Notre Dame Basketball: 8 early candidates to replace head coach Mike Brey

Matt Langel

Notre Dame is a prestigious academic institute and it wouldn’t be unwise for the university to look at the success at some of their peers. There are some intriguing coaches in the Ivy League and at other academic schools, but we don’t have to look far to see the good that Langel has done at Colgate in the Patriot League. He might not be the sexiest name on this list, but maybe you aren’t just paying close enough attention to what he’s done.

Prior to taking the Colgate job in 2011, Langel’s entire career came with Fran Dunphy, playing under him at Penn before joining his coaching staffs at both Penn and Temple. Langel’s early head coaching career was largely unremarkable, finishing below .500 in his first six seasons, but things have really come together for the Raiders ever since. He has led the program to the last three NCAA Tournaments, putting up major fights on all three trips, and has Colgate primed as the best team in this year’s Patriot League as well.

Langel just keeps winning with the Raiders, including a remarkable conference record of 57-12 the last four and a half seasons. A job like Notre Dame would lure him away from Colgate, but would Notre Dame be interested? Leading a mid-major like Colgate to three straight NCAA Tournaments is impressive, but outdueling teams like Navy and Bucknell is quite different than regularly facing Duke or Virginia. Either way, Langel is talented and should have a more impressive job very soon if he wants it.