NCAA Basketball: Buy or Sell – head coaches on hot seat in 2020-21

Mark Fox – California Golden Bears

In recent memory, California is another one of the power conference programs that have really been struggling. The Golden Bears were in the NCAA Tournament as recently as 2016, but that talented team was upended by 13-seed Hawaii in the opening round. Things have been far worse for the Golden Bears in the five years since, but perhaps not all hope is lost.

Mark Fox is in the middle of what is just his second season in Berkeley. He previously spent time as head coach at Nevada and Georgia, spending nine seasons leading those Bulldogs in the SEC. Fox taking the Golden Bears job last season was a bit unexpected after a year out of the game and struggles with Georgia, but it could still end up being the right hire for California.

Fox inherited a Golden Bears program that won just eight games in each of predecessor Wyking Jones’ two seasons. Last season, Fox won 14 games in his debut with the program, though the work is clearly not done. The Golden Bears sit at 7-8 this year, though just 2-6 in Pac-12 play after dropping their first five conference games.

This is clearly not the year for California to shine in the league, but giving up on another head coach after just two seasons isn’t going to build this program back up to what it once was.

Sell