Ranking All Power 5 College Basketball Coaches For 2024-25 Season

Tony Bennett was the latest college basketball legend to retire from the game, but there are still a lot of quality head coaches in the power 5 ranks.

1. Dan Hurley, UConn

Hurley is the back-to-back national champ and has UConn in position for another outstanding season. No coach in the country has as much momentum heading into the 2024-25 college basketball season.

2. Bill Self, Kansas

The only other two-time natty champ, Bill Self is certainly in the top tier of college basketball coaches. With so many legends of the game retiring, he’s one of the few left. Self passed 800 career wins last season and is nearing top-10 territory if he keeps coaching for a few more seasons.

3. Scott Drew, Baylor

The Big 12 is loaded with the best coaches in today’s game, and that includes Drew, a national champion with Baylor. He built the program up from barely anything into a yearly contender in the conference, and lately, in the country. Even in today’s age of NIL and the transfer portal, Drew’s Bears teams always stay competitive.

4. Kelvin Sampson, Houston

Moving over from the AAC to the Big 12 hasn’t seemed to bother Sampson’s Cougars, and if anything, it’s elevated their status. The move up to a power conference has helped Houston remain one of college basketball’s premier teams over the past handful of seasons. Sampson knows how to win, no matter the level.

5. Matt Painter, Purdue

All Matt Painter does is win basketball games, with 14 20-win seasons since taking over at Purdue in 2005. However, his tournament success has been fairly minimal. In 2024, that all changed, as Purdue made it all the way to the final games of the season, ultimately falling to UConn. But with that monkey off Painter’s back, it could be scary for the rest of the Big Ten.

6. Nate Oats, Alabama

Nate Oats is on a generational run, parlaying success at Buffalo into Alabama and quickly turning the Tide into the top program in the SEC. Oats has had two 30-win seasons in nine tries and heads into the 2024-25 campaign with the No. 2 ranked team in the AP Poll. Entering this season off a Final Four appearance, can Bama go back-to-back?

7. John Calipari, Arkansas

I get the talk about Calipari being overrated – after a strong start at Kentucky, it was largely a flop, with the Wildcats having frequent early outs from the NCAA Tournament as the years went along. But when it comes down to it, Coach Cal has 855 career wins, a national championship, and is a three-time Naismith Coach of the Year. He’s a coaching legend, and can still be counted on to recruit as well as anyone in the country.

8. Hubert Davis, North Carolina

Davis is still very young in his coaching career, but when you make the Final Four in your first try, it’s going to put you near the top tier automatically. Year four comes along with some of the most expectations Davis has had as a head coach. The return of superstar RJ Davis and rising sophomore Elliott Cadeau put UNC in Final Four territory.

9. Rick Pitino, St. John’s

Age doesn’t seem to matter to Rick Pitino, because even at 72 years young, he’s as witty as ever. And the wins just keep coming along. Pitino took his success at Iona and bought a train ticket to St. John’s where he led the Red Storm to 20 wins in his first year as the head coach. Now in year two, the Hall of Fame coach is trying to lead the Johnnies to even more success in a very tough Big East Conference. There are few like Rick Pitino, and he’s still at it like it’s the 90s!

10. Tom Izzo, Michigan State

Make no mistake – Tom Izzo is a legend in college basketball, but lately, Michigan State has slipped further off the national stage. After rattling off back-to-back 30-win seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19, Michigan State hasn’t won more than 23 games in a season. That’s certainly not bad, but it’s also not the type of winning we’re used to seeing in Lansing. But if anyone can fix it and put together another masterful year, it’s probably Tom Izzo.

11. Bruce Pearl, Auburn

You’ve got to hand it to Pearl, who after a recruiting scandal got have ousted at Tennessee, totally turned around his coaching career at Auburn. The Tigers have become a stable competitor in the SEC, winning at at least 25 games in five of the last seven seasons. He coaches with passion and recruiting some of the top talent to a program that’s not exactly abounding in history.

12. Greg McDermott, Creighton

When Creighton moved to the Big East, I’m not sure if many people expected McDermott to be able to continue his success in their new conference. Boy were those people wrong. The Bluejays have arguably been the third-best team in the conference since realignment, just behind UConn and Villanova. And in recent years, it’s turned into some tournament success. McDermott is one of the best developmental coaches and also retains talent as well as anyone in the country.

13. Eric Musselman, USC

The move from Arkansas to USC is interesting for Musselman, who did a fine job with the Razorbacks. And I’m sure he’ll help the Trojans be one of the top teams in the Big Ten for time to come. Musselman is one of the most passionate and animated coaches in college basketball and backs it up with his winning – especially come tournament time. Musselman’s Arkansas teams made a Sweet 16 and two Elite 8s in five seasons.

14. Sean Miller, Xavier

Last year proved Sean Miller’s coaching greatness. With how many injuries affected Xavier, there’s no way the Musketeers should have come close to a 9-11 record in the Big East. This year, it’ll be fun to see how Miller can guide a *fingers crossed* healthy Xavier team through a challenging Big East slate. He’s coming off his first losing record in 19 years as a Division I head coach, so we could see a Sean Miller we’ve never seen before.

15. TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State

Otzelberger has quickly become one of the best up-and-coming coaches in the game and at 47 years old seemingly still has plenty of years ahead of him. Part of this ranking is due to his recent success at Iowa State, with the Cyclones winning 29 games a season ago. But he’s still regarded as a top coaching mind in the Big 12, no matter his experience compared to other coaches.

16. Mick Cronin, UCLA

Speaking about not being used to losing seasons, Mick Cronin is in the same boat as Miller. Cronin had a few of them at Cincinnati, but last year was his first since 2007-08. It’s been a long time. I’d also argue that Cronin’s done a very respectable job as the head coach of the Bruins. It’s a position that comes with a lot of pressure and scrutiny, but he’s handled it well and been a very good tournament coach with the Bruins.

17. Rick Barnes, Tennessee

You could make the case that Rick Barnes is the best coach in college basketball history without an NCAA Tournament title. Of course, he also only has one Final Four, which could make the case that he’s overrated. But regardless of your feelings on Barnes, he’s won over 800 games and has Tennessee at the top of the SEC, year in and year out. Last season, he benefitted from one of the best players in the country in Dalton Knecht, but Barnes can put together winning seasons with whoever in the lineup.

18. Jon Scheyer, Duke

Call it Duke bias if you want, but going 54-18 in your first two seasons as a college basketball coach is worthy of a pretty high ranking. Scheyer has continued to recruit four and five-star players to play for the Blue Devils and he’s made it to the Elite 8 already. Clearly we still need to see more continued success, but so far, so good.

19. Jamie Dixon, TCU

After Jamie Dixon left Pitt for TCU I wondered if it would negatively affect his overall coaching status. If anything, the opposite has happened. Dixon has built the Horned Frogs up within the Big 12 ranks, winning 21+ games in six of his eight seasons there. He’s also nearly on 500 career wins, which says a lot about Dixon’s winning culture, even if he hasn’t necessarily led any of the top programs in college basketball.

20. Shaka Smart, Marquette

There was a time when Shaka Smart was considered the next great thing in college basketball coaching and I’m not sure if he’ll ever reach that expectation. But you also can’t discredit his accomplishments. After leaving VCU for Texas, Smart continued to win games but has done a lot better since taking over at Marquette. He’s a basketball guy, and he’s in the perfect place at a school that prioritizes basketball. The Big East will always have some of the game’s best coaches, and Smart is near the top of that list in 2024-25.

21. Chris Beard, Ole Miss

I wasn’t sure how negatively Beard’s off-the-court issues would affect his coaching career but it seems like at least on the court, he can still be respected as one of the game’s best minds. Beard is a recruiter and a winner, and doing that at Ole Miss should speak volumes. It’s not a program necessarily associated with college basketball, but in year one, he got it done, with a 20-12 record.

