very consistent winner during his career. He has been very consistent in making the NCAAs, but he only had 4 Final 8s in his first 35 years of coaching at Syracuse. Although he hasn't been posting great regular season win totals in recent years (and he hasn't won his conference tournament in 13 years), he has made 3 Final 8s in the last 7 years including 2 Final 4s.

 

[intlzncster]

Bohemia has been a very consistent winner during his career. He has been very consistent in making the NCAAs, but he only had 4 Final 8s in his first 35 years of coaching at Syracuse. Although he hasn't been posting great regular season win totals in recent years (and he hasn't won his conference tournament in 13 years), he has made 3 Final 8s in the last 7 years including 2 Final 4s.

I think Boeheim's junk defense works better nowadays because the overall experienced talent level is not as good as in years past. Guys who don't know what they're doing struggle with the zone.

 

[Huskybass]

Let's see what K and Calipari can do with just 2,3, and 4 star players. But they'll never have to. It's kinda like being a chef. Anyone can take a beautifully marbled prime steak and cook it a number of ways to be delicious. Then try doing that with road kill.

We saw what happened with road kill. A steady diet of 20 plus point losses.