Bruce Pearl, Ed Cooley sit atop Andy Katz's Coach of the Year tiers
By Andy Katz
FOX Sports College Basketball Analyst
Being a head coach at a Division I college basketball program comes with plenty of challenges in this day and age. Gone are the days of simple X's and O's and rosters filled with four-year players.
With the rapid increase of transfers in college hoops, as well as one-and-done freshmen, finding the right mix of long-term players and NBA-ready talent is essential for success. Building relationships and roster management are more important than ever before.
This season, there are a number of coaches who have done an exceptional job when it comes to managing these changes while guiding their programs to success on and off the hardwood.
With that said, here is a look at my Coach of the Year tiers.
Coach of the Year tiers: Bruce Pearl, John Calipari and Mark Few?
Tier 1: The Leaders
Bruce Pearl, Auburn: The Tigers are the No. 1 team in the country. Pearl has the potential No. 1 draft pick on the roster and a collection of transfers and role players who make his squad the most difficult team to face.
Ed Cooley, Providence: The Friars are in line to possibly win the Big East. This was not supposed to happen, even with a senior-laden team. But the Friars found the right transfer in Indiana’s Al Durham, and Cooley has molded a cool, calm team that wins on the road as well as at home.
Shaka Smart, Marquette: Smart is thriving back at a basketball school. The Golden Eagles have quite a résumé, with their most significant win coming at Big East power Villanova. Marquette is going to make the tournament and get a solid seed.
Greg Gard, Wisconsin: The Badgers were picked to finish in the lower third of the Big Ten, yet Wisconsin is a strong contender to win the conference. Gard has also opened up the offense to accommodate and enhance the play of possible Big Ten and even national player of the year Johnny Davis.
Tommy Lloyd, Arizona: The Wildcats were on a self-imposed postseason ban last season, and there was some roster turnover. But Lloyd has infused new energy into the program. His Wildcats play at an exceedingly high clip, are efficient offensively and win. Arizona is a Final Four contender.
Mark Adams, Texas Tech: The Red Raiders have been one of the best stories of the season, as Texas Tech hasn’t missed a beat since Chris Beard went to Texas. Adam's team has knocked off Texas, Kansas and Baylor thus far. That’s an impressive slate.
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Tier 2: On The Rise
Jim Larranaga, Miami: The ‘Canes beat Duke in Cameron. They are in contention for the ACC title. There wasn’t anyone outside of Miami who would have predicted that.
TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State: The Cyclones were picked last in the Big 12. They didn’t win a game in the front end of 2021 under Steve Prohm, but they didn’t lose a game in the back end of ’21. Iowa State will be in the NCAA Tournament. It's just working on seeding.
Bob McKillop, Davidson: The master is at it again. McKillop has the Wildcats in first place in the A-10 and on track for the NCAA Tournament. This might be his deepest team since Stephen Curry was on the roster. The team to beat was supposed to be the Bonnies, but it’s clearly now Davidson.
Leon Rice, Boise State: The Broncos weren’t supposed to be the top dogs in the Mountain West. But they are now. They didn't lose in January. They might not lose in February. Rice has done a masterful job with this squad.
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Tier 3: Hard to keep them down this far
Scott Drew, Baylor: The Bears have been rebuilt and are among the teams in line to compete for a title. Drew has Baylor in position to become the first back-to-back men's hoops champion since Florida accomplished the feat in 2006 and '07.
John Calipari, Kentucky: Calipari has another title contender, a team that has blossomed during the season. The win at Kansas will go down as one of the best this season. Calipari has put together a roster of transfers and high-profile freshmen and continues to adapt to the current climate.
Brad Underwood, Illinois: The Illini are back to being potential Final Four contenders one year after being a No. 1 seed. Underwood has had to deal with multiple games without his top two talents in Kofi Cockburn and Andre Curbelo, yet the Illini are in contention for the Big Ten title. If healthy, this is a team that can win the title.
Tom Izzo, Michigan State: Izzo might not have his most talented team, but he has one of his deepest. He continues to adapt with his roster, and the team has bought in thus far. The Spartans are legit Big Ten title contenders, something that wasn’t predicted in the preseason.
Mark Few, Gonzaga: The Zags had the top player in the class of 2021 in Chet Holmgren. But Few still had to ensure the pieces all fit. And so far they have, especially with his selections on the perimeter ensuring not much of a drop after Jalen Suggs and Joel Ayayi left for the NBA.
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Andy Katz is a longtime college basketball writer, analyst and host. He can be seen on FOX Sports and Big Ten Network platforms, as well as March Madness and NCAA.com, and he hosts the podcast "March Madness 365." Katz worked at ESPN for nearly two decades and, prior to that, in newspapers for nine years.
