NCAA Basketball: Ranking 2019-20 Naismith Coach of the Year finalists
By Joey Loose
3. Brian Dutcher
When the season began, Utah State was the darling of the Mountain West, especially with big departures from Nevada’s stacked roster. It’s absolutely true that Utah State did win the Mountain West tournament just a few weeks ago and really ramped up their play this season, but the job that Dutcher has done with these Aztecs cannot be understated.
Dutcher sat on Steve Fisher’s bench for nearly three decades, refusing chances to become a head coach elsewhere while biding his time at San Diego State. His third season leading the Aztecs has brought unparalleled growth. Including wins over would-be Tournament teams like Creighton, Iowa, and BYU, the Aztecs spurted to a 26-0 start and became the nation’s final unbeaten team. Malachi Flynn became one of the nation’s best players and the Aztecs put themselves in prime position for March success.
After a 43-24 start to his career, this 30-2 season greatly elevated Dutcher’s stock on the national level. Obviously, Dutcher isn’t about to jump ship and should have another top 25 level team next season. The way the Aztecs have developed, on both offense and defense, has been nothing short of impressive, and Dutcher’s coaching has to be praised. One final major note in Dutcher’s favor is the play of Yanni Wetzell, who barely contributed on a horrific Vanderbilt team. With the Aztecs, he was one of their bright stars and it’s a shame that he and Flynn couldn’t elevate themselves even further in a Tournament run.