Coaches

[rick64]

Golden
May
Lloyd

In that order.

[UKHoops01]

My pick would be Oats right now. I want Pope to be the guy. Next year is critical for him. If next year is like this one, a move has to be made.

I heard recently that the current AD for Alabama is seriously being considered for the job to replace Barnhardt. That might actually make sense if he and Oats have a good working relationship.

[UKHoops01]

Agree I think you go to Golden first but I mean at this point why would he leave Florida for UK.

Then I would go for the following

1. Michigan Coach
2. Arizona Coach
3. Iowa St. Coach

I agree with this 100%. I've become a huge fan of Golden this year. Unfortunately, I think he's Billy Donovan part II. Don't think he would leave Florida,. Lloyd was the guy I wanted when Pope was hired.

4. Pearl
5. Texas Tech Coach

Huge fan of Bruce Pearl, but the time to go after him was when they went after Pope. Pearl was nearing retirement then and has since actually pulled the trigger on retirement. I didn't see him as a long term replacement for Cal 2 years ago, more of a very good stop gap until the right guy emerged for the long term.

[Cawood86]

My pick would be Oats right now. I want Pope to be the guy. Next year is critical for him. If next year is like this one, a move has to be made.

[Pete Hogwallop]

It's all such a crapshoot. If you were to look at the landscape of college basketball, I would argue these are the top 3 coaches in the game (I'm sure others have other thoughts) right now:

1. Dan Hurley - never past the 2nd round prior to UConn
2. Todd Golden - never past the 1st round prior to Florida
3. Kelvin Sampson - 1 Final Four and 1 Elite Eight in 22 years at major schools prior to Houston

Since 1960, there have been 4 guys that left the program they won a national championship with for another college program...Massimino, Norm Sloan, Cal and Tubby. All 4 of them were a shell of the guy who won a title. Hiring someone who has a title in their prime just has not happened.

And fans would have been screaming for Hurley and Golden to be fired well before they won their titles, too, since they both had some really poor seasons - much worse than what we're having now. Golden was 16-17 at Florida in 2022. And he had a losing season at San Francisco 2 years before that. Hurley went 16-17 at UConn in 2018.

And Sampson got in trouble with the NCAA along the way so he wouldn't have lasted either.

[bthaunert]

It's all such a crapshoot. If you were to look at the landscape of college basketball, I would argue these are the top 3 coaches in the game (I'm sure others have other thoughts) right now:

1. Dan Hurley - never past the 2nd round prior to UConn
2. Todd Golden - never past the 1st round prior to Florida
3. Kelvin Sampson - 1 Final Four and 1 Elite Eight in 22 years at major schools prior to Houston

Since 1960, there have been 4 guys that left the program they won a national championship with for another college program...Massimino, Norm Sloan, Cal and Tubby. All 4 of them were a shell of the guy who won a title. Hiring someone who has a title in their prime just has not happened.

[Catsrock]

For guys like Golden and Oats—sure less pressure because they are football first schools. But that also means less appreciation and love from the fanbase. Florida couldn’t keep their arena full when Donovan was winning back to back titles. It may not be every guy out there but there are coaches who crave performing for a rabid fan base. Start at the top, offer everything you can, and if they turn you down you move onto the next guy.

Drew didn’t turn UK down because he didn’t want it. His wife said they weren’t uprooting the kids from a comfortable life. Golden may make a different decision. Sampson probably wouldn’t be uprooting grandkids. Hurley (who I don’t like) turned down UK and the Lakers last time—but he was hunting history with a string of championships at that time. My point is every individual has a different situation. Don’t just assume they wouldn’t want to coach a historic blue blood.

[EKYCat]

I think if Golden leaves Fla it will be NBA.
Pearl is done with college basketball and may go into politics imo.

Mike white might deserve some attention. With the resources and Kentucky name behind him, perhaps he could be what the program needs.

It's a crap shoot regardless of who is hired, BUT THERE IS A COACH OUT THERE SOMEWHERE WHO COULD BRING THE PROGRAM BACK TO PROMINENCE.

Mike White of UGA?

He has about the same career record as Pope except he has one Elite Eight. Other than that he's not been out of the round of 32. Hard pass.

[TrueblueCATfan]

I dont cars who it is as long as they

Get us back to winning
I want to be the #1 seed on selection Sunday
not play on Wed in SEC Tournament
Be ranked in Top 10

[South jones]

I think if Golden leaves Fla it will be NBA.
Pearl is done with college basketball and may go into politics imo.

Mike white might deserve some attention. With the resources and Kentucky name behind him, perhaps he could be what the program needs.

It's a crap shoot regardless of who is hired, BUT THERE IS A COACH OUT THERE SOMEWHERE WHO COULD BRING THE PROGRAM BACK TO PROMINENCE.

[BJD]

First order of business is get rid of Pope. Then figure it out.


UK basketball gets better as soon as Pope is let go. Should be today. Anything later is just prolonging the inevitable.

If the bar is just get someone better then just hire a good high school coach.

Just do a proper search and UK can hire a great coach.

[rupp876]

Why would you have wanted Golden 3 years ago? He was coming off of a 16-17 season.

[Cawood86]

I think Lloyd would be my pick but he's a west coast guy I believe. Doubt Golden is leaving UF , especially if they make a run this year

[Pobilly]

No Pearl ever.

Not sure golden would want this job. One of the hardest jobs in college basketball. He has a good thing now. Why leave UofF for Kentucky. He has no pressure. Will wait and see what the landscape looks like when Pope is let go. Many good young coaches out there. But can they handle the pressure vacuum of KENTUCKY. Doubt if for most.

[Tomcats1990]

Kentucky is still Kentucky no matter how much the landscape has changed. Barney did a very poor job after CAL left of hiring a new coach. With our NIL numbers being at or near the top theirs no legitimate reason to be this bad. I love Pope and want him to succeed but he is in over his head.