22. Jim Larranaga, Miami

With so many coaching legends retiring, especially in the ACC, I’m surprised Jim Larranaga hasn’t joined his coaching counterparts. But he’s still having at it, and at a high level. After all, the Hurricanes made the Final Four two years ago. Lately, Larranaga’s teams haven’t been as consistent, but you still have to respect the legendary coach for his overall track record.

23. Tommy Lloyd, Arizona

The downfall of Tommy Lloyd is incredible. The once prized coach had a career-worst 27 wins last season, making you wonder about his future at Arizona. Of course, I’m joking there – that speaks to how much of a winner Lloyd is. In three short seasons, he’s only lost 20 total games. That’s an incredible start to a coaching career and it’s clear the Wildcats are in great hands going forward.

24. Buzz Williams, Texas A&M

Buzz Williams was a big deal at Marquette and kind of fell off for a little bit, but has found some renewed success at Texas A&M. He has the Aggies competing near the top of the SEC every year and seems like he’s been able to adapt to the new college basketball game better than a lot of coaches from his era.

25. Dana Altman, Oregon

How many more years will Altman continue coaching with so many coaches from his era calling it quits? The Oregon coach has sort of stood the test of time – the Ducks haven’t totally crumbled in the age of NIL and he’s been very active in the transfer portal. But the Ducks also haven’t had a whole lot of tournament success to back it up. Still, even in his later years, Altman is one of the best around.

26. Brad Underwood, Illinois

Underwood is consistent – five straight seasons with at least 20 wins at Illinois with a 29-9 record last year. While the Illini may not be a tier-one program, he’s had some tier-one players like Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn, and Terrence Shannon Jr. As the Big Ten expands, Illinois has to be happy having a coach with his consistent winning.

27. Ed Cooley, Georgetown

One rough year for Cooley at Georgetown shouldn’t tell the whole story. He turned Providence – with some of the fewest resources in the Big East – into one of the top programs in the conference. A regular season championship in 2022 was the height of that, but now, Georgetown will test Cooley’s ability to do that again.

28. Kevin Willard, Maryland

The lack of NCAA Tournament success has always been what’s held Willard back nationally, but he’s as consistent as they come and as done it for a long time. Winning at Seton Hall is an accomplishment in its own, considering it’s one of the most difficult places to recruit to (much like Providence). Now at Maryland, Willard is coming off a below .500 year, but he has been recruiting well, with a lot of hype about five-star Derik Queen this season.

29. Pat Kelsey, Louisville

The hype around Kelsey is well deserved – he turned Winthrop into a dominant program in the Big South and in three short years, made College of Charleston one of the most notable mid-major programs in America. Now he gets his big chance at a Power 5 school, and Louisville’s not a bad first start. The Cardinals can only go up from here, and with the way Kelsey’s promoted winning at his previous stops, you have to think it’ll carry over.

30. Chris Collins, Northwestern

Look, if you win at Northwestern, you deserve your flowers. It only took him three seasons to get to 20 wins, but that success quickly wore off. The Wildcats believed in him, and the last two years, it paid off. The biggest question about Collins is how much of that was because of a program changer like Boo Buie? Life without the star guard will really show how great of a coach Collins is.

31. Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska

Throw his stop with the Chicago Bulls out of the picture and Hoiberg has been a proven winner in his college basketball coaching career. With Iowa State, he compiled a 115-56 record, and with Nebraska, he put together a 20-win season in just his fifth year. If you know anything about Nebrasketball, that’s no easy task. Like Collins, Hoiberg had a star last year in Keisei Tominaga, so we’ll see how he coaches this year’s new-look Cornhuskers team.

32. Jerome Tang, Kansas State

After a fantastic start in his first season at Kansas State, Tang cooled off, only winning 19 games a year ago. It’s sort of like a rookie QB in the NFL – the first season may be great, but once teams learn your style, you’ve got to adapt. Tang seems to have a lot of potential to become one of the best coaches in the Big 12, so year three ought to be a fun one to watch and see how he follows up last season.

