NCAA Basketball: 5 most underrated head coaches heading into 2020-21

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 19: Head coach Ed Cooley of the Providence Friars looks on in the first half during a college basketball game against the Georgetown Hoyas at the Capital One Arena on February 19, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

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AUBURN, ALABAMA – FEBRUARY 08: Head coach Bruce Pearl of the Auburn Tigers (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

5. Bruce Pearl, Auburn

Fun fact about Bruce Pearl: He did not have a losing season until his 11th season of Division 1 Coaching.

You may have recently heard about Pearl due to his run with Auburn to the Final Four but he had been extremely successful long before that.

Pearl’s journey starts in Wisconsin with the Milwaukee Panthers of the Horizon League in 2001. In just his second season, Pearl guided the Panthers to a 24-8 record, won the Horizon League Conference tournament, and nearly upset Notre Dame in the NCAA tournament. The next season, they won the regular season conference title, and in Pearl’s 4th and final season in Milwaukee they won everything. A 26-6 record, Horizon League Regular Season and conference title, and a magical run to the Sweet 16 where the Panthers fell to eventual national runners up Illinois.

After the 2005 season, Pearl left Milwaukee with an 86-38 record to move to the University of Tennessee. Pearl spent six years at Tennessee as he made the NCAA tournament six times, won three SEC regular season titles and two SEC Coach of the Year award. Pearl left the Volunteers with 145 wins and a 70.4% win percentage, an incredible rate for a high major conference school.

But in 2014-15, Pearl undertook his most difficult job to date with the task of turning around the Auburn Tigers. After two consecutive losing seasons, Pearl finally broke through with an 18-14 record in 2016-17. Since then, the Tigers have been in the national spotlight. In the past three seasons, 25 wins or more, SEC Regular Season Title in 2017-18 and a SEC Conference Title in 2018-19, and Pearl led the team to the Final Four.

With a career record of 356-177, a Final Four appearance, and success at SEC programs since 2006, you would think Pearl would be hailed as one of the best coaches of our generation. Unfortunately, he receives more acclaim for him yelling at players and referees due to his animated and passionate reactions.

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However, Pearl is one of the best college basketball coaches of this generation, and his Final Four run was the final piece to prove he could still succeed in the NCAA tournament. And that’s why he’s on my list.

Got any suggestions? Did I miss anyone? I’m more than happy to discuss in the comments below!

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