The Next Coach?
Names are already being tossed around as the next coach of the University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team. Billy Donovan seems to be the fans’ top choice, while the media seems to think it’s unrealistic. Other names include Tom Crean (Marquette), Rick Barnes (Texas), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Billy Gillespie (Texas A&M), Travis Ford (Massachusetts) and John Pelphrey (South Alabama).
This is my first experience of being a Kentucky fan during a coaching change. I was a little too young to either know or care when Rick Pitino was hired. So, it’s interesting to be a part of what - in Kentucky - is the equivalent to having a new President.
Personally, I would love to see Donovan as the next coach. When I look at his situation, I see the possibility of Florida having a weak team next year if their stars turn pro. On the flip side, if he became the coach at Kentucky, he would most likely land hot prospects Patterson and Lucas, and inherit a good team. While Randolph Morris will likely turn pro, the rest of the lineup is in tact, with a solid freshman class becoming sophomores and having experience on their side. There is also a rumor that Donovan has an “out” clause in his contract for one school - Kentucky.
It may be unrealistic for Donovan to leave a school where he may likely be the coach of back-to-back national champions in a couple of weeks. If that’s the case, my pick is Tom Izzo. He’s a big-name coach and has proven he can win - especially in March. He would be high on my list if I were Mitch Barnhart.
Next on my list would be a tie between Mark Few and Travis Ford. Few has proven he can put a mid-major on the map, and keep them there on a consistent basis. Gonzaga has been a solid team under Few’s watch. Kentucky would be a step up for him. In Ford’s case, he’s proven he can win at any level - he made Campbellsville a tough opponent in the NAIA, took EKU to the Big Dance, and has turned UMass around to the point of making an appearance in this year’s NIT. Being a former Wildcat only adds to his case for being a good choice as coach. To top it off, he’s a young, up-and-coming coach and can build a program at UK, similar to Florida’s choice of hiring a young Billy Donovan several years ago.
Based on media reports, it seems the early front-runner is Marquette’s Tom Crean. While Marquette has been a consistent winner with Crean as coach, I can’t say he has the aura of what Kentucky should be looking for. I just have a feeling we’d have another Tubby-situation on our hands in several years - a solid, winning team, but not a team that’s a threat to win the title every year. I’d say the same for Texas’s Rick Barnes.
The bottom of my list would be Pelphrey. He’s still a young coach, and I believe he still has to prove himself worthy of being the coach at Kentucky. If he can do with South Alabama what Few did with Gonzaga, I may give him more credibility.
The glory of the situation is the Kentucky has tradition on their side. Being one of the premier programs in the country, they should be able to get the big name the fans want. The question is whether or not Barnhart will go after the big name, or will the likes of a Crean or Barnes get the job?