How many powerhouses (UNC, Duke, Kansas, UCONN, Kentucky, etc) have replaced retiring coaches with unproven coaches (ala KO) who then kept the program at a high level? Just wondering - serious question that I do not know the answer to. None come to mind.
Example: Dean Smith retires. UNC appoints a man unproven as a head coach. He lasts three years. The team's record (still winning) gets worse each year. When the last of Smith's recruits graduates, his successor is gone and they hire Roy Williams. Sounds familiar.
If UCONN had spent the dough for a coach who had run a successful Division 1 program, I think we would now be in one of the power conferences.