Time’s Up: College Basketball Coaches Past Their Prime
What Have You Done for Me Lately?
Selection Sunday is right around the corner, marking another reference point for coaches to evaluate their success. Some programs will be making yet another NCAA Tournament appearance while others will be missing out for an additional year, warming the seat for some college coaches.
Last year saw the retirement of some legendary college coaches in Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams and Jay Wright as the prominence of NIL grew and took over college basketball news, which could also play a role in this offseason’s coaching cycle.
Following is a list of college basketball coaches who are past their prime, either because they might not be able to keep up with the changing college basketball landscape or their seat will simply be too hot to survive another year.
1. Patrick Ewing – Georgetown Hoyas
Ewing took over his alma mater to try to restore Georgetown to the team to beat in the Big East once again. The hiring hasn’t quite worked out how both parties have hoped, however, as the Hoyas continue to finish near the bottom of the conference. The Hoyas somehow made it to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 after winning the Big East Tournament that year, but have won just two of their last 37 conference games. Georgetown lost 29 straight Big East games in that time and will finish with less than 10 wins for its second straight season.
2. John Calipari – Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky has been one of college basketball’s blue bloods for years, always a strong lock for those making college basketball picks, but the Wildcats haven’t reached those high expectations in a few years. Kentucky hasn’t made the Final Four since 2015, while it was a first-round exit in the NCAA Tournament last season and missed it altogether the previous season. With the expectations as high as they are in Lexington, the administration could decide it’s time to move on from Calipari.
“It don’t matter who we got, we are good enough to beat anybody.”
– John Calipari pic.twitter.com/6P9U7Y7UGz
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) March 8, 2023
3. Jim Boeheim – Syracuse Orange
Boeheim is the oldest coach in college basketball and has spent the better portion of his years as head coach of the Orange, currently coaching his 47th season. Syracuse has had years of winning seasons under Boeheim, but encountered its first losing season with him at the helm in 2021-22 and will miss the tournament for the second season in a row this year. Dealing with the rise of NIL with Boehim’s extensive experience may be tough, and if he doesn’t retire, it might be time for a change at Syracuse. (Update: After 47 seasons, Syracuse announced on Wednesday that Boeheim’s run with the Orange is over.)
4. Bob Huggins – West Virginia Mountaineers
The Mountaineers play in the toughest basketball conference in the nation in the Big 12, but Huggins has never been able to lead them to the top. West Virginia has struggled to be a competitor in the Big 12 race lately, more often than not finishing near the bottom of the conference. The Mountaineers found a way to make the tournament two years ago and may do so again this season, but the Big 12 will only get tougher with the new schools joining, warranting the question of whether it’s time for West Virginia to go in a new direction.
5. Leonard Hamilton – Florida State Seminoles
Hamilton has been with Florida State for over two decades, but the Seminoles haven’t produced the desired results recently and are going to miss the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row. Although Hamilton helped turn the program into an ACC contender, Florida State never reached the Final Four. He is another who could decide to retire rather than deal with the changing landscape of college basketball.
Leonard Hamilton’s comments after FSU’s season-ending loss at the ACC Tournament https://t.co/zWL4XCYDod
— Noles247.com (@Noles247) March 7, 2023
6. Greg Gard – Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin has had success as recently as last season, where the Badgers topped the Big Ten and finished with 25 wins. However, 2022-23 is a different season, where Wisconsin is close to missing out on the NCAA Tournament and the Badgers have won just two tournament games in the past five years. Gard may not be in this conversation if the Badgers’ second-year athletics director didn’t just fire head football coach Paul Chryst midseason, raising the expectations for Wisconsin basketball fans as well.
7. Tommy Amaker – Harvard Crimson
Amaker took Harvard to the NCAA Tournament in the 2018-19 season and topped the Ivy League that year, following that with a 20-win season the next year. However, after a canceled COVID-19 season, the Crimson dropped off, falling to the bottom of the conference and failing to get to 15 wins in either of the two following seasons. Amaker was slated to take over the Duke job until Coach K named another successor, but that could indicate Amaker is ready to move on from Harvard.
A few of these coaches and teams still have a chance to make the NCAA Tournament and cool down their seats via conference tournaments. Viewers can make their college basketball predictions of those tournaments by betting online.
