Dribble Handoff: Principal Challenges Facing New Head Coaches in 2021-22
November 21st, 2021 - 8:18
Whether it's keeping the polish gleaming on a pristine program or reversing the fortunes of a struggling school, new head coaches are seeking ways to surmount a series of seemingly incessant hurdles. Here is an alphabetical list by school summarizing the principal challenges facing new Division I head coaches this season:
| School | New Head Coach | Goal As 2021-22 Season Unfolds |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene Christian | Brette Tanner | Reach 20-win plateau fourth consecutive campaign. |
| Albany | Dwayne Killings | