When you are Duke, North Carolina or Kansas, the recruits come knocking on your program's door. There is no doubt these schools have A-list coaches, but the talent level on these squads is unmatched by most of the nation. As a result, these schools get the majority of the attention, and their coaches receive incredible amounts of press. But what about the coaches who find success from players buying into their system? What about the unsung coaches of college basketball?
Let's start with Mike Anderson of the Missouri Tigers. Those who know me may say I'm biased. I attended the University of Missouri in Anderson's first season at the helm. But I can also say, as a person who watches Missouri basketball, the team Anderson inherited was more talented than this year's edition of the Tigers. However, in Anderson's first season, Mizzou finished 18-12 with a 7-9 record in the Big 12. In those seven conference wins, the Tigers did not have a signature victory. Last season was even worse. Mizzou was 16-16 (6-10). But this season, Mike Anderson is coaching HIS players, and the turnaround has been tremendous. At the start of this week, Missouri was 22-4 (9-2) and ranked 11th in the Associated Press poll. It is the first time Missouri has been ranked since Quin Snyder coached the team. Furthermore, they have victories against teams like Cal, USC, Texas and most importantly, archrival Kansas, a foe the Tigers had not beaten since January 2006. Coach Anderson has clearly maximized the most of his talent, and Missouri looks destined for its first NCAA tournament berth since the 2002-03 season.
Next let us head west to Utah. When Rick Majerus was coach, the Utes were consistent NCAA contenders. But after leaving the program in 2004, the team struggled. Battling mediocrity, the Utes hired former Michigan State assistant Jim Boylen, who was able to bring the team back to the NIT. As of this week, the Utes have already met their win total from last season (18), and have eight fewer losses to date. Furthermore, the Utes have beaten SEC Leader LSU (21-4), perennial mid-major powerhouse Gonzaga (19-5), and are 9-2 in the Mountain West Conference, all of this despite not having a superstar. Jim Boylen has been able to get the most out of his talent, and as a result, Utah may be headed to the NCAAs.
While there are many other coaches who could be mentioned in this column, it is only fitting to discuss the coaching ability of Miami's Charlie Coles. The MAC is one of the toughest conferences to coach in when it comes to making the NCAA tournament. In most seasons, only one team is able to make the tournament. But Miami has consistently been a powerhouse since Coles took control of the team. Coles has taken Miami to three tournaments, leading the 1998-99 team to the Sweet Sixteen. Coles continually has teams that win 17 to 19 games even after facing ranked teams such as UCLA, Pittsburgh and Xavier. This year's edition of the RedHawks was 15-8 at the start of the week and 8-3 in the MAC. Miami may not be the most talented team, but Coles has gotten the most out of players such as Tim Pollitz, Michael Bramos and other recruits who have been passed up by other schools. Charlie Coles has created a system that works, and it has given him the most wins in school history.
Some schools may have big name coaches. But for every Roy Williams, there is a Mike Anderson. For every Jim Calhoun, there is a Charlie Coles. It's time to give credit to the coaches who are maximizing their talent. Some coaches do not get players to fall into their laps, yet they still win 20 games a season. I would love to have any of these coaches leading my team.
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.