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NCAA Basketball: Ranking the Top 25 Active Head Coaches in 2018

By Tristan Freeman

SYRACUSE, NY - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange and head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils embrace after the game on February 22, 2017 at The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse upsets Duke 78-75. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
SYRACUSE, NY - FEBRUARY 22: Head coach Jim Boeheim of the Syracuse Orange and head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils embrace after the game on February 22, 2017 at The Carrier Dome in Syracuse, New York. Syracuse upsets Duke 78-75. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 15: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners watches his team in the second half of the game against the Rhode Island Rams during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – MARCH 15: Head coach Lon Kruger of the Oklahoma Sooners watches his team in the second half of the game against the Rhode Island Rams during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 15, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

15. Sean Miller – Arizona Wildcats

Career wins: 367 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 12

Best result: Elite Eight with Xavier in 2008, and with Arizona in 2011, 2014 and 2015

I’ve reached the point where just about every coach has either a Final Four appearance or multiple Elite Eights. So I’ve had to use expectations as a way to separate the remaining guys. That’s why Miller has “fallen” to No. 15.

Let me say that the lack of a Final Four appearance doesn’t bother me as much as others. But outside of his Elite Eight run with Xavier, a decade ago, Miller’s teams have underachieved in the Big Dance. He’s made the Wildcats into the premier program in the Pac-12 and made a huge name for himself. Now he has to take that next step so he can truly be part of that “elite” conversation.

14. Jim Larranaga – Miami Hurricanes

Career wins: 603 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 9

Best result: Final Four with George Mason in 2006

In his 30+ year career, Larranaga has rebuilt three programs (Bowling Green, George Mason, Miami) and gave them their best eras of basketball. After being largely responsible for elevating the status of George Mason and helping them move to the Atlantic Ten, Larranaga took a Miami Hurricanes program who struggled to consistently make the Big Dance in the ACC and made them viable.

They had some of the best seasons in program history while taking some of the attention away from the historical football program. He doesn’t have the outgoing television-made personality that gives him the name-ID among casual fans, but his consistent success no matter where he goes makes him one of the best now – and eventually all time.

13. Jamie Dixon – TCU Horned Frogs

Career wins: 373 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 12

Best result: Elite Eight with Pittsburgh in 2009

From the moment he arrived at Pitt, Dixon elevated the program to one of the best in the country despite not having many of the same resources of their peers and rivals. But for some, he may have worn out his welcome.

That’s fine because he went to his alma mater TCU, and quickly turned a school whose basketball program never even made the NCAA Tournament in the Mountain West into a legit threat in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs made the Big Dance for the first time in nearly 30 years and will have many more appearances ahead of them.

And for those for who still doubt Dixon’s coaching ability, look at Pitt’s program right now. They couldn’t even win a single ACC game this past season.

12. John Beilein – Michigan Wolverines

Career wins: 541 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 12

Best result: National title games with Michigan in 2013 in 2018

The Wolverines have some good history within the last three decades, but the program went a decade from the start of the century without making the Big Dance. Beilein came over after a few good years at West Virginia to revitalize a program that was drifting away from their Big Ten rivals.

But in the past five years, it’s been the Beilein-led Wolverines that has been the premier team in the Big Ten, even more so than Michigan State and Indiana, with two title appearances to show for it. Michigan has the potential to remain on top of the league, as long as Beilein is around.

11. Lon Kruger – Oklahoma Sooners

Career wins: 619 – NCAA Tournament appearances: 18

Best result: Final Four with Florida in 1994 and Oklahoma in 2016

Along with Tubby Smith, Kruger is the only other coach who has taken five different programs to the NCAA Tournament. His success has been even more impressive, starting over from scratch each time out.

Whether it’s been in the Big Ten, SEC, Mountain West, or even currently the Big 12, Kruger has taken the most difficult of situations and made the best of it, as well as making the Big Dance many times.

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