33. Wes Miller, Cincinnati

For most of Miller’s coaching career, he guided UNC Greensboro to the NCAA Tournament, with three SoCon regular season championships in his last five years there. Now at Cincinnati, Miller has ripped off back-to-back 20-win seasons and has the Bearcats poised for another competitive year in the Big 12.

34. Mark Pope, Kentucky

It seems like we may have severely underrated Mark Pope’s tenure at BYU because clearly he went from the WCC to the Big 12 with no challenge. In fact, the 23 wins last season were one shy of tying his career-high with the Cougars. He hasn’t coached a game yet at Kentucky – but the recruiting should speak for itself. Sure, UK will always attract recruits, but Pope sure hasn’t shied away.

35. Grant McCasland, Texas Tech

It can be tough grading a coach off one successful Power 5 season but I should remind you that Texas Tech didn’t come into the 2023-24 season with extremely high hopes. McCasland’s 23-11 campaign was remarkable considering that. But looking at his whole body of work, he won at Arkansas State, REALLY won at North Texas, and is off to a great start in Lubbock. You can’t discredit any of that.

36. Fran McCaffery, Iowa

McCaffery has rattled off a lot of wins in his coaching career at Iowa, but his height might have passed him once Luka Garza and Keegan Murray left town. It’s been back-to-back underwhelming 19-win seasons for the Hawkeyes and they don’t seem to be recruiting or developing players the same way.

37. Kevin Keatts, NC State

Keatts is probably the single toughest coach to rank on this list, so nearly smack dab in the middle seems like the perfect place. He took NC State to the Final Four last season, but before that, there were rumors of whether or not he would be back at NC State after the year. So while he’s got a really good career accomplishment to his name now, the verdict on Keatts still isn’t necessarily out. He’s got more to prove heading into 2024-25.

38. Brad Brownell, Clemson

Brownell has stood the test of time at Clemson and seems to be in a good position at a place that is otherwise a football school. He took over the job in 2010 and while there have been some ups and downs, it’s hard to think Clemson could go in a better direction. Brownell has also led the Tigers dancing in three of the last six tournaments.

39. Kyle Smith, Stanford

Smith makes Stanford his fourth home since 2016 and everywhere he goes, he wins. At Columbia, Smith won 25 games in his final season. He went to San Francisco and rattled off a trio of 20-win seasons. Then at Washington State, Smith turned the Cougars into winners and it culminated in a Pac-12 Coach of the Year Award. He’s staying on the West Coast with Stanford but will play in the ACC, which could provide more challenges. It’ll be interesting to see if Smith can build up yet another program.

40. Tad Boyle, Colorado

Boyle took over the Colorado job in 2010 and is now just two wins short of 300 with the Buffaloes. That’s an incredible achievement, but even more amazing is the streak of winning seasons. Only ONCE did Boyle’s Buffs fail to finish with a winning record. They might not always be included in the Big Dance, but they’re always going to be close and competitive.

41. Craig Smith, Utah

First off, you really have to credit Smith for elevating Utah State to the program they’ve become in the Mountain West over the past decade or so. In three years there, he made two NCAA Tournaments and went 26-8 with a regular season conference championship in the year COVID canceled March Madness. In 2021, Smith took over at Utah and last year, guided the Utes to a 22-win campaign. He still has some more building to do there, especially now in the Big 12, but it seems to be a pretty solid start to his power 5 coaching career.

42. Todd Golden, Flordia

Golden seems to be turning things around at Florida already. He improved the Gators’ record by eight wins last season, reaching the AP Poll at a high of 24th. In a deep SEC, it’ll be interesting to see how the young coach handles last season’s success and keeps it up. Golden is just 39 years old, so if he continues on this track, Florida may have to commit some dollars.

43. Danny Sprinkle, Washington

Sprinkle is on his third team in three years, which may raise some eyebrows, especially from those who disagree with players switching up teams in the transfer portal. Regardless of that story, Sprinkle’s coaching story is one of a lot of wins, and right away, It took him all but three years to get to 27 with Montana State and in his first season at Utah State, the Aggies won 28 games. Now with Washington, the Huskies are hoping Sprinkle can open up a new chapter of success in the Big Ten.

