Coaches of the Decade
- Thread starter Quavarius
- Start date
That’s a fair analysis. K definitely belongs there and so does Jay Wright, and Roy( proceeds to wash mouth out with soap).
Yeah, it’s fair.
My only gripe is about Roy and Jay Wright. Outside of the two titles for Villanova, they didn’t do anything this decade in the tournament and only got good after the old Big East folded. Roy gets credit for stabilizing a situation he had hand in spreading? This author didn’t place a value on consistency in the tournament since some missed the NCAA Tournament atleast once during this decade.
2012 and 2014 were bad for us in the NCAA Tournament for sure, but we have 2 titles, 2 FFs and 5 Elite 8’s in this decade. I mean, we only had one (1) 10+ loss season and won 30+ games five (5) times this decade.
I’d probably put Bennett at 1. He’s put UVA back on the map. A non factor from 84 to his arrival. The rest is more debatable, imo.
I love the writer saying what if so and so had returned for Villanova, they might have more titles!
Well guess what Sherlock, what if Tyus, Okafor, and Winslow would have came back in 16?
I love the writer saying what if so and so had returned for Villanova, they might have more titles!
Well guess what Sherlock, what if Tyus, Okafor, and Winslow would have came back in 16?
No one wants to mention the idiocy at REWARDING Roy for dealing with a scandal which he himself had a big hand at creating and perpetuating? Are you kidding? He should be off the list because he BENEFITED from the scandal he created and perpetuated.
The only thing about Bennett is he sucked the first half of this decade. If not for his first FF and first title last season, he may be further back on this list.
I noticed this article didn’t mention his record against K is abysmal. I think K is like 12-4 since he’s arrived IIRC.
No way Roy should be that high on the list. He's averaging 10 losses a year since 2010. He's pretty overrated and has had success due to cheating and keeping 3-4 top 10 players as upperclassman.
I do have issue however when the author states Roy did this while under a scandal! Come on now give me a break.
Exactly, he was able to cheat and pad stats while cheating. ALso, he's been able retain talent for several years during the OAD era. What's happening now is talent is starting to leave UNC after 1 year and we're seeing Roy as for who he is, an overrated coach who cheated his way to the top.
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Personally I think it's dumb to punish K for having uber-talented rosters that failed to make the Final Four. Last I checked, recruiting is a massive (and possibly the most important) part of coaching.
I'm assuming the writer is not counting 2010. We have 1 title and 1 final four, same with UVA. We have absolutely owned UVA head to head this decade. Don't get Bennett over K at all....
I'm assuming the writer is not counting 2010. We have 1 title and 1 final four, same with UVA. We have absolutely owned UVA head to head this decade. Don't get Bennett over K at all....
Yea that title last season is what propelled Bennett on this list, honestly. If it weren’t for the FF and Title last season, one could make a plausible argument that he may not even belong on this list, because he’s the only coach to have lost to a sixteen seed.
I don’t know exactly where I would put him, but Stevens taking Butler to back to back national title games ultra impressive. He didn’t take Duke, unc, Kansas, ETC.....he took BUTLER. And they were a rim out from beating us. And also, during our discussions about K’s replacement, I wouldn’t be shocked if he has been the most wanted candidate
We probably need to start discussing K’s replacement. I mean he won’t be there forever.
We should have a thread on this....
You can make arguments for Wright, Cal, K and Roy. I think Bennett is 5 of the top 5. He was still building the first few years of this decade, was regularly bounced from the tournament, lost to a 16 and got lucky af to win last year- granted you need luck to win a title but he used all ten years worth last years tourney.
To reiterate what was already said- K gets knocked for first round exits (fair) but Wright outside of his two titles is pretty quiet come tourney time. Yes, recruiting is part of coaching, however, if we are just going based off of on court results, i think you can make arguments for any of the group to be in any order for 1-4. To me (biased) i would go-
1. K
2. Cal
3. Roy
4. Wright
Couldn't agree more. If this was "what coach has done the best job from where the program started to where the program is in 2020?" Than yeah, of course Bennett is the clear cut winner. But I was assuming coach of the decade means: best coach of the decade.
