NCAA Basketball: 10 mid-major coaches poised for bigger jobs after 2019-20
By Bryan Mauro
Honorable Mentions
Bill Coen
Over the last 13 seasons Coen has been wreaking havoc on the Colonial Athletic Association as the head coach of the Northeastern Huskies. The Huskies have experienced three of the best seasons in the schools 56-year basketball history under Coen. There is nothing more than Coen can accomplish at Northeastern, other than winning a tournament game.
The Huskies are the only team Coen has coached after a long stint at Boston College under Al Skinner. Coen finds himself on the outside looking in on this list because of his reluctance to take a bigger job. Coen may not have found the right fit, for him to jump to a major conference. Boston College decided to stay with Jim Christian for another year. If the perfect job opens Coen may not be able to pass it up.
Ryan Odom
Odom is the current head coach of the UMBC Retrievers. Odom and his team made history two seasons ago when they become the first 16 seed to beat a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Other than the magical season two season ago the Retrievers have not made the NCAA tournament. UMBC has never finished better than second in the America East conference under Odom.
When Virginia Tech was searching for a coach earlier this offseason, Odom heard his name mentioned and was apparently very close to the job. The Hokies ended up going with Mike Young from Wofford. Odom isn’t ready for power job just yet, as outside of one magical night in March, the Retrievers are still building in the America East. If UMBC remains consistent Odom will make the jump soon enough.
Jeff Jones
Conference USA is one of conferences that quietly has some of the better mid major teams in College Basketball every year. None of those teams are better, nor more consistent than the Old Dominion Monarchs. When Jones took over the program they were coming off a 5-23 season after former coach Blaine Taylor had taken them to 4 NCAA tournaments in 10 years. The Monarchs made it back to the NCAA tournament to the first time under Jones.
Jones has never won less than 18 games and has won an average of 23 games per year. His teams play tough defense and efficient offense. In light of his recent health problems Jones needs to get healthy before taking on a bigger more stressful job. Jones would be very successful at the power level.
Grant McCasland
North Texas and head coach Grant McCasland are on the verge of building a great program. He has won 41 games in 2 years as the head coach of the Mean Green. This season the record would have been much better if not for the tremendous amount of injuries his team experienced. McCasland came to North Texas after one successful season as the head coach at Arkansas State.
He has yet to win less than 20 games as a head coach. McCasland find himself on the honorable mention list due to his small sample size of only three years as a head coach. If the consistency and the winning continue the head coach will find himself with a power job sooner than later.