44. Lamont Paris, South Carolina

Two years in since taking over as the head coach in Columbia and Paris is already building some great momentum. After debuting with an 11-win season, Paris added 15 to that total en route to a 26-8 record in year two with the Gamecocks. It’s still early yet, but the 49-year-old is picking up a lot of steam in the SEC.

45. Mike Woodson, Indiana

Woodson’s name still may associate more with his time in the NBA but he’s now been at Indiana for three seasons and for the most part, it’s been solid. He’s compiled a 63-40 record, which might not be up to Hoosiers fans’ standards, but has been good enough for two NCAA Tournament appearances. Year one without Trayce Jackson-Davis was his worst, so we’ll see if Woodson’s able to coach up a group, or if he needs a star player.

46. Jeff Capel, Pitt

After Capel’s Oklahoma job ended in 2011, he didn’t return to a head coaching position until 2018 with Pitt. It didn’t start out with flying colors, but the Panthers trusted in his vision and he’s led them to a 46-23 record over the last two seasons. Given Capel’s overall career arc, I’d still like to see more of the same, but it’s been a nice turnaround from not-so-great beginnings.

47. Kim English, Providence

At just 36 years old, there’s still a lot English needs to prove in his college basketball coaching journey, but a 21-14 record in year one with Providence is a great start. He’s entering into year two with expectations of more success and retains a star in Bryce Hopkins, so there’s a chance for English to become even more notable on the national scene.

48. Dennis Gates, Missouri

Gates is a difficult coach to grade because an 8-win season will get most coaches on the hot seat. But his first year at Missouri was a massive success – the Tigers won 25 games and Gates was thought of to be the next best thing in the SEC. Given all of that, he comes into year three at Mizzou with the need to turn it back around and build some winning consistency. Gates can recruit well, but it needs to add up in the win column.

49. Steve Forbes, Wake Forest

Forbes was nearly perfect at East Tennessee State, never winning FEWER than 24 games in five seasons. At Wake Forest, he’s been far from perfect, but from six wins in year one to 25 wins in year two, you can’t complain. The last two seasons have been so-so but the Demon Deacons are running into the 2024-25 college basketball season with a lot of steam, so Forbes will try and catch that wave.

50. Darian DeVries, West Virginia

DeVries is pretty much Forbes but without the power conference experience. He turned Drake into one of the best mid-major college basketball teams over the last handful of years, much in thanks to his all-star son, Tucker. Both DeVries, father and son, turn their attention and careers to West Virginia. Mountaineers fans ought to be happy, considering DeVries’ track record, but we’ll have to wait to see it in action.

51. Greg Gard, Wisconsin

I think Greg Gard needs to be on guard heading into this season. He’s been at Wisconsin for nine years now, but has only picked up six wins in the NCAA Tournament. It’s not to say that Wisconsin is a Blue Blood, but the Badgers have a proud program and they’ve let their guard down to the rest of the Big Ten recently. I wouldn’t say he’s on the hot seat necessarily, but it does seem like a year to prove some things.

52. Dusty May, Michigan

Like DeVries, May had some notable success at the mid-major level, and it’s earned him a job at a power conference school. However, unlike DeVries, May’s success has been a little more short-lived. After four years hovering around .500, FAU had a season to remember, going 35-4 in 2022-23. They had another quality season last year, and Michigan bought into the hype. The Wolverines job is a challenging one, but one that can be turned around. May has the potential to do that.

53. Shaheen Holloway, Seton Hall

It appears we’ve reached the part in our programming where it’s coaches who have had some notable success at the mid-major level but haven’t done enough at a power conference school to move up the ladder. Holloway has had a little bit of success with the Hall, and I’ll still argue the Pirates deserved to play in March Madness last season. Of course, he coached them to an NIT Championship, more proof of how great he can be in a tournament setting. But in the regular season, we just need to see more from Sha before the opinion becomes more valid.

