Rivals Roundtable: Sizing up coaches for the season ahead
Another Friday means another roundtable discussion at Rivals. This week, we’re talking about coaches. Below, our analyst duo of Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan explore which coaches may surprise on the trail, which ones may save their jobs with a big year and which ones might be looking for work following the season.
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WHICH COACH ON THE HOT SEAT DO YOU SEE AS MOST LIKELY TO PULL A JEFF CAPEL AND SAVE HIS JOB WITH A GOOD SEASON?
“Clemson’s Brad Brownell is college basketball's version of The Undertaker, and I think he’ll sit up just before getting pinned once again. Winning 23 games last year probably helped earn him some good will, even if he still missed the NCAA Tournament, but he’ll need to earn more this year. Syracuse transfer Joseph Girard III showed some serious flashes as a freshman a year ago and may well hold the keys to Clemson’s season as he settles into his new surroundings. The returning Chase Hunter (13.8 PPG last season) is proven at the ACC level and should pair well with Girard in the backcourt. Ian Schieffelin is an intriguing glue guy that should take a step forward in a frontcourt that also includes hyper-skilled big man PJ Hall, who improved by leaps and bounds a year ago and decided to return to school after testing the NBA waters. I’m not positive Brownell needs to make the NCAA Tournament to save his job, as there are other coaches with much warmer seats than his, but I can certainly see a situation in which the Tigers overachieve and end up dancing.” – Cassidy
“Well, instead of hot seat I’ll refer to this one as the side-eye seat, meaning the brass is watching you with frowns on their faces. That’s Kenny Payne at Louisville. His first year was an absolute nightmare, no way around it; 4-28 (2-18 ACC), multiple close losses at home and his team failed to compete in most of the games. This year, however, Payne and company have an influx of talent, with Illinois transfer Skyy Clark, USC transfer Tre White and a strong recruiting class headlined by 7-foot-1 center Dennis Evans and 6-foot-6 wing Kaleb Glenn. Even with the sudden loss of Trentyn Flowers to the pro ranks the Cardinals have great options that can run multiple looks defensively and lots of offensive weapons. Plus, they’ve got the motivation from the embarrassment that was last season. Expect a turnaround.” - Jordan
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WHICH HOT SEAT COACH DO YOU THINK WILL BE LOOKING FOR A NEW JOB FOLLOWING THE SEASON?
“I never want to see anyone get fired, but things unfortunately look grim for Jerod Haase at Stanford. This will be his eighth season in Palo Alto, and he has just one postseason berth (an NIT appearance) to show for his time. And while I understand Stanford isn’t as quick with the ax as some other institutions, his roster, while improved, doesn’t look like a lock to pull off a miracle in 2023-24. Freshmen Andrej Stojakovic and Kanaan Carlyle are hyper-talented, but there will be a lot of pressure on them to immediately help carry a team coming off a 14-19 season. I’m hoping for the best, obviously, but I expect some seriously tense moments for Haase in the coming year.” – Cassidy
“Hate to say this, because I’m hoping I’m wrong, but I’d go with Mike Davis at Detroit Mercy. The Titans have finished above .500 once in five seasons and his scoring machine of a son, Antoine, won’t be there to bail them out this season. Again, I hope that he turns it around, and I don’t want to see anyone get the boot in this way, but the signs are the signs.” - Jordan
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WHICH COLLEGE STAFF DO YOU SEE AS BEING UNDERRATED RECRUITERS?
“Jerome Tang and company are showing signs of compounding recruiting pull at Kansas State. If last year proved that the staff members were great evaluators of talent, what’s happening going forward seems to suggest that they are willing to do what it takes to stand toe-to-toe with some heavy hitters. Obviously, landing touted guard David Castillo is the headline, but Tang and his assistant have also found himself heavily involved with highly ranked prospects such as Aaron Rowe (No. 25 in 2025), Patrick Ngongba II (No. 34 in 2024) and Derrion Reid (No. 18 in 2024). The Wildcats are certainly punching at a much higher level than they did under the last regime, and the improvement probably isn't noted enough in national conversations.” – Cassidy
“I’ll have to say Steve Pikiell and his crew at Rutgers. Pikiell is not a name that pops up on the stellar recruiters list, but after landing Ace Bailey, the No. 3 overall player in the Rivals150, and being in strong position to land Dylan Harper (No. 2), that gets him on anyone’s short list of top lurers for sure. Associate head coach Brandin Knight has great connections and high relatability with the players, as do assistants TJ Thompson and Marlon Williamson. Landing a big fish like Bailey was no one-off with this group. These coaches are formidable, and they seem to only be gaining steam.” - Jordan
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