Big 12 Basketball: Ranking the 10 head coaches for 2019-20 season

By Joey Loose | Oct 5, 2019

LUBBOCK, TX - FEBRUARY 23: Jarrett Culver #23 of the Texas Tech Red Raiders drives to the basket against Quentin Grimes #5 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the second half of the game on February 23, 2019 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. Texas Tech defeated Kansas 91-62. (Photo by John Weast/Getty Images) /

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SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – MARCH 23: Head coach Scott Drew of the Baylor Bears looks on against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

7. Scott Drew (Baylor)

The Big 12 is a tough conference and nearly every head coach has an incredible history. That being said, it seems almost like a crime to have Drew at seventh on this list. He has become one of the most underappreciated head coaches in college basketball for the work he’s done at Baylor. Taking over a program fresh off a murder scandal and turning them into a Big 12 contender has been a fantastic piece of coaching.

Drew attended school at Butler, working as a student manager. After graduation, he became an assistant coach under father Homer at Valparaiso, helping lead the Crusaders to a number of NCAA Tournaments. When Homer retired in 2002, Drew took over the program. Even back then, he was already known as a talented recruiter and led Valparaiso to the NIT in his lone season in charge. A few months before the 2003-04 season began, Baylor hired him to try to salvage a program that Dave Bliss nearly destroyed after his scandal.

Things started slowly for Baylor, as expected, but Drew took this program to an unfamiliar level. Before his arrival, they had made four NCAA Tournaments, and only one in the last fifty years. Under his tutelage, they’ve been the Elite Eight twice, the Sweet Sixteen two more times, and have made the Tourney in six of the last eight seasons. While Kansas has limited their chances to win the Big 12, they’ve been a true contender for over a decade.

The dream for Drew clearly is to take this program to its first Final Four since 1950, but it can’t be denied that he’s done a remarkable job to this point. In just sixteen years, he’s completely refreshed and changed the culture, even if it hasn’t been a smooth ride the whole time. His Bears should be right back near the top of the league this upcoming season; is this finally their year?

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