54. Porter Moser, Oklahoma

Porter Moser was a hot commodity coming out of Loyola-Chicago after guiding the Ramblers to a few appearances and runs in March. But at Oklahoma, it’s been a bit concerning. Last season was his first 20-win campaign in three tries, and an overall record of 54-45 ain’t gonna cut it in Sooner land. Moser is another coach who might not be on the hot seat but does need to sustain some success and soon(er).

55. Mike Young, Virginia Tech

Like Moser, Young turned a few outstanding years at Wofford into a job at Virginia Tech. But in five seasons, he only has two NCAA Tournaments to show for and is coming off back-to-back 19-win seasons. The ACC is a deep league and the Hokies have been competitive, but they’ve also had some good rosters on paper and have seemed to fall below expectations. Year six is a big one for Young.

56. Micah Shrewsberry, Notre Dame

It’s been an interesting three years for Shrewsberry. He takes over and Penn State and quickly guides the Nittany Lions to one of their best seasons in program history. But after two years there, he jumps for Notre Dame and takes over a program in all sorts of trouble. Given the circumstances, it’s hard to grade him off one 13-20 season. But it’s also going to be important to see how he starts to improve this proud program in year two.

57. Steve Lutz, Oklahoma State

Steve Lutz just WINS baby! In three seasons as a head coach, he’s won at least 22 games and made the NCAA Tournament at each stop. Oklahoma State hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament since 2021, so the Cowboys are hoping Lutz has some more appearances left in his bag.

58. Rodney Terry, Texas

Sometimes coaches need to learn, and it seems like after a rough three years at UTEP, Terry’s found some sort of groove at Texas. While I’m sure the Longhorns still want to see more wins and more tournament wins, Terry’s off to a good start and the recruiting has certainly been up to par.

59. Chris Jans, Mississippi State

Jans has been the definition of a solid hire for Mississippi State. The Bulldogs have improved under his tutelage, have gone 2-for-2 in making the NCAA Tournament, and the team has overall become a better program in such a competitive conference. He’s recruited some good talent to Starkville, and year three has some high hopes too.

60. Michael White, Georgia

A6-4 tournament record at Florida wasn’t all too bad, and now Georgia gets to benefit from White’s coaching. They haven’t tasted the dance yet, but came close with 20 wins last season, so he seems to be working his magic so far.

61. Jake Diebler, Ohio State

We’re only 11 games into Diebler’s coaching career, but it’s been a very impressive 11. Oho State went 8-3 in that time and it earned Diebler the full-time job. It still may be too early to tell with Diebler, but the way he turned around the season, in the heat of the Big Ten, makes me think he’ll be one of the top guys on here in no time.

62. Thad Matta, Butler

Matta took the open job at Butler, a full circle moment after his head coaching career started there back in 2000. However, round two with the Bulldogs hasn’t been too hopeful. A 32-33 record won’t move the needle for a program looking to compete in the Big East. They did see an increase in four wins last year, but year three will need to see more improvement.

63. Chris Holtmann, DePaul

Holtmann didn’t last at Ohio State, so there’s obviously not a whole lot going for him right now. But he did do an impressive job at Butler and had a solid start in Columbus. Given his veteran coaching status, DePaul seems like a really good fit. Holtmann’s best years came in the Big East, so it’s a good place to revisit.

64. Andy Enfield, SMU

The FGCU run was over a decade ago, which makes me feel old, and made USC get old of Enfield. Now he’s at SMU, where the Mustangs look to get off to a new start in a new conference. I wouldn’t say Enfield is definitely the answer, but his time at USC wasn’t all that bad. Sure, last year was a dumpster fire, but they made the dance five times in ten tries. Not great, but not terrible, either.

65. Leonard Hamilton, Florida State

I fear Hamilton has overstayed his welcome, compiling a rough record of 61-60 over the last four years. It might not seem all that bad, but the low point was a nine-win season in 2022-23. It’s been hard to see FSU hoops take a hit under the same coach who led them to a lot of good years in the ACC, but this is where it’s at now.