This is like how the NBA coach of the year voting goes, the actual best coach, usually Poppovich or Stevens never wins this. The winner is always the guy who took a team projected to win 38 games and that team wins 48 games...find a new name for your dumb award.
It’s stupid if the writer did not include 2010 with this decade since it is apart of this decade. Maybe that’s why K is lower. Because K has more tournament success than Wright and they both have 2 titles and 2 FF’s this decade.
My thoughts exactly. This isn’t a most improved award- who was the best. Again, can make arguments for any of the top four imo, mine i think holds the most water for K. Between 2 titles, 4 ACC tourney titles, the lone blunder being just one regular season crown, and five elite eights? With 25+ wins every year? Roy- NIT, Cal- NIT, Jay- only made the sweet sixteen 2x.
He did include it, which makes it even dumber.
"In the modern era of college basketball – which means not counting UCLA in the 1970s – has anyone ever had a more dominant five-year run than Jay Wright did from 2014 through 2018?"
Uh, yeah . . . Coach K, 1988-1992, five years, five Final Fours, three Championship games, two National Championships. OFC
Uh, yeah . . . Coach K, 1988-1992, five years, five Final Fours, three Championship games, two National Championships. OFC
I hate to be that guy but this list, especially top 5, i can’t help but notice the sheer lengths he had to go to in order to justify putting K at 5.
Agreed. As much as I love the tourney, ppl just place way too much emphasis on the single-elimination format. Take UVA for example. Lose to UMBC but need prayers to land their ship. I’m not sure the right way to say it but the single-elimination format, as fun as it is, doesn’t necessarily yield the best team.
I think anybody who watched college ball the last decade will say its K, Cal, Roy, Wright. Their whole body of work was each remarkable.
I hope our next coach can get higher on the list..
All i want to know is, will you finish the job this year in the head to head pick em battle?
Excellent post and spot-on.
I mean, Coach K fifth? Lol... I can't even take that article seriously.
All of Roy's success this decade (three nattys) are tarnished by the fake classes scandal...Take '05- everyone or VERY CLOSE to the ENTIRE TEAM were in fake classes, and majored in the now infamous "AFAM." There's one article that even quotes Sean May as saying "I switched my major to AFAM because I didnt have to be in class as much." What a laugh...
The '09 team Roy had moved his players out of the "players clustered" AFAM into communications classes. Different course but same premise, really no classes but a phony paper turned in at semester's end.
'17 team, no doubt the program should have been placed on probation, and not allowed to compete in postseason. The academic and athletic scandal was CLEARLY in the cross hairs of the NCAA yet the governing board chose to turn a blind eye....#Shameful
OFC
The '09 team Roy had moved his players out of the "players clustered" AFAM into communications classes. Different course but same premise, really no classes but a phony paper turned in at semester's end.
'17 team, no doubt the program should have been placed on probation, and not allowed to compete in postseason. The academic and athletic scandal was CLEARLY in the cross hairs of the NCAA yet the governing board chose to turn a blind eye....#Shameful
OFC
I WILL say Roy Williams is an excellent coach, but like his idol Dean Smith should be forever branded as cheaters. Remember Dean founded the AFAM major! OFC
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What Bennett has done at Virginia is very impressive....and the national championship last April was just the icing on the cake. That said, I don’t see him above K, Cal, Wright or Roy.
Despite UVA’s relative regular season success in the ACC, their stats and ‘rivalry’ with Duke have been pretty one-sided. Aren’t we something like 11-3 or 12-3 against UVA this decade? I know we have more titles too. Whether we should have more is an entirely different argument.
Villanova won two titles in three years. That’s outstanding. They also failed to make it past the Sweet Sixteen one other time. Just an argument for comparison’s sake. The two titles make Wright in the conversation for #2, imo, but I think he’s barely edged out by Roy and Cal.
