With Wes Miller’s departure from the Cincinnati Bearcats basketball team, Director of Athletics John Cunningham leads his latest search for a new leader for the program.
Cunningham’s recent searches have been fairly clandestine and sometimes out of left field. Not many had Scott Satterfield on their short list, departing Louisville for the Cincinnati head football coaching job.
Likewise, while Wes Miller was greeted with a positive response, the names circulating at the time were former Bearcat Erik Martin, current Missouri coach Dennis Gates and current Rhode Island coach Archie Miller, brother of Sean Miller, who has coached for and left Xavier twice now.
Of that group, Gates has had three winning seasons out of four at Missouri, Archie Miller is trying to right the ship in the Atlantic 10 with Rhode Island after beginning with two losing seasons, and Martin has had just one winning season in four at South Carolina State.
Top of mind potential Cincinnati Bearcats basketball names
Josh Schertz, former Indiana State and current Saint Louis coach
WHY? Won 32 games at Indiana State and coached Sycamores past UC in NIT quarterfinals. After a 19-15 finish in his first season at Saint Louis, the Billikens entered the Atlantic 10 tournament 27-4.WHY NOT? He signed a contract extension with Saint Louis the day Miller was relieved of his duties.
Seth Davis of Hoops HQ and CBS said last month that he’d be shocked if Shertz stayed at Saint Louis, calling him the “Dusty May” of the coaching cycle. May spun a successful run at Florida Atlantic into the Michigan job two seasons ago.
Jerrod Calhoun, Utah State head coach, former Bob Huggins assistant at WVU
WHY? Connection to Bob Huggins and took the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament in his first year at 26-8. Calhoun and Utah State were 27-6 heading into the Mountain West title game vs. San Diego State. At Youngstown State, he finished with five straight winning seasons. Calhoun would be the frontrunner if there were such a poll.WHY NOT? Really no good reason.
Davis says past Huggins connections shouldn’t matter; UC should hire the best coach.
Calhoun was rumored to be connected to the Kansas State job, which went to Belmont’s Casey Alexander.
Tony Skinn, George Mason head coach
WHY? Three straight 20-win seasons and won the Atlantic 10 last season. Coached Jalen Haynes. 23-8 after losing in the Atlantic 10 tournament. Did beat the A-10 top team, Saint Louis, on March 7 by 29 points. WHY NOT? Lack of Ohio ties, if that matters.
Fox sports’ Mike DeCourcy calls him a “bright guy that will climb” but sees the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) as his area of expertise.
Bryce Drew, former Valparaiso and Vanderbilt coach, currently at Grand Canyon
WHY? Brother of Baylor’s Scott Drew and has NBA experience. Has taken Grand Canyon to four NCAA Tournaments. WHY NOT? Didn’t fare well at Vanderbilt. Grand Canyon was 20-12 after the Mountain West tournament.
Eric Olen, New Mexico
WHY? After three seasons, he built UC-San Diego to 21 and 30 wins. Hired at New Mexico where they were 22-9 after a Mountain West loss to Utah State.WHY NOT? No area ties.
Ryan Miller, Murray State
WHY? First head coaching job, and he was 20-12 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Miller beat Xavier in an exhibition to start the season. Has worked under John Calipari, Steve Alford, Jamie Dixon and Greg McDermott. Known as a top recruiter. Brother is former NBA Rookie of the Year Mike Miller.WHY NOT? Murray State is his first head coaching job.
“He’s pretty connected,” DeCourcy said. “He worked a lot of places, showing he can coach.”
John Groce, former Illinois coach, now at Akron
WHY? He’s taken the Zips to three NCAA Tournaments and was 28-5 going into the MAC championship. Also coached the Ohio Bobcats and Illinois to NCAA berths. An assistant under Herb Sendek at North Carolina State and with Thad Matta at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State. UC’s last basketball coach hired from Akron was Bob Huggins. Trivia? He is the half-brother of Miami University coach Travis Steele.
WHY NOT? Fired at Illinois, but only had one losing season. Maybe you don’t like the Xavier connection, but maybe he has insight on how to consistently win the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.
Travis Steele, Miami (OH)
WHY? Miami won 31 games and was undefeated before the MAC tournament. Oddly, it would probably ruffle the feathers of Xavier, which let him go after four years (70-50). He would be the first to coach Xavier, Miami and UC. Known for getting players.WHY NOT? Well, Xavier let him go after no NCAA appearances and two trips to the NIT.
DeCourcy thinks Steele has learned a lot and believes he’ll get another shot at a Power Four position.
Longer-shot candidates for UC coaching job
Tom Crean, ESPN commentator, former head coach at Marquette, Indiana and Georgia
WHY? 403 wins, 11-9 NCAA record, one Final Four, three conference titles.WHY NOT? 190-96 at Marquette, 166-135 at Indiana, but just 47-75 at Georgia with the last season being 6-26.
Erik Martin, former UC Bearcat, former assistant under Bob Huggins at Kansas State and West Virginia, head coach South Carolina State
WHY? The connection.WHY NOT? On third losing season out of four as the Bulldogs were just 9-21 as of March 12.
Bob Huggins, former UC, Kansas State and WVU coach
WHY? Local legend. 935-414 record. Two Final Fours. Naismith Hall of Famer. Would instantly sell seats.WHY NOT? Why has no one hired him? Plus, he’s not coached since 2023.
“The way the Huggins separation was handled was abysmal,” DeCourcy said. “There should have been more decisiveness, more understanding of how keeping the circumstance in limbo as long as it was, the damage it was doing.”
Mick Cronin, former UC head coach and current UCLA coach
WHY? Over 500 wins and knows what it takes to win at Cincinnati with the history. Made a Final Four with the Bruins and has taken them to the NCAA Tournament four times after taking the Bearcats in nine straight seasons. WHY NOT? Cronin speaks his mind. That’s not always embraced by everyone. He was recently extended by UCLA.
Steve Alford, Nevada head coach
WHY? Indiana legend, NCAA champ as player under Bob Knight, four Sweet 16s.WHY NOT? Well-traveled (Manchester, Southwest Missouri State, Iowa, New Mexico, UCLA, Nevada). Never made it beyond Sweet 16. Has been out west for many years and may not want to return.
Andy Kennedy, UAB
WHY? Over 400 coaching wins and has won 64% of his games. Knows Cincinnati and probably should have been allowed to continue after his interim year (21-13).WHY NOT? If you believe the Huggins connection is bad, it won’t work. Plus, he had a legal run-in with a Jeff Ruby-owned restaurant that would have to be smoothed over. Could have interest in moving from AAC to Big 12 and is a skilled recruiter. He got Yaxel Lendeborg to UAB before he was plucked by Michigan. Only two NCAA Tournaments at Ole Miss in 12 years, but he has made two trips with UAB in his first four years. UAB was 20-12 after the AAC tournament.
DeCourcy describes Kennedy as “a wonderful guy and excellent coach.” He said he wouldn’t mind seeing him get another chance in Cincinnati.
Jon Rothstein of CBS didn’t care to comment on candidates, saying, “never speculate on speculation.” Rothstein, though, was very forthright on the need for change with the Bearcats.
“The goal of the University of Cincinnati is to be in the NCAA Tournament every single year,” Rothstein said. “Cincinnati hasn’t been in the NCAA Tournament since 2019, Mick Cronin’s last year. As we know, Cincinnati went to nine tournaments in a row before he left.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top candidates to replace Wes Miller as Cincinnati Bearcats coach
Reporting by Scott Springer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