66. Steve Pikiell, Rutgers

Pikiell stayed at Stony Brook for 11 years before a power 5 job finally came calling and he’s been able to keep Rutgers somewhat relevant. However, it’s the recent recruiting that’s made him a name to watch. It’s no small feat bringing in Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper, and it’ll be a chance for Pikiell to elevate his name amongst his college basketball coaching peers.

67. Red Autry, Syracuse

It’s way too early to tell anything substantial about Autry, but one thing going for him is leading the ‘Cuse to its first 20-win season in quite some time. That’s a good start, and he’s been killing it on the recruiting trail, which is also music to Syracuse fans’ ears.

68. Mike Rhoades, Penn State

Rhoades was really good at VCU and it made sense for Penn State to reach out to him, but a 16-17 record in year one doesn’t do him many favors. However, in Rhoades’ defense, the Nittany Lions were coming off an incredible season, which doesn’t come around too often at Penn State. It would be cool to see him develop something at a school where basketball definitely doesn’t run deep.

69. Mark Byington, Vanderbilt

With no power conference experience yet, Mark Byington still needs to prove he can do it at that level, but he’s definitely done that at the mid-major level. 32 wins for JMU last season? Vanderbilt was right in offering him a job.

70. Earl Grant, Boston College

Grant was solid at Charleston and has been solid at BC but just has never been great. I’ve got to think Boston College fans are hungry to have some success and Grant is starting to deliver, but they still seem a ways away, even after a 20-win year.

71. Bobby Hurley, Arizona State

It’s seemed like Hurley’s been on the hot seat for the last half-decade, but he’s kept his job at Arizona State, even after a 14-18 season. There’s definitely a lot of pressure on him this year, and even though the Sun Devils don’t have a rich history, you have to think they’re gonna need to see it this year for him to stay any longer.

72. Matt McMahon, LSU

It’s only been two seasons, but you wonder how much more time McMahon will get at LSU. From 14 wins to 17 wins, the Tigers didn’t see a lot go right in year two, and most of his college basketball success can be chalked up to coaching Ja Morant.

73. Ron Sanchez, Virginia

The man hasn’t coached a game yet but if you have Tony Bennett’s approval, you can’t be last on this list. Good things are likely ahead for the new head coach at UVA.

74. Kyle Neptune, Villanova

What really is there to say about Neptune? Living up to Jay Wright is next to impossible, but he’s struggling to live up to Steve Lappas. Villanova isn’t the hardest place to recruit to, especially taking over from winning multiple national championships. It’s confusing why the Wildcats haven’t been able to find nearly any success with Neptune.

75. Ben Johnson, Minnesota

If this were an NFL coaches list, Ben Johnson would be near the top, but this is college basketball, and the Minnesota version is closer to the bottom. Look, 19 wins is a major improvement from nine, so he gets the benefit of the doubt there, but the 22-39 start is too much to totally overlook.

76. Mark Madsen, Cal

Things went smoothly for Madsen at Utah Valley – and then they just didn’t at Cal, winning only 13 games with a team that looked a lot better on paper. It’s early still, but it’s not a good early.

77. Kevin Young, BYU

Young comes to BYU from the NBA, so there really is hardly anything to say about what he might bring to this program. He’s never even been on staff at the Division I level, so hats off to getting a DI job!

78. Johnny Dawkins, UCF

The fall-off post-Tacko Fall hasn’t been graceful for Dawkins, who has failed to top 19 wins in any of the last five seasons at UCF. The move to the Big 12 was better than I expected, but it still wasn’t promising, and you have to think Dawkins is on the hot seat to start the season.

79. Damon Stoudamire, Georgia Tech

Having a career record below .500 and earning a power conference job is insane and it’s also gone just about as you’d expect. The Yellow Jackets won 14 games in 2023-24 and aren’t on the top of most people’s lists to start this season.