With our rankings for the top guards, wings, and big men are all out of the way, it’s time to turn our attention to the big money men.
Yes, ranking coaches is often the most fun part of looking at all of these conferences, and the AAC has one of the deepest, most difficult to rank coaching lineups in the country. But, we will try anyway.
1. Kevin Ollie, UConn Huskies
No coach in the country has built up as positive a reputation as quickly as Ollie has. That shouldn’t be hard to imagine, as capturing a National Championship as a serious underdog as one of the greenest coaches in the game is something to behold. But where Ollie has really made his mark, is the pull that he’s already exhibited on the recruiting trail, not to mention the kind of respect that he garners in NBA circles. He may not have the history that the next coach on this list has, but right now, he’s got every bit as much cache.
2. Larry Brown, SMU Mustangs
I mean, how much of an explanation is really needed here? He’s won absolutely everywhere he’s been. He put up with Allen Iverson. He beat Kobe and Shaq. Now, he’s put SMU on the college basketball map. None of those things could be considered easy, to say the least, and thus, recognizing him here isn’t difficult. Now, it must be said that the NCAA is investigating his program for alleged misconduct, but we’ll wait to pass judgment.
3. Mike Cronin, Cincinnati Bearcats
Cronin feels like one of the most underappreciated coaches in the country, having been to five NCAA Tournaments and consistently fielding one of the toughest, most physically imposing teams in the country. To be honest, UC doesn’t have the same pull that it did under Bob Huggins in the eyes of recruits, but Cronin has done a very good job of landing talented preps, JUCO prospects, and transfers.
4. Fran Dunphy, Temple Owls
Another underappreciated name in the coaching business, Dunphy–the AAC Coach of the Year last year–has been enjoying success in Philadelphia for quite some time now. After a rough first year transition into the AAC, the Owls got back on a track with another 20-win season in 2014-2015 and still appear to be in a good situation moving forward.
5. Frank Haith, Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Haith has won every stop he’s made in the coaching ranks, so it shouldn’t be entirely surprising that year one of the Tulsa experience went very, very well. The Golden Hurricane were in contention for a regular season conference crown all the way into March, winning the most games since 2009-2010.
