Coaching college basketball can be a fickle career choice, as only a select few have absolute job security. It even can be argued that the coaches with the most job security – Tom Izzo, John Calipari, and Mark Few – also have the most resources, and expectations therefore a number of seasons not meeting those expectations results in the most criticism.
Most college coaches do not have unlimited resources and the type of name recognition that will draw recruits and transfers to their team and create a snowball effect of winning that will allow the coach to retire on their own terms such as Mike Krzyzewski, Roy Williams, and Jay Wright.
Seldom do athletic directors change course on the captain leading the ship mid-season and fire a coach, the offseason is when the coaching carousel begins. A pattern that is all too familiar to Tom Crean who was fired from Georgia on Mar. 10, 2022, and to Cuonzo Martin who was fired from his position at Missouri a day later. The 2022-23 NCAA Men’s Basketball season will be no different as a number of coaches will begin the season under scrutiny with their posteriors firmly in the proverbial ‘ hot seat’.
The time for them to turn their fortunes around began with their recruiting for the upcoming season and continues with the transfer portal. But, just as the transfer portal giveth, it taketh away as well. The 2022-23 season could very well be the deciding factor between a firing or getting an extension for some of these coaches and the first month of the off-season is arguably more important than the first month of the actual season.
Here’s a look at Pac-12 Basketball specifically and the coaches who need a big offseason to potentially help save their jobs.
Mike Hopkins (45-49) Washington
A 2021-22 conference record of 11-9 placed Washington Basketball in sixth place in the PAC-12 and resulted in the third straight year that the Huskies were not invited to the NCAA Men’s Tournament. In fact, during Mike Hopkins’ current five-year reign, the Huskies have participated in the tournament just once. Hopkins did sign a contract extension in March of 2019 that covers until the conclusion of the Huskies 2025 season. Hopkins also has a guarantee of 9.3 million dollars, so regardless of how hot the seat gets, he has some insurance.
His freshmen
While he has guaranteed money, it will be the players that guarantee him a job and his crop of freshmen will not make a huge impact in their first year. The Huskies’ No. 42 ranked class is highlighted by Koren Johnson a 6’2 combo guard. As a top 150 recruit, Johnson has the ball-handling and outside shooting capability and he looks to be able to contend for meaningful minutes in the backcourt as Daejon Davis and Terrell Brown have exhausted their eligibility.
At 6’7, top 175 recruit Tyler Linhardt will firmly be behind Jamal Bey – who is not in the draft or transfer portal yet – as the Huskies have a greater need at power forward, a position sub 200 recruit Tyler Bilodeau will not be able to fill either.
The transfer portal
Coach Hopkins had another coal thrown under his seat when almost 12 points per game small forward Emmitt Matthews entered the transfer portal. After starting 31 games for the Huskies in 2021-22, there was always a chance he would spend his COVID year somewhere else. The departures of red-shirted Jonah Goren and guard Dominiq Penn – who combined for a total of nine minutes played – will be easily compensated for with the arrival of 6’11 Oregon transfer Franck Kepnang who might get the starting role.
As an almost double-digit scorer transferring from Washington State, Noah Williams will be starting for Coach Hopkins, whether he goes with a three-guard set consisting of freshman Johnson, transfer Williams, and Bey or goes with the two experienced players, the Huskies’ starting line-up will not be better than last season and Coach Hopkins’ seat is going to be hot all season.
Bobby Hurley (60- 54) Arizona State
Having Bobby Hurley on this list is surprising, not for the fact that he should not be on the hot seat, but it may surprise some that he is still the head coach of Arizona State Basketball. Athletic Director Ray Anderson wasted little time putting to rest any doubt of Hurley’s return to the Sun Devils, as on March 4, 2022, it was confirmed that Hurley would be returning.
A 10-10 conference record placed Arizona State eighth in the PAC-12 and had them missing the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year and four out of six – non COVID – years. With two years remaining on his contract expectations accompany the almost three million per year he is earning.
His freshmen
Coach Hurley peaked as a recruiter in preparation for the 2020-21 season when he put together the No. 9 ranked freshman class. Coming into the 2022-23 season the Sun Devils will be welcoming the No. 39 class. The good news for Coach Hurley, having Josh Christopher and Marcus Bagley as freshmen only equated to a 7-10 conference record.
This season will see Coach Hurley welcome top 100 recruit Austin Nunez. The 6’2 left-handed point guard is able to penetrate with either hand in order to execute a floater when he gets into the paint. His ability to hit from beyond the arc when given room, will provide a solid backup for leading scorer DJ Horne. Hillcrest Prep center, 6’10 Duke Brennan is a top 200 recruit, that will be able to compete for minutes with Enoch Boakye off the bench.
The transfer portal
There is no shortage of players entering the portal as the Sun Devils currently have six players who have entered. Three of them were freshmen who did not play during the 2021-22 season, while two played significant roles. The departure of Jalen Green who started 22 of the 29 games he played will be taking his 23-plus minutes and ten points per game to Arkansas.
Also contributing to the warming of Hurley’s seat is over ten points per game guard, Jordan Heath. After starting 17 of 28 games and averaging over 28 minutes per game the Sun Devils’ second-leading scorer is transferring to Georgetown. Coach Hurley will not only be losing starting players to the portal but will be receiving some as well. Warren Washington, a 6’11 center from Nevada will quickly become Coach Hurley’s starting center after averaging more than 10 points in almost 24 minutes per game.
Accompanying Washington from Nevada will be a 6’4 shooting guard Desmond Cambridge who averaged over 16 points in more than 32 minutes per game. While Desmond Cambridge will be starting for the Sun Devils in 2022-23, his brother Devan Cambridge who averaged five points in almost 20 minutes with Auburn will be coming off the bench.
In the end, Hurley has improved his team, and consequently, improved his chances of getting off the hot seat, or he has increased expectations and will be that much more uncomfortable on the hot seat if he does not have early success in conference play.