When Tony Bennett suddenly retired from Virginia Basketball before the start of the season, assistant Ron Sanchez was given the interim tag and a chance to win the job full-time had things gone well. However, at 9-10 overall and 2-6 in ACC play, it’s hard to envision a scenario where the Cavaliers don’t do a full search in the offseason.
Who is in the mix to get the job months from now? Chris Graham of the Augusta Free Press had an article listing three noteworthy names. Here’s a closer look at how viable those options are.
Shaka Smart - Marquette Golden Eagles
Coach is familiar with the area, as he started out his career at VCU. He’s done a great job with the Golden Eagles, considering they don’t use the transfer portal at all. One big selling point is that in a conference that includes Rick Pitino, Dan Hurley, Doug McDermott, and others, Smart has a case to make that he’d be the best coach if he moved to the ACC. But with Bennett struggling in his last couple of years, is Virginia a better job situation than Marquette?
Ryan Odom - VCU Rams
Odom became a national star when his UMBC squad became the first-ever 16-seed to beat a 1 in the NCAAT, which happened to be Tony Bennett and the Virginia Cavaliers. He’s been a success ever since, including making the NCAAT at Utah State and winning 24 games in his first season with the Rams. The ACC may be a step up in competition, but Coach Odom and his guard development should be able to make the transition.
Bob Richey - Furman Paladins
Coach Richey also has a prior win over Bennett and Virginia when they pulled off their own thrilling upset in the NCAAT. He’s on pace to amass nearly 200 wins in eight seasons with the program, consistently having them in the top tier of the SoCon.
Richey doesn’t have the resume or would have the highest appeal to the fan base compared to the other two names. However, he’s one of the top mid-major coaches in the game, and his consistency at a lower level, even in the days when players are poached, should make him a viable candidate in his own right.
We’ll see if any of these guys become the next head coach of Virginia Basketball.