SALON

Friday, Jan 18, 2013 9:32 AM UTC

New-coach success stories in college hoops

By

Topics: From the Wires,

New-coach success stories in college hoopsFILE - In a Monday, April 16, 2012 file photo, Richard Pitino talks to the media during a press conference in Miami, where it was announced he had been hired to replace Isiah Thomas as Florida International's head men's basketball coach. Pitino's mentor was his father, Louisville coach Rick Pitino. The younger Pitino got his first head-coaching job at 29 and had a big hill to climb at FIU, taking over a program that hasn't had a winning record since going 16-14 in 1999-2000. Even with a roster he had to piece together, Pitino has been able to make the Golden Panthers (8-8) respectable, keeping them around .500 most of the season. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter, File)(Credit: AP)

In his first season as Kentucky’s coach, John Calipari led the Wildcats to 35 wins and a trip to the regional finals of the NCAA tournament.

Coach Cal’s first season was a bit of an anomaly; most coaches don’t have that kind of success right after taking over a team.

Calipari did have an advantage. It was Kentucky, after all.

It usually takes a little longer for coaches to put their imprint on the program by getting their own players and their own philosophies in place.

Many don’t get very long to do it, either, which is why there’s so much turnover seemingly every year, including more than three dozen before this season.

Some of the new coaches have had decent starts at their new homes, while others have labored.

Here’s a few that have had varying degrees of success so far:

___

Larry Brown, SMU. Brown was 71 when he was hired and hadn’t coached in college since leading Kansas to the 1988 NCAA title, so there were more than a few question marks when he took over the Mustangs. Brown made the transition a seamless one, leading SMU to eight wins in its first nine games while creating excitement that Moody Coliseum hasn’t seen in years. The Mustangs (11-8) have lost three of four to open Conference USA, including Wednesday’s 74-70 setback against conference leader Southern Mississippi, but Brown seems to have them on the right track, making it look like he never left the college game.

___

Bruce Weber, Kansas State. Weber took over a program that had five straight 20-win seasons and had been to the NCAA tournament four times under previous coach Frank Martin. He’s tried to keep the Wildcats rolling by being the anti-Martin — calm to fiery Frank’s screaming. The nonconference schedule was shaky at times, including blowout losses to Michigan and Gonzaga, along with uninspired wins over Missouri-Kansas City and South Dakota. But the Wildcats (14-2) also upset then-No. 8 Florida and have opened the Big 12 season with three straight victories, including over No. 22 Oklahoma State in the opener, to move up to No. 16 in the latest Top 25 poll.

___

Danny Manning, Tulsa. The former Kansas star was a protege under Bill Self in Lawrence, so he learned from one of college basketball’s best. Manning took over a program that didn’t have much of an identity and tried to mold it in his own hard-working image. It’s been an up-and-down process. The Golden Hurricane opened with three wins their first four games, then lost four of six and are now back on the upward trend after opening Conference USA 3-1. He also beat his former coach, Larry Brown, when Pat Swilling Jr. hit a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left to give the Golden Hurricane (11-7) a 48-47 over SMU on Jan. 6. Beating his former coach is a nice accomplishment no matter what happens the rest of the way.

___

Kevin Ollie, Connecticut. The former Huskies point guard was given a one-year contract to serve as Jim Calhoun’s successor after the Hall of Fame coach retired last year. The school’s administration didn’t get halfway through the season before signing him to a long-term deal that will keep him at UConn through the 2017-18 season. Despite losing five underclassmen after Calhoun left, the Huskies opened 10-2. UConn followed with losses to Marquette and new No. 1 Louisville on Monday night, but it also beat then-No. 17 Notre Dame on the road. The Huskies (12-4) still have a tough road through the Big East, but have their coach for the future in Ollie.

___

Frank Martin, South Carolina. Martin was elevated to the head job at Kansas State after Bob Huggins left. He turned the Wildcats into a national power and now he’s trying to do the same thing in Columbia. Taking over a program that had gone into a free-fall the previous four seasons under Darrin Horn, Martin had his work cut out for him with a team picked to finish 13th in the SEC. Martin’s intensity has worked so far with the Gamecocks (11-5), who opened the season strong and gave Martin his first win the conference by beating LSU on Wednesday after a pair of opening SEC losses.

___

Richard Pitino, Florida International. Like Manning, Pitino learned from one of the best minds in basketball. Unlike Manning, his mentor was his father, Louisville coach Rick Pitino. The younger Pitino got his first head-coaching job at 29 and had a big hill to climb at FIU, taking over a program that hasn’t had a winning record since going 16-14 in 1999-2000. Even with a roster he had to piece together, Pitino has been able to make the Golden Panthers (8-8) respectable, keeping them around .500 most of the season. Not bad for a program that has struggled for so long.

By John Marshall

More By John Marshall.

Next Article

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

Gripping photos: The people of the Turkey protests (slideshow)

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11
  • The protests take on a festive element as police forces move out of the park and square. Wearing a gas mask, this young man dances to traditional Turkish music in front of Taksim Square’s Ataturk Monument.

  • In Gezi Park since March 31st, this protester, originally caught off-guard by the Government’s teargas and water cannons, went out and bought a Russian army mask from WWII, preparing for what was to come.

  • This rambunctious boy seems to be enjoying the chaos. After taking this picture he threw a stone at the already destroyed building in the background.

  • Forming a line, the police face off directly with protesters in Taksim Square. After a while, they retreated and there was a general cheer – a back-and-forth dance that has been common since the beginning of this protest.

  • An elderly woman in Gezi Park reads the news. The tent community occupying the park was violently destroyed on June 16th.

  • Many different groups had set up booths to promote their cause in Taksim Square and Gezi Park. Standing in front of one, this man waves his flag while posing with conviction.

  • Many home-remedies are used to minimize the effects of tear gas. This woman has put a milky solution on her face, removing her mask after the tear gas dissipated. Before sunrise, the police came again for another round of teargasing.

  • People capitalize on the uprising -- selling flags, beer, gas masks, sky lanterns and spray paint to name just a few of the popular items.

  • On Monday morning, June 11, the police execute a strong offensive. Many plain-clothed police officers, like the ones seen here, clash with protesters in the side streets away from the main stand-off in Taksim.

  • The authorities seem to be most aggressive in the night, pushing protesters away from the square and park. After being teargassed this young woman catches her breath with other protesters on Siraselviler Street.

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 11

Related Videos

More Related Stories

Comments

 0 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Video of the Day

Watch More Here »

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": Growing up primate

Recommendations