NCAA Basketball: Ranking the 10 best head coaching hires of 2022 offseason
By Joey Loose
10. Steve Prohm (Murray State)
Murray State has a knack for making successful head coaches, as their last eight coaches have left the school for other (usually better) jobs. This list of past successes has included Mark Gottfried, Mick Cronin, and Billy Kennedy among others. This year, the success of the Racers led Matt McMahon to greener pastures, but the program didn’t have to look far to find the next leader of the program, turning directly to McMahon’s predecessor.
Prohm’s career originally began as a volunteer assistant under Kennedy at Centenary, and he would follow him to two other schools, including Murray State. After five years on staff with the Racers, Prohm then spent four years as head coach, putting together a mind-boggling 104-29 record. Prohm moved on to Iowa State, spending six years with the Cyclones, a stretch that included a Sweet Sixteen and a pair of Big 12 Tournament titles. It also included a disastrous 2-22 season that led to his firing just over twelve months ago.
After a year out of coaching, Prohm returns at the perfect landing spot. McMahon’s seven years with the Racers have only continued to improve the standing of this program; a program that joins the MVC this season after years of dominating the OVC. Prohm was extremely successful with the Racers a decade ago and has the tools to continue this growth at Murray State. While things flamed out at the end with the Cyclones, this is still perhaps the most dynamic hire Murray State could make; trusting an old coach instead of hiring the next upshot assistant.