On Monday, USC coach Henry Bibby became the first head coach to be fired this season. And on Wednesday, Jim Saia became the first interim head coach to lose a game this season, as USC fell to Fresno State 71-68 at the Sports Arena.
It’s been hashed and rehashed about how the timing of the move was puzzling. If AD Mike Garrett was comfortable having Bibby coach the team before the season began, what could change in four games? If he wasn’t comfortable with Bibby in April, why not fire him then?
The thing is, Bibby was a pretty good coach. Sure, you’re not going to find too many people who vouch for his character or that he has a warm personality, but he could coach. I could list what he did at a school with a pretty pathetic basketball history, however I’ll let the USC Sports Information Department do it for me.
It’s too early to second guess the choice of Bibby’s permanent replacement. So I’d like to look back at coaching changes from four years ago, best and worst, but mainly the best. I chose four years because that is usually when you’d like to see results from a new coach. There were 50 changes in the 2000 offseason. Here are the ones that turned out the best.
1) Georgia Tech. Bobby Cremins resigns, replaced by Siena head coach Paul Hewitt. Hewitt came from Siena where in three years he won 66 games with a team that won nine games the year before he arrived. The trend has been similar at Georgia Tech, with Hewitt leading a steady ascent to the top of college hoops.
2) Illinois. Lon Kruger goes to the NBA, replaced by Tulsa head coach Bill Self. Kruger didn’t exactly leave the cupboard bare, but Self was able to improve on what he inherited. When he moved on to Kansas three years later, he left a foundation for greatness that Bruce Weber is enjoying today.
3) North Carolina. Bill Guthridge retires, replaced by Notre Dame head coach Matt Doherty. OK, so Doherty got fired three years later, but his recruits may well win it all this season and that should count for something. Plus, Matt Doherty was the first player I really hated growing up, and I kind of feel guilty about it.
4) Memphis. Johnny Jones (interim head coach) replaced by 76ers assistant John Calipari. Memphis was still reeling from the Tic Price debacle the previous season when Calipari came calling. Calipari’s NBA career was a failure, but he has led Memphis back to respectability by relying on blue chippers that have fled (or will flee) early to the NBA. The Tigers still haven’t returned to the Dana Kirk greatness of yore, but they’re back to being an annual lock for the Tournament.
5) Air Force. Reggie Minton fired, replaced by Princeton assistant Joe Scott. Air Force decided to get semi-serious about hoops and fire Minton, who had coached the Falcons for 16 years and produced a record that was 145 games under .500. As opposed to Bibby, you couldn’t find an acquaintance of Minton who wouldn’t vouch for his character and warm personality. Scott led Air Force to it’s first ever at-large bid in his fourth year and then went back to Princeton.
Worst hirings? Nolan Richardson III at Tennessee State and Perry Clark at Miami of Florida.