In 2013-2014, here are four coaches who sit on noticeably warm chairs. The first one is Anthony Grant of Alabama. Yes, the Crimson Tide will be returning a lineup that should be able to make the NCAA tournament, but if Alabama doesn’t make the Big Dance in 2014, Grant will probably be gone. He’s made only one NCAA tournament in three seasons, and in a weak Southeastern Conference, that’s seen as a bit of a disappointment.
The Tide must turn this upcoming season in order for Grant to feel secure about his job status. Alabama led in the second half of multiple high-stakes games this past season, only to falter down the stretch. If this kind of habit isn’t nipped in the bud, another season of anguish could cause Grant to lose political support on campus… enough to lose his job.
Another coach who has to start producing is Herb Sendek, who has been with the Arizona State Sun Devils since the 2006-2007 season. Sendek is another coach who is making far too many visits to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). He has a promising core of players next season, but with such a level of weaponry comes the responsibility to get to the Big Show in March Madness. If Sendek can’t put the pieces together this season, he will wind up with only one NCAA tournament appearance in eight seasons. That’s enough to get fired in a major metropolitan market (Tempe, Ariz., is a suburb of Phoenix, one of the larger metro areas in the United States) and a university that has a lot of resources and facilities.
Tony Barbee of Auburn is another coach who has to be on this list. Barbee inherited nothing of appreciable value at Auburn, and that’s something that was known by everyone in the larger college basketball community when he was hired in 2010. However, this was a John Calipari protégé who led the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) to a Conference USA championship and an NCAA tournament appearance. In the course of three seasons, Barbee was supposed to improve Auburn, but instead, the Tigers have actually regressed, and to a substantial extent at that. Barbee has to show marked progress this season, or else his fate on the Alabama Plains is sealed.
The fourth coach on this list is Fran McCaffery of Iowa. Yes, Iowa should definitely make the NCAA tournament this season. Iowa has a fully-loaded lineup with seasoned talent that very nearly made the Big Dance last year. If the Hawkeyes fail to get to the tournament, however, a pink slip could be in order.
Author Bio:
Rick Tildor is an online sports betting professional and avid blogger. He enjoys sharing his insights about the best sports betting site options and highly recommends you check out www.betonline.ag/sportsbook for great in-game betting spreads.
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