21 years ago, following a resignation by head basketball coach Lon Kruger, former athletic director Jeremy Foley sought a “young, energetic, and enthusiastic” coach to bring sustained success to Florida basketball. After a wide-ranging search, he decided that 30-year-old Marshall head coach Billy Donovan was the best fit to lead the Gators.
At the time, Florida was considered a good landing spot, but not a great coaching gig. The Florida basketball program had only experiencing fleeting success during its history. Although the Gators reached their first Final Four under Kruger in 1994, his teams had slipped back to mediocre levels.