NCAA Basketball: 10 most unappreciated head coaches in 2022
By Joey Loose
4. Jim Larranaga – Miami
When he was ten years deep into his head coaching tenure at Bowling Green, we’re sure not many people thought Larranaga to have quite the career that he’s had. Larranaga is the rare head coach who’s had decent success during long stints at three different schools, with the most recent success coming in the ACC at Miami.
That Bowling Green tenure was solid and led him to George Mason, where Larranaga became well-known after leading the 11-seed Patriots to the Final Four in 2006, embarking one of the most memorable runs in NCAA Tournament history. After a few more Tourney bids, he took the job with the Hurricanes in 2011, immediately winning an ACC regular-season title in his second year, a very impressive feat.
Frankly, there have been some harsh times for the Hurricanes, finishing under .500 three straight seasons recently, but last year’s team made the first Elite Eight in program history. He’s not putting together elite rosters every year or making annual noise in the Tournament, but Larranaga has quietly built phenomenal and historical success at multiple programs. His success in a talented ACC is impressive and certainly reason for more appreciation.