The ACC’s new coaches are off to a strong start that could, by tomorrow night, put them in select company, better than any group since 2014.
Only one of the 2015 crew – Jim Christian, Danny Manning, Rick Pitino, Buzz Williams – won more than two in a row in his debut ACC season. That year the big winner was Louisville’s Rick Pitino, whose Cardinals opened with 11 straight victories.
Only two ACC coaches ever started better than Pitino, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim in 2014 (25) and UNC’s Bill Guthridge in 1998 with 17 in a row.
So far Pittsburgh won its first five under Jeff Capel, tying him with NC State’s Kevin Keatts for the third-best debut by an active ACC coach.