NCAA Basketball: 5 most underrated head coaches heading into 2020-21
2. Chris Jans, New Mexico State
Next up, we have current New Mexico State head coach, Chris Jans, who has just enough coaching eligibility to qualify for our list. Despite only having four years of experience, Jans has started building a dynasty for the Aggies in the WAC. Let’s look at his past success.
Jans spent his first head coaching season with Bowling Green in the MAC. This ended up being his worst season coaching thus far as he went 21-12, finished 3rd in the MAC, and ended up making the CIT. However the next season, Jans left for New Mexico State and hasn’t looked back.
In the past three seasons he spent with New Mexico State, Jans has gone 83-17 with an 83% win percentage! In looking at the numbers, Jans was more dominant than first thought.
- He’s lost three conferences games in the past three seasons
- Won all three Regular Season WAC titles
- Won two WAC conference titles (the 2019-20 WAC tournament was never finished)
- Was Top 10 in the NCAA in Win Percentage all three seasons
- Won WAC Coach of the Year in 2018-19 and 2019-20
In simplest terms, Jans and the Aggies have dominated the WAC. And in the 2018-19 NCAA Tournament, New Mexico State was one point away from taking down Auburn, who eventually made the Final Four.
You may be asking why Jans hasn’t gotten more national coverage? Some people will point to the weakness of the WAC, while others will point to Jans’ lack of NCAA tournament success (0-2). However, this stretch of dominance in a conference is rarely seen like Gonzaga in the WCC. And for all the accolades above and the fact Jans’ has plenty of time to see more success, Jans makes our list of underrated college basketball coaches.
For our next coach, we look to a certain Big East coach that ripped his pants at MSG.