Some were among the greatest coaches in ACC men’s basketball history. Others were among the ACC’s most forgettable bench commanders. And now we’ve added two more to the mix — at Duke, replacing a legend, and at Louisville, trying to fix a mess of a program that secured a national title a mere decade ago.
The track records of those lacking head coaching experience contradict the oft-heard protestations of athletic directors who insist they want –no, need — to hire someone tested on the sidelines. Seasoning is useful and instructive in gauging and sustaining coaching talent, but hardly a prerequisite for success.