March HOT-ness

By on March 16, 2015

 

 

Southern California Trojans head coach Andy Enfield argues with an official against the UCLA Bruins during the first half in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Conference tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. (USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada)

Southern California Trojans head coach Andy Enfield argues with an official against the UCLA Bruins during the first half in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Conference tournament at MGM Grand Garden Arena. (USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada)

As the college basketball season comes to a close, we get set to enter another season that leaves many Athletic Directors with sleepless nights and has consulting groups salivating.  Welcome to the season of Hire and Fire.  Athletic Directors buy coaches out of their contracts and then throw money at a well-established successful coach or the next big up and coming coach in hopes they can revive a program that has either underperformed or became irrelevant.

The coaches on this list have had success whether it has been at a previous school or at their current school.  Recently, success has eluded them.  For some programs, it is time for a new vision and some fresh blood.

                Andy Enfield (USC): Brought in to replicate the same success he had while establishing Florida Gulf Coast College as a perennial mid major power, Enfield has been unable to replicate that same success.  In two seasons under Enfield, the Trojans have finished dead last with a combined record of 23-41, 5-31 in the conference.

***  Anthony Grant (Alabama):  In 6 seasons at Alabama, Anthony Grant’s teams have only been to 1 NCAA tournament.  He repeatedly recruits top 10 classes, having the #5 class in 2011 and #6 class in 2014.  Unlike Nick Saban, who has matched his success off the field with success on the field, Grants recruiting success has failed to translate on the court.  The last two seasons, Alabama has won 13 games and 18 games respectively.  Oh yeah, there is also a man named Bruce Pearl who now resides in the state.

Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech): Gregory found success at Dayton leading the Flyers to two NCAA tournament appearances and defeating UNC to win the 2010 NIT Championship.  Simply put, Gregory has been a failure.  GT, in 4 seasons under Gregory, is 55-71; 19-51 in the conference, including a 3-15 ACC conference record this season.  For a program that was an NCAA tournament regular under Bobby Cremins and Paul Hewitt, the recent lack of success has got to be driving the Alumni crazy.

There is still a chance these coaches could save their jobs and in order to do that, they will need to do as good enough a selling job to their Athletic Directors as they do when recruiting athletes.  There is time still on the clock, but the clock is about to strike zero.

***Editors Note: Alabama announced the firing of Anthony Grant just after this article was submitted to Rocket Sports & Entertainment by Will Mayhall 

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/12489833/anthony-grant-fired-alabama-crimson-tide-men-basketball-coach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories: Basketball, Featured, Sports
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