Despite UVA’s relative regular season success in the ACC, their stats and ‘rivalry’ with Duke have been pretty one-sided. Aren’t we something like 11-3 or 12-3 against UVA this decade? I know we have more titles too. Whether we should have more is an entirely different argument.
Villanova won two titles in three years. That’s outstanding. They also failed to make it past the Sweet Sixteen one other time. Just an argument for comparison’s sake. The two titles make Wright in the conversation for #2, imo, but I think he’s barely edged out by Roy and Cal.
I can see the argument for a few of these coaches. All that won titles in this decade had early departures as well. The anti Duke fans will point to 12, 14, 17, 18, and even last season. The very same way Duke fans used to laugh at Hole fans during the mid 80’s, 94, 97 and 98.
K has built Duke up to expectations with the media and the fans as final 4 at least or it’s a failure. It’s a part that comes with reeling in the premier talent, fair or not.
That said, I still say Bennett. He went to Virginia, what 11 years ago? Look at Virginia now. He didn’t go to a Blue Blood. Yes, K has gotten the best of him in head to head, but it has been dogfights every freaking game.
Virginia has become a national power this last decade, with a title along the way. He’s doing it without the benefit of the top shelf talent too.
Mark Few is top 5 as well. I’d put him over Roy. He’s made Gonzaga one of the best.
K has built Duke up to expectations with the media and the fans as final 4 at least or it’s a failure. It’s a part that comes with reeling in the premier talent, fair or not.
That said, I still say Bennett. He went to Virginia, what 11 years ago? Look at Virginia now. He didn’t go to a Blue Blood. Yes, K has gotten the best of him in head to head, but it has been dogfights every freaking game.
Virginia has become a national power this last decade, with a title along the way. He’s doing it without the benefit of the top shelf talent too.
Mark Few is top 5 as well. I’d put him over Roy. He’s made Gonzaga one of the best.
Bennett becoming the first #1 seed to lose to a #16 seed (this is during the height of their reign) is worse than any first round exits by Duke.
Like someone else stated, the media has built Duke up for Final Four or bust (and then that same media also blames K for lack of FF’s even though it was they who always suggested all of his teams would be title contenders).
K is knocked (unfairley) for his failures, but it hasn’t seemed to impact the coaches ahead of him (who went to the NIT, didn’t get past the Sweet 16 for several years, lost to a 16-seed, etc.).
Some of these coaches have been great during a 5 year span of this decade, but K has been consistent throughout all 10 years. I mean, half of this decade K spent going to the Elite 8 (only Cal has more). Those Elite 8 trips ended with 2 FF (only Cal has more) and 2 titles (tied with Wright for most during this decade). If consistency in the regular season (check) and consistency in the tournament (check) are what defined coaches of this decade, K is no worse than 2nd or 3rd.
I wonder if a FF only appearance last season (say we didn’t win it all) changes anything (especially since we beat the other 3 teams in the FF last season during the regular season UVA, Texas Tech and Auburn). No question a 3rd title this decade would have put him at No. 1, but what if we just reached the FF. I mean, Cal didn’t seem to be knocked for his 2010 team losing in the Elite 8 or his 2015 team, the overwhelming favorite, that loss in the Final Four to a team Duke beat twice that year. K would be ridiculed with only winning one title in a decade he supposedly changed the game.
In my opinion, so many people felt that Duke, with Zion and even RJ, two of the top picks to the nba, not winning it all was a failure. To the media, and college basketball, Zion was that big. It’s like the Yankees with their big payroll.
I’m not even sure a final four in 18 would put K at the top, by the media anyway.
The only reason Cal doesn’t catch the flack for 10 and 15 is because it was Duke that won it all. Any other team and he would have been ridiculed more.
Unfortunately, the last few years probably keep K from being the top rated coach this decade.
I still wouldn’t trade him for anyone.
