Basketball
The 2026 college basketball coaching carousel has concluded for the Power Five ranks — at least for now — after North Carolina finally filled its vacancy with a surprising hire. Former Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone, who won an NBA championship three years ago, is the last of a dozen new head coaches at major-conference programs for the 2026-27 season.
There’s always a sense of excitement and optimism surrounding a new hire: fresh ideas, a new culture and the hope of turning programs around. Yet it’s worth noting that evaluating these decisions immediately is tricky. The true measure of success — or misstep — usually comes with hindsight after a few seasons when on-court results have fully played out.
Of the dozen Power Five hires this cycle, five were alumni returning to lead their alma maters, while only one — Will Wade’s return to LSU — came directly from another high-major head coaching position.
Below are grades for the 12 Power Five programs that made a coaching change this cycle.
Basketball Arizona State | Randy Bennett
Previous job: Saint Mary’s
After 25 seasons, Randy Bennett finally found a job offer good enough to leave the comfort of Saint Mary’s. Arizona State lands a coach it has targeted before, and one with a long track record of building something sustainable. The résumé speaks for itself: Bennett led Saint Mary’s to twice as many NCAA Tournament appearances as Arizona State managed over the past quarter century, turning a modest program into a consistent winner that regularly challenged Gonzaga in the WCC. The Big 12 presents a much tougher test, but this is a clear upgrade and a bet on proven program-building. Grade: A-
Basketball Butler | Ronald Nored
Previous job: Atlanta Hawks (assistant)
The Bulldogs turned to a former player who helped Butler reach back-to-back national championship games in an attempt to re-establish a link to the program’s glory days. His return could spark renewed energy for a team that hasn’t reached the NCAA Tournament in eight years, let alone posted a winning record in the Big East in six seasons. Nored brings nearly 15 years of coaching experience across the NBA, G-League and college ranks, including an early stint as a Boston Celtics assistant under Brad Stevens. Grade: B+
Basketball Boston College | Luke Murray
Previous job: UConn (assistant)
Boston College has been a near-perennial bottom-feeder in the Power Five, with minimal resources and a program long overshadowed by other sports — particularly football, hockey and women’s lacrosse. Since Al Skinner left in 2010, the Eagles have cycled through four coaches and haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament in 17 years. Enter Luke Murray, the offensive architect behind UConn’s two national championships and a key lieutenant to Dan Hurley for the past eight seasons. He’ll take the reins as a first-time head coach, with plenty of experience to draw on — and yes, don’t be surprised if Bill Murray is in the stands cheering him on next season. Grade: A
Basketball Cincinnati | Jerrod Calhoun
Previous job: Utah State
Cincinnati has been shut out of the NCAA Tournament every year since Mick Cronin left for UCLA in 2019, and Jerrod Calhoun may be the program’s best chance to change that. An alum and former student assistant under Bob Huggins, Calhoun brings local ties and a winning pedigree that checks every box for a program in need of stability. Calhoun has consistently built winners at every stop. He guided Utah State to a 55-15 record over two seasons with back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths, and his prior stints at Youngstown State and Division II Fairmont State produced multiple 20-win seasons and postseason runs. Grade: A-
Basketball Creighton | Alan Huss
Previous job: Creighton (assistant)
This hire wasn’t a shock to anyone. Huss was Creighton’s coach-in-waiting after returning to his alma mater prior to this season. He totaled six seasons as an assistant under Greg McDermott and proved his ability as a head coach with a 56-15 record in two years at High Point, including an NCAA Tournament appearance last season. Huss knows the program and the Big East landscape, making him a smooth transition from the long-tenured McDermott. Grade: B
Basketball Georgia Tech | Scott Cross
Previous job: Troy
Georgia Tech has struggled for relevance in the ACC over the past 15 years, with just a single NCAA Tournament appearance since Paul Hewitt was fired. The Yellow Jackets went with a familiar blueprint, hiring a successful mid-major coach to make the jump to a Power Five league — a path that hasn’t yet translated to success. Cross, however, brings a steady track record, including five straight 20-win seasons at Troy and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. Grade: B-
Basketball Kansas State | Casey Alexander
Previous job: Belmont
Kansas State landed Casey Alexander to replace Jerome Tang amid a messy legal backdrop, with the Wildcats hoping a steady, proven hand can restore stability. Alexander went 166-60 over seven seasons at Belmont, winning at least 20 games each year. He also has a knack for spotting overlooked players and helping them reach their potential, often sending them on to succeed at high-major programs. The key for Kansas State will be keeping those players in Manhattan. Grade: B+
Basketball LSU | Will Wade
Previous job: NC State
Wade returns to LSU, stepping back into a program he left under a cloud of NCAA allegations and a two-year show-cause penalty back in 2022. The Tigers are betting that his past success — three NCAA Tournament appearances in four eligible seasons, plus three consecutive berths at McNeese and NC State — outweighs the lingering awkwardness. It’s a high-risk, high-reward reunion that only Wade could navigate. Grade: A-
Basketball North Carolina | Michael Malone
Previous job: Denver Nuggets
Did Bubba Cunningham not learn anything from his last splashy swing with Bill Belichick? After missing on several top targets, UNC pivoted to Michael Malone. Although the hire seems solid on the surface, it just doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Malone deserves credit for developing three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and bringing the Nuggets their first NBA championship in franchise history. Still, the splits are telling: a 449-293 (.605) record with Jokic compared to 61-101 (.377) without. That kind of safety net isn’t walking into the Dean Smith Center anytime soon. Grade: C
Basketball NC State | Justin Gainey
Previous job: Tennessee (assistant)
NC State needed a steady hand after the turbulence of Will Wade’s one-year tenure, and Boo Corrigan is hopeful he found it in alumnus Justin Gainey. He brings 17 seasons of experience as an assistant at multiple programs, including the past four as Tennessee’s associate head coach, where he helped guide the Volunteers to deep NCAA Tournament runs. While his pedigree as a recruiter and talent developer is strong, the lack of experience leading a Power Five program leaves questions about how quickly he can adjust to the demands of the ACC. Grade: B-
Basketball Providence | Bryan Hodgson
Previous job: South Florida
Providence brought in a coach who recently turned two programs around in a hurry. Bryant Hodgson delivered just the second and third 20-plus win seasons in 33 years at Arkansas State before leading South Florida to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 14 years this season. While he’s new to the Big East, Hodgson brings power-conference experience from his years recruiting at Alabama under Nate Oats. Backed by more than $10 million in NIL resources, he has the tools to quickly reposition Providence as a competitive program. Grade: B+
Basketball Syracuse | Gerry McNamara
Previous job: Siena
Another alum returns to lead his alma mater. Syracuse tapped Gerry McNamara to lead the program after a standout two-year run at Siena, where he took a struggling team from 4-28 to 23 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth, nearly toppling No. 1 overall seed Duke last month. McNamara’s deep ties to the program as a national champion are a double-edged sword. According to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander, McNamara’s hiring came after weeks of discussion among boosters, with a notable group advocating for a coach from outside the Boeheim lineage after former assistant Adrian Autry went 49-48 in three seasons as Syracuse’s coach. Grade: C+
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