A New Generation of College Basketball Coaches

The new college basketball coach is brash, stylish and in touch with today’s top recruits.

In recent seasons the biggest jobs available have gone to coaches with different backgrounds, different styles but with a similar image in the public eye.

Penny Hardaway - Memphis

Penny Hardaway turned heads on the recruiting trail by securing the top class in the nation before his second season as head coach of the Memphis Tigers. But he also made headlines for breaking the social norms set forward by college coaches over the past century.

Hardaway had a public spat with veteran coach Rick Barnes from Tennessee, calling out a member of the opposite team in a press conference following their December matchup:

“I don’t know who Rick Barnes thinks I am but I’m not a dude that likes to mess around about anything. I just call it like I see it.”

During the entire dispute, Penny Hardaway refused to back down and maintained that he would defend his players in any situation.

He has made public comments about their goals for the season, his thoughts on the preseason AP poll and many other issues surrounding his team and college basketball as a whole.

More interesting are the headlines that he has made off the court, showing up to high school games with a flat bill hat, wearing his own line of signature shoes and buying a personalized sprinter van for recruiting trips.

The response from the media has been mixed, some pointing to the results as evidence that he has made the right choices, while others believe that it is unprofessional and should be looked down on by fans, players and recruits.

But fans of the Memphis Tigers have showed overwhelming support for their coach, who takes on the city’s motto “Memphis vs. Everybody.”

Nate Oats - Alabama

Nate Oats immediately stepped on campus at the University of Alabama with high expectations, making a comparison to Nick Saban’s football team in his opening press conference.

Oats is upfront with the media, stating his goals for year one under the new coaching staff. For a coach to put NCAA tournament expectations on a team that has missed the field in 12 of the last 13 years.

He was able to pull multiple players out of the transfer portal to plug into his system and made it known that others were free to leave if they were not willing to buy in.

Most recently, Oats has taken on the NCAA over Jahvon Quinerly’s waiver result. After Quinerly was denied a waiver to play immediately for his new school, Oats told the media that they are working on a waiver and expects a positive result.

“We’re planning to win the appeal, I still plan on him playing,” said Oats.

The decision given on the appeal will be big for Alabama in their first season with Oats as they look to bolster depth at the guard position.

Dan Hurley - UConn

At UConn, Dan Hurley brings a new life and great energy to the sideline. While referees and opposing coaches have taken issue with his sideline antics, the players often respond.

Taking over a program that had no momentum on the floor or on the recruiting trail, the Hurley name and all that comes with it brought eyes back to a blue blood program that is hoping to make its way back to the top.

The results of these hires have not yet determined, but it’s clear that athletic directors have noticed a trend both on the court and in the stands. Coaches that draw attention with their style, strategy and passion can compete head to head with the respected veterans relying on track record and reputation.

With each successful season from these three programs, expect the tend to carry over to the coaching carousel as the new era of college coaching expands.