2022 college basketball coaching carousel of progress

Yes, and...? Unless you're in a power conference, unfortunately, you aren't typically a "final destination" for a job.

 

True. But there's a difference between somebody who might stick around three years and somebody with a foot already out the door.
The difficulty is not just that he'd be the object of speculation for another job; it's that there's a specific job in play, and it's at his alma mater.

 

A program like Rhode Island's will rarely get hurt by hiring actual talent.

 

It’s been a long time since Xavier went the National Search route for a basketball coach

 

Ben Howland out at Mississippi State.
Mississippi State fires coach Ben Howland after seven seasons and just one NCAA Tournament appearance

 

That one has been rumored for weeks.

Not sure you'll finder a stranger coaching path than Howland's: Assistant at UCSB, head coach at Northern Arizona, then Pittsburgh, then UCLA, then Mississippi State. Will be curious to see if he just calls it a career or jumps on somewhere else.

 

Howland's execution means nearly half of the SEC will have a change: executions at Georgia, LSU, Mizzou, South Carolina and Cowbell U and an intraconference move/asylum hire from Florida to Georgia.

 

Mississippi State had three awful losing seasons before Howland got there. He had three 20-win seasons out of seven, no losing records after his first year, and essentially five straight NCAA/NIT appearances. They would probably have gotten into the NCAA Tournament in 2020.
He had them back to their normal level as a second-tier SEC team capable of making the occasional run in the conference tournament. They weren't terrible, at the very least. I guess the powers that be felt like he was treading water or falling under a bit. Seems like he deserved better, but as the saying goes deserve's got nothin' to do with it.

 

I buy this, but at the same time they were one of an increasing number of schools paying steakhouse prices and getting a drive-thru combo meal in return. So boosters get itchy and wonder what all the extra money is for.

 

Seriously, though, has Mississippi State won a trophy in men's hoops? Ever?

 

Random Final Four in the 90s. Two or three SEC tournament titles the last 30 years. But not a lot of meat on that bone.

 

Howland's methods have aged poorly.

Generally speaking, his approach won't attract or develop elite players any more. He can squeeze a team to 17, 18, 19 wins with guys you've never heard of, maybe get to a 10 in the NCAAs, but no further. Not at Mississippi State.