First off, let me say that Alabama just dismissed Anthony Grant so this early Hot Board is very speculative -- it is not known if Bill Battle even has a list of viable candidates yet, and he surely hasn't begun moving on making a hire.
So understand that new names will certainly emerge, and that this is just a starting point -- if someone you covet isn't on this list it doesn't mean anything, and if you don't like someone on this list it also doesn't mean they will be involved in the search process.
So here it is:
Ben Howland, former UCLA coach: He took the Bruins to the Final Four three times. A source close to the UCLA program has told Tidesports.com that Howland is interested in the UA job, although he is likely interested in all head coaching openings as he has made it known that he wants to be coaching next season..
Howland previously coached at Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh and has taken all three teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Howland went 233-107 in 10 seasons at UCLA before he was fired following a first-round NCAA Tournament loss. His teams failed to make the NCAA field in two of the three previous seasons and ticket sales were dropping. He was also criticized for the slow, deliberate style of play of his teams, and charges of bullying by players in the program - including allegations of players being deliberately injured in practice - also surfaced.
Steve Prohm, Murray State coach: He is an Alabama graduate who transferred to UA from Oglethorpe, a Division III school in Georgia, as a freshman and served as a manager and student assistant coach under David Hobbs at Alabama before graduating in 1997.
He has coached the Racers to four straight 20-win seasons, including Ohio Valley Conference tournament and regular-season championships in the 2011-12 season. Murray State is 27-5 this season and lost to Belmont in the OVC Tournament final.
Mike Davis, Texas Southern coach: Davis is a former Alabama player from nearby Fayette.
He served as head coach previously at Indiana (2000-06) and UAB (2006-12), and has his team in the NCAA Tournament this season.
Davis coached Indiana to the Final Four after taking over when Bobby Knight was fired following allegations of an altercation with a student.
He served as an assistant coach at UA from 1995-97.
Davis has a career winning percentage better than .600, and his teams have made the NCAA Tournament in seven of his 15 seasons as head coach (and Texas Southern wasn't eligible for the Big Dance in his first season, so he has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament in half of all possible seasons in his head coaching career.
This post was edited on 3/15 7:20 PM by tommy_deas
So understand that new names will certainly emerge, and that this is just a starting point -- if someone you covet isn't on this list it doesn't mean anything, and if you don't like someone on this list it also doesn't mean they will be involved in the search process.
So here it is:
Ben Howland, former UCLA coach: He took the Bruins to the Final Four three times. A source close to the UCLA program has told Tidesports.com that Howland is interested in the UA job, although he is likely interested in all head coaching openings as he has made it known that he wants to be coaching next season..
Howland previously coached at Northern Arizona and Pittsburgh and has taken all three teams to the NCAA Tournament.
Howland went 233-107 in 10 seasons at UCLA before he was fired following a first-round NCAA Tournament loss. His teams failed to make the NCAA field in two of the three previous seasons and ticket sales were dropping. He was also criticized for the slow, deliberate style of play of his teams, and charges of bullying by players in the program - including allegations of players being deliberately injured in practice - also surfaced.
Steve Prohm, Murray State coach: He is an Alabama graduate who transferred to UA from Oglethorpe, a Division III school in Georgia, as a freshman and served as a manager and student assistant coach under David Hobbs at Alabama before graduating in 1997.
He has coached the Racers to four straight 20-win seasons, including Ohio Valley Conference tournament and regular-season championships in the 2011-12 season. Murray State is 27-5 this season and lost to Belmont in the OVC Tournament final.
Mike Davis, Texas Southern coach: Davis is a former Alabama player from nearby Fayette.
He served as head coach previously at Indiana (2000-06) and UAB (2006-12), and has his team in the NCAA Tournament this season.
Davis coached Indiana to the Final Four after taking over when Bobby Knight was fired following allegations of an altercation with a student.
He served as an assistant coach at UA from 1995-97.
Davis has a career winning percentage better than .600, and his teams have made the NCAA Tournament in seven of his 15 seasons as head coach (and Texas Southern wasn't eligible for the Big Dance in his first season, so he has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament in half of all possible seasons in his head coaching career.
This post was edited on 3/15 7:20 PM by tommy_deas
