Ranking best college basketball coach openings: What's best Power job?
The men’s college basketball coaching carousel is spinning.
As of Friday, March 13, six Power conference jobs are already open — Georgia Tech, Boston College, Syracuse, Arizona State, Providence and Cincinnati. They aren’t blue-blood jobs, but some of them should be intriguing to potential candidates, while others are a daunting task to take.
One of the best open jobs is already filled with Kansas State hiring Casey Alexander from Belmont.
As Power coaching positions become more available, here’s a ranking of them from being great opportunities to tough jobs.
1. Syracuse
A program with a national title and multiple Final Fours should be an incredible opportunity, right? Well, there are a lot of unknowns in Syracuse.
The Adrian Autry experiment really set the Orange back, far away from the success of Jim Boeheim. The main issue is Syracuse lost its identity and has to figure out where it wants to be. It has a new president and a new athletic director coming in the summer, really setting the stage for how much it values the program. It does have investment, but not anywhere near the top of the ACC.
While there are questions, Syracuse does have a fan base tired of its shortcomings and ready to do what it takes to change that. There is a real chance to bring life into the JMA Wireless Dome. The sport is better with Syracuse contending, and it has a viable shot of happening compared to other ACC teams.
2. Cincinnati
Cincinnati lost its magic with no tournament appearances in five seasons under Wes Miller — and happened at a critical time. The Bearcats thrived under Mick Cronin to remain a contender in the American Conference, but it hasn’t been able to replicate it since his departure and the move to the Big 12.
It was strange because Miller had the pieces to be successful, it just wasn’t panning out. It’s been mostly shoved around in the three seasons with the league.
There’s a concern whether it fell behind too much to catch up in a loaded Big 12, but there is potential. With a rich history and dedicate fan base, Cincinnati can get behind a guy that can bring a spark to a program in need of it. It doesn’t seem likely, but it won’t take a lot to bring excitement back in.
3. Georgia Tech
It feels like ages ago Georgia Tech was 40 minutes away from a national championship in 2004. It’s only won two games in four NCAA Tournament appearances since.
What’s been the problem is the entire college basketball world ran past the Yellow Jackets while it stood still. It hasn’t poured funds toward the program, Damon Stoudamire didn’t adapt and it led to some down times for a team that shouldn’t be as bad as it’s been. It does have history it can lean on, and is right in a major hotbed for talent in Atlanta. Its next coach would need to make that a priority to keep local talent close.
4. Arizona State
Bobby Hurley couldn’t get the Sun Devils acclimated to the Big 12, winning just 11 conference games in two seasons, leading to his departure after 11 seasons in Tempe.
Tempe has been a tough place to coach, with no Sweet 16 appearance since 1995. Its in-state rival Arizona is a major player, and the Big 12 move only made it harder to navigate. However, there are pieces that make it possible to get out of the shadow of the Wildcats.
First, the location is a major bonus, in a top market that can generate revenue. The athletic department has shown an investment in sports — largely football and women’s basketball — and a reset is what men’s basketball needs. The fan support is pretty solid for a middling program, and would explode with actual success. Look no further than the excitement Molly Miller has generated on the women’s side.
Even though Arizona State hasn’t been to the tournament since 2023, there’s plenty available for the next coach to find some success it has been seeking since the turn of the century.
5. Providence
It’s always interesting to see how schools where college basketball is king handle searches, especially in the Big East. Providence is on the hunt again, trying to get itself out of the bottom half of the conference.
The Friars aren’t major title contenders, but they have history that shows it can be a successful program, evident in the 2022 Sweet 16 run. NCAA Tournament spots should be consistent. Providence is 47-51 in Kim English’s three seasons. When you have rivals like Connecticut, St. John’s and Villanova miles ahead, it makes it very difficult to climb the standings.
The money appears to be there for the Friars, and they have a loyal fan base that makes things a bit easier for a new coach. You just can’t help but wonder if it’s going to be a multi-year task to get back to the expected contending level.
6. Boston College
It is quite the task to be in charge at Boston College.
The Eagles haven’t been much of a contender in nearly two decades. Their last NCAA Tournament appearance was in 2009, one of the longest droughts of any Power conference school. Basketball hasn’t been a priority in Chestnut Hill. There aren’t NIL funds or huge amounts of money coming in for staff. There’s also the added task of having to get people to just show up to games, as Conte Forum often resembles a ghost town.
If there’s one positive, Boston College is still in the ACC so that should draw some interest. But it comes with a major warning label: It doesn’t get much tougher than this.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: College basketball coach openings: What Power job is most attractive?
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