NCAA Basketball: Ranking all 364 D-I head coaches for 2024-25 season (183. Johnson, 146. Monson, 99. Medved, 94. Pitino, 21. Dutcher)

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Per Joey:

183. Ben Johnson (Minnesota) (Last year: 208)

Overall record: 41-54

A former Big Ten player at Northwestern and Minnesota, Johnson has been head coach at his alma mater since 2021 and is doing decently at his first head coaching position. He had previously spent 16 years as a D1 assistant, working at Northern Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Xavier before heading back to Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers showed little sign of potential, finishing last place in the Big Ten in each of his first two seasons. Last year was different, with a 19-15 mark and a trip into the NIT.

146. Dan Monson (Eastern Washington) (Last year: 153)

Overall record: 445-396

Many college basketball fans don’t realize that Monson was head coach at Gonzaga during their first Cinderella run, taking them to the Elite Eight back in 1999. A longtime former assistant with the Bulldogs, he now has nearly three decades of head coaching experience, moving to Minnesota and later Long Beach State. He originally arrived back in 2007 and took Long Beach State to success, but was given an ultimatum and fired despite reaching this year’s NCAA Tournament. Fortunately, Eastern Washington trusted him as their new head coach and he’ll look to keep building on his legacy back in his home state.

99. Niko Medved (Colorado State) (Last year: 116)

Overall record: 196-163

The record and overall accomplishments don’t scream it, but Medved has been a very solid head coach in his career. The Minnesotan began his head coaching career by rebuilding Furman before a lone, solid season at Drake. He arrived at Colorado State back in 2018, returning to a program he assisted under Tim Miles several years earlier. The results have been a pair of NCAA Tournaments, a deep NIT run, and another 25-win effort this past season.

94. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) (Last year: 117)

Overall record: 220-178

While his career pales in comparison to his father at this point, Pitino has a fair bit of experience himself in this coaching world. He aided several staffs, including under Rick at Louisville and Billy Donovan at Florida before a great first head coaching stint at FIU. Pitino then had 8 up and down seasons leading Minnesota in the Big Ten before he was hired at New Mexico back in 2021. His Lobos have progressed in these last three years, culminating in a 26-win season with an NCAA Tournament appearance and MWC Tournament title.

21. Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) (Last year: 24)

Overall record: 177-58
Final Four in 2023

Long before his own head coaching journey, Dutcher played a major role in a national championship at Michigan in 1989 before bringing the Fab Five to Ann Arbor. Dutcher was a long-time assistant under Steve Fisher both with those Wolverines and with San Diego State. After helping Fisher build the Aztecs program from the ground up, Dutcher has done even more remarkable work as head coach since 2017. Year three was a pandemic-shortened 30-win campaign, though 2023’s run to the national title game certainly earns the spotlight. He then led the Aztecs back to the Sweet Sixteen last season.


Go Gophers!!
 

Per Joey:

183. Ben Johnson (Minnesota) (Last year: 208)

Overall record: 41-54

A former Big Ten player at Northwestern and Minnesota, Johnson has been head coach at his alma mater since 2021 and is doing decently at his first head coaching position. He had previously spent 16 years as a D1 assistant, working at Northern Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Xavier before heading back to Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers showed little sign of potential, finishing last place in the Big Ten in each of his first two seasons. Last year was different, with a 19-15 mark and a trip into the NIT.

146. Dan Monson (Eastern Washington) (Last year: 153)

Overall record: 445-396

Many college basketball fans don’t realize that Monson was head coach at Gonzaga during their first Cinderella run, taking them to the Elite Eight back in 1999. A longtime former assistant with the Bulldogs, he now has nearly three decades of head coaching experience, moving to Minnesota and later Long Beach State. He originally arrived back in 2007 and took Long Beach State to success, but was given an ultimatum and fired despite reaching this year’s NCAA Tournament. Fortunately, Eastern Washington trusted him as their new head coach and he’ll look to keep building on his legacy back in his home state.

99. Niko Medved (Colorado State) (Last year: 116)

Overall record: 196-163

The record and overall accomplishments don’t scream it, but Medved has been a very solid head coach in his career. The Minnesotan began his head coaching career by rebuilding Furman before a lone, solid season at Drake. He arrived at Colorado State back in 2018, returning to a program he assisted under Tim Miles several years earlier. The results have been a pair of NCAA Tournaments, a deep NIT run, and another 25-win effort this past season.

94. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) (Last year: 117)

Overall record: 220-178

While his career pales in comparison to his father at this point, Pitino has a fair bit of experience himself in this coaching world. He aided several staffs, including under Rick at Louisville and Billy Donovan at Florida before a great first head coaching stint at FIU. Pitino then had 8 up and down seasons leading Minnesota in the Big Ten before he was hired at New Mexico back in 2021. His Lobos have progressed in these last three years, culminating in a 26-win season with an NCAA Tournament appearance and MWC Tournament title.

21. Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) (Last year: 24)

Overall record: 177-58
Final Four in 2023

Long before his own head coaching journey, Dutcher played a major role in a national championship at Michigan in 1989 before bringing the Fab Five to Ann Arbor. Dutcher was a long-time assistant under Steve Fisher both with those Wolverines and with San Diego State. After helping Fisher build the Aztecs program from the ground up, Dutcher has done even more remarkable work as head coach since 2017. Year three was a pandemic-shortened 30-win campaign, though 2023’s run to the national title game certainly earns the spotlight. He then led the Aztecs back to the Sweet Sixteen last season.


Go Gophers!!
#65. Craig Smith Utah-Didn't want him.

#14. Eric Musselman-USC-Don't need him.
 


Per Joey:

183. Ben Johnson (Minnesota) (Last year: 208)

Overall record: 41-54

A former Big Ten player at Northwestern and Minnesota, Johnson has been head coach at his alma mater since 2021 and is doing decently at his first head coaching position. He had previously spent 16 years as a D1 assistant, working at Northern Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Xavier before heading back to Minneapolis. The Golden Gophers showed little sign of potential, finishing last place in the Big Ten in each of his first two seasons. Last year was different, with a 19-15 mark and a trip into the NIT.

146. Dan Monson (Eastern Washington) (Last year: 153)

Overall record: 445-396

Many college basketball fans don’t realize that Monson was head coach at Gonzaga during their first Cinderella run, taking them to the Elite Eight back in 1999. A longtime former assistant with the Bulldogs, he now has nearly three decades of head coaching experience, moving to Minnesota and later Long Beach State. He originally arrived back in 2007 and took Long Beach State to success, but was given an ultimatum and fired despite reaching this year’s NCAA Tournament. Fortunately, Eastern Washington trusted him as their new head coach and he’ll look to keep building on his legacy back in his home state.

99. Niko Medved (Colorado State) (Last year: 116)

Overall record: 196-163

The record and overall accomplishments don’t scream it, but Medved has been a very solid head coach in his career. The Minnesotan began his head coaching career by rebuilding Furman before a lone, solid season at Drake. He arrived at Colorado State back in 2018, returning to a program he assisted under Tim Miles several years earlier. The results have been a pair of NCAA Tournaments, a deep NIT run, and another 25-win effort this past season.

94. Richard Pitino (New Mexico) (Last year: 117)

Overall record: 220-178

While his career pales in comparison to his father at this point, Pitino has a fair bit of experience himself in this coaching world. He aided several staffs, including under Rick at Louisville and Billy Donovan at Florida before a great first head coaching stint at FIU. Pitino then had 8 up and down seasons leading Minnesota in the Big Ten before he was hired at New Mexico back in 2021. His Lobos have progressed in these last three years, culminating in a 26-win season with an NCAA Tournament appearance and MWC Tournament title.

21. Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) (Last year: 24)

Overall record: 177-58
Final Four in 2023

Long before his own head coaching journey, Dutcher played a major role in a national championship at Michigan in 1989 before bringing the Fab Five to Ann Arbor. Dutcher was a long-time assistant under Steve Fisher both with those Wolverines and with San Diego State. After helping Fisher build the Aztecs program from the ground up, Dutcher has done even more remarkable work as head coach since 2017. Year three was a pandemic-shortened 30-win campaign, though 2023’s run to the national title game certainly earns the spotlight. He then led the Aztecs back to the Sweet Sixteen last season.


Go Gophers!!
He made the biggest jump out of the four listed; take that you CBJ haters🥳
 
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Trajectory-wise, not sure I'd put Johnny Tauer behind behind Ben Johnson.

232. Johnny Tauer (St. Thomas) (Last year: 269)

Overall record: 49-47

Tauer’s entire basketball career has taken place at St. Thomas, helping build this program from relative unknown to the D1 level. He played for the Tommies back in the early 90’s before earning his doctorate. He rejoined St. Thomas as an assistant coach in 2000 and was promoted to the top job eleven seasons later. Tauer led the Tommies to the D3 title in 2016 and a plethora of wins and helped this program transition to D1 since 2021. That kind of success doesn’t come overnight, though St. Thomas just won 20 games and claimed 4th place in the Summit League.
 

How does one distinguish between the 183rd best coach and the 178th best coach?

Well, we know two things from this effort:

1) the author has too much time on his hands; and

2) fantasy sports has gotten out of hand if there actually is some interest in an article like this.
 





How does one distinguish between the 183rd best coach and the 178th best coach?

Well, we know two things from this effort:

1) the author has too much time on his hands; and

2) fantasy sports has gotten out of hand if there actually is some interest in an article like this.
Yeah there is no way I am clicking on a list of 364 coaches being ranked against each other.....what a massive waste of time.
 









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