My list of the top 5 coaches in the recent era:
5. Jim Calhoun
With a career record of 703-310, he is one of the most impressive coaches in history. Lately, he hasn't been the winning machine that we are all used to. Although his Huskies lost in the first round of the Big Dance last year, he has still managed to lead his team to be respectable.
4. Rick Pitino
Pitino has shown great leadership and unbelievable stats in his career as of late. He has a career record of 521-191, and has taken four different teams to the Final Four in his 5 career appearances. His Louisville Cardinals should be one of the top 10 teams this year, and Pitino will have a great chance of making his sixth Final Four appearance.
3. Mike Krzyzewski
The Great Coach K makes my list at No. 3. He has shown the ability to win and recruit like almost no other coach in today's game. He has an outstanding career record at 721-246. He has won 3, but I'll reward him with his 4th after this summers' Olympic Gold Medal run. His Duke Blue Devils will be on top of the ACC when the 2008-2009 season is over.
2. Roy Williams
With his career record of 560-134, two national championships, and a winning percentage of .805 in his career, he is a household name. He obviously has not won as much as Coack K, but with that winning percentage you really can't argue him being my No. 2.
1. Bo Ryan
Finally, as my No. 1 coach in recent history, I have Wisconsin's own Bo Ryan. He has done so much in his career. He has accomplished great things with teams that lack athleticism. He has a career record of 173-60 in Division I and has the most wins in Division III with 353. He continues to lead the Wisconsin Badgers with his swing offense and making up their lack of athleticism with effort.
My honorable mentions are Florida's Billy Donovan. He would have been my No. 1 coach at the end of this era if he didn't almost leave the Florida Gators.
My other honorable mention is Tom Izzo. His teams are dirty, they are cheap, and that is why he will end up being one of the top coaches. They can be physical with anyone, there practices are competitive, and that just leads to great teams
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3 months ago
Good article, good topic! But I have to disagree with you onthe order of the list. I think you almost have to break college coahces in to two groups. One that ranks how well they prepare their players for the NBA and the other list on college winning. But that would be a long article. But here is my list (added two more):
7. Billy Donavan - Florida
6. Jim Boeheim - Syracuse
5. Jim Calhoun - UConn
4. Roy Williams - UNC
3. Rick Pitino - Louisville
2. Tom Izzo - Michigan State
1. Mike Krzyzewski - Duke
3 months ago
Be prepared to in a few years add Tubby Smith to this list.
Its Tubby Time
3 months ago
Tom Izzo is a GLARING omission from this list. Bo hasn't had the sustained success at Wisconsin that Izzo has a Michigan State, nor has he won a national title. I'd put him at the top above even Kryzweski, and that's not homerism, it's based on facts. Sine 1995-1996 (Izzo's first year), MSU has made it to one more Final Four than Duke and has generally done more with less.
3 months ago
Bo Ryan? Really? Where are his rings? 173 wins is nothing. One elite eight and nothing past that? You've gotta be kidding me. This article is garbage.
from 3 months ago
wow, way to be on bleacherreport for 1 hour and tear apart an article when you haven't even written one
3 months ago
there is more to a coach than final fours sam. Bo Ryan as done more with less talent than anyone, and now we are starting to get recruits...just wait for what happends then.
3 months ago
I agree that there are other factors that go into making a good coach than JUST winning, but come on. At the college level Winning IS important. Look at what some of these coaches are getting paid, Billy Donovan just signed a $19.5 million dollar contract. Schools don't throw that kind of money around to coaches to teach the boys how to be nice young men, they want to win CHAMPIONSHIPS, and Sam is right, Bo Ryan doesn't have championships.
So if you re-title your article, "Who will be the top five coaches at the end of this era", MAYBE Ryan can be the list, but as of now he does not warrant a spot.
from 3 months ago
i agree
3 months ago
Great topic, but where'd you get your data?
Calhoun has 773 wins, Coach K has 803 and Roy Williams has only won 1 National Championship...
My list goes 3 deep (with honorable mentions). All three have shown consistent dominance of their conferences. All three have won at least 1 national championship. All three have success that spans more than 15 years leading to all three having been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. All three are still leading powerhouse programs going into the 2008-09 season.
1) Coach K.
11 ACC tourney titles, 10 ACC titles, 10 Final Fours & 3 national championships (however, he had 6 Final Fours & 2 National championships in his first 12 seasons, the most recent 16 seasons have not been as prolific on the national stage). Makes do with less talent than the rest on this list, as demonstrated by Duke's NBA bust rate. To me, the NBA bust rate suggests he's a great coach, but cannot develop his athletes for success at the next level.
2) Calhoun.
9 Big East titles, 5 BE tourney titles, 2 national championships & 1 NIT championship. Built UConn from one of the best teams in CT to a national powerhouse. UConn & Calhoun have more athletes on NBA rosters than any other school or coach. Connecticut is currently a consensus preseason top 2 program for 2008-09.
3) Roy Williams.
11 conference titles, 7 conference tourney titles, 1 National Championship. I have Williams listed at #3 and poised to surpass both Calhoun and K if he continues his pace AND can add another National Championship (or two) with athletes he recruited. Currently the other consensus preseason top 2 program for 2008-09 is UNC.
HM (I'm sure I missed a couple):
Rick Pitino, Tom Izzo, Jim Boeheim, Mark Few, Billy Donovan, Bill Self, Ben Howland & John Calipari.
..and we can put your boy Bo Ryan on the watch list with the likes of Bruce Pearl & Jay Wright...
from 3 months ago
ya, sorry i had to hurry through this article because i was doing it at school, i usually take about 4 hours to write an article and i double check all my information. I only had a little over an hour to write this one
3 months ago
next time check your info....
3 months ago
Good article, but even as a guy who lived in Madison for 18 years, and goes to Bo's old school (Milwaukee), I would put Coach K. number 1 without even thinking about it. They're the same age, and Coach K has a few (hundred) more D-1 wins.
2 months ago
Jim Calhoun is a top 3 coach in my book. Only two rings, yes, but 773 wins and look at all the pro players he has produced. I am not going to list it off, but it is 20+ easily of players who have played in the pros at one point or been on a roster, and 15+ who stayed in the league. It is absurd. He has another chance at a NC this year and this team could possibly produce 5 professional players with the talent they have on this team. He may not have the rings, but he is easily one of the greatest recruiters of all time and has won championships. Bo Ryan is absurd.
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