Beilein Finalist for Henry Iba National Coach of the Year
The US Basketball Writers Assocation has released its list of 10 finalists for the Henry Iba National Coach of the Year Award. John Beilein deservedly makes the list and is the only finalist from the Big Ten. The other nine:
Tony Bennett, Virginia
Larry Brown, SMU
Jim Crews, Saint Louis
Mick Cronin, Cincinnati
Billy Donovan, Florida
Steve Fisher, San Diego State
Gregg Marshall, Wichita State
Greg McDermott, Creighton
Jay Wright, Villanova
The only Michigan coach to have won this award is Johnny Orr, who received the honor in 1976.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^
Why isn't Izzo on the list? The way he's fought through so much adversity, with all those injuries, and still has a shot at a split conference title if everything goes his way... it's just a spectacular coaching job.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
It'll go to SMU, sadly. These always go to the 'oh, this team is good all of a sudden?' coach.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^
February 27th, 2014 at 11:48 PM ^
Brown also gets the "lifetime achievement award" votes
February 28th, 2014 at 8:59 AM ^
If that sort of voting occurs with these awards, then I'd expect that might help Beilein as well. He's one of the most respected coaches around and has never won a national coach of the year award. If Michigan finishes strong, I think there's a good chance he'll win at least one of the several national COY awards that are given out.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:42 PM ^
Beilein is an excellent coach and its an honor to be named a finalist. I'm very happy that he is Michigan's coach.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
Would you trade Beiein for any other coach in the nation if you could???
I would not. Not Coach K at dook, Calapari, not Izzo, not, Shaka Smart. Beilein is the best coach in the nation.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
I love Beilein and thinks he's definitely an elite coach, but Coach K is the best coach in the country and I don't think there's any debate.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:55 PM ^
be honest, did you call him Coach K because you were too lazy to look up the spelling of his last name? That's what I did.
February 27th, 2014 at 1:57 PM ^
Yes. Haha.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:32 PM ^
Just because Dick Vitale says so? Look at what Beilein has done with a bunch of guys that nobody else in the Big Ten wanted, let alone a team like Duke. We have had ONE guy (McGary) on our roster during Beilein's tenure that Duke was even interested in, and yet we made it to the national final last year and are in the driver's seat to win our second Big Ten title in 3 years.
Yes Duke's program is still a level above ours but I would take Beilein over coach K any day of the week.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:43 PM ^
No words necessary when you have 4 National Championship rings (out of 8 appearnaces), 11 Final Four appearances, 12 ACC titles, and 3 Naismith Coach of the Year awards.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:48 PM ^
That is kind of a crazy resume, when you put it like that.
February 27th, 2014 at 4:30 PM ^
of an entire career, no question Coach K is the more "successful" and distinguished coach. He is probably the most distinguished in the history of college basketball.
At this moment in time, however, and just emphasizing X's and O's, etc. (not taking recruiting into account bc Coach K can recruit on his laurels alone) I think Beilein is a better coach today than Coach K is today.
In no way is that an insult to Coach K, either.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:47 PM ^
Plus Beilein doesn't look like a Vampire.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:37 PM ^
Bill Self can't get no respect.
Seriously, Shaka Smart? Was he being considered as an assistant in this game?
February 27th, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^
Here's the full list of Michigan coaches who have won national coach of the year honors from various organizations, from the U-M record book.
EDIT: This is probably in part a function of there being more national awards given out than conference awards, but it does seem a bit strange that Michigan coaches have won fewer Big Ten coach of the year awards than national ones:
February 27th, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^
I like his chances if when we get this outright B1G title.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:11 PM ^
That's awesome. I think Gregg Marshall gets it, if only by default for the 30-0 record.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
Excluding Beilein, I think Cinci's coach does an excellent job. He gets a lot out of his team.
February 27th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^
Funny that Beilein could theoretically win national COTY but not conference COTY.
February 27th, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^
That happened to Carr in 1997 (Joe Tiller won B10 COY).
February 27th, 2014 at 5:08 PM ^
If UVA beats down Cuse on Saturday, thereby locking down the ACC title with a 16-1 record (only loss at Dook by 4 pts), Handsome Tony Bennett may get the award.
The team has 10 ACC victories by double digit points and the nations best defense, yet has no superstars or real blue chip types. It has an all ACC senior shooting guard in Joe Harris, a solid senior big man in Akil Mitchell and the rest are sophmores and freshman, including a great starting freshman PG who was a good, but not elite recruit.
Coach Beilein certainly deserves the recognition as well.
Bottomline, I'm happy as a pig in shit with college baskettball this year.
February 27th, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^
This year and last year. Last year was amazing. Anytime we lose I just think of the tournament from last year and all is well again....
February 27th, 2014 at 11:05 PM ^
March 24th, 2014 at 12:10 PM ^
Wichita State's Gregg Marshall is the Henry Iba National Coach of the Year http://t.co/6ziYl2uEPE
— USBWA (@USBWA) March 24, 2014
If Michigan keeps winning in the tourney, I still think there's a chance he might pick up at least one of the half dozen or so national coach of the year awards that are given out later—especially with Wichita State now out of the tourney.