RockyRaccoon wrote:Bennet is a better coach than Miller. The guy took what was one of the worst programs in the country in Washington State and led them to two NCAA Tournaments and a Sweet Sixteen when the Pac-10 actually had talent. These past two years he has dominated one of the toughest conferences in the country. Miller's career record is (270-98) a 74% win percentage and Bennett's is (198-94) a 68%. That being said Miller of course coached five season's in the A-10 and nearly six in a down Pac-12. I'm not knocking Miller who like I continually say is a "very good coach" but Bennett is a great coach.
Marshall is similar to Miller in my opinion in that he is an excellent defensive mind but unlike Miller can actually draw up an offense. Wichita State was a basket away from the National Championship in 2013 before the eventual champ Louisville made some plays late in that game. Don't forget, Wichita beat Ohio State in the Elite Eight, of course that was the same Ohio State team that knocked Arizona out in the Sweet Sixteen.
You're right about calculating age when determining a coach's "ceiling". I guess who I was listing were just coaches I feel are better than Miller in measuring a single season.
That being said, Bennett, Smart, Ollie, Cal, Donovan, and Marshall have higher "ceilings".
Self sucks. Williams sucks.
The only 2 on our list I can respect (even if I disagree with) are Bennet and Smart.
I am not sure Bennett can recruit at a high enough level to be a consistently dominant national force, and Virginia is a better situation than Xavier... That said, I have great respect for Bennet and am not here to diminish him. Regardless of what you say, virtually every post you make is a veiled attempt to diminish Miller. That's your prerogative, but I don't agree with you - and I would never in a million years trade Miller for Bennett.
Same goes for Smart, Dynamic young coach, but having a Final 4 run does not a career make. That said, he is certainly one of the brighter stars in the coaching ranks. I would not trade Miller for him either, but I would guess there may be a pretty even vote among those in the college BB community as to who has a brighter future.
Marshall? You can have him. You point to one outstanding season (beating a team we lost to) as your evidence of his superiority, which is completely ridiculous. As ridiculous as it would be for me to say "Miller is superior to K" because he took a team with less talent and absolutely corn-holed the "master" on a national stage in the Sweet 16 a few years ago.
Ollie? He might be terrific, but please. How is UConn this year? I am no more ready to concede that Kevin Ollie is the "next big thing" than I would have been to crown Tubby Smith with that same moniker in 1998. We know how that turned out.
So does NCAA tourney performance matter more than anthing or not at all? You are all over the board... Marshall is better because of his (I assume Smart, too - although quite inconsistent)... But with Bennet it does not matter. Rather than look at facts and establish your opinion - you have your opinion and pick and choose the facts that back up your agenda. Why are you on a UA message board anyway?
Cal and Donovan are not in the conversation. They are already giants in the game, and have a pedigree and tenure to validate it.
Among virtually every non-UA college BB fan I know, Miller is in the Top 5 of young coaches with significant upside, and closer to the top more often than not. Smart and Bennett are also often in that conversation...
I hope your Shockers & Cavaliers do well in the tournament this year. Maybe UConn can win the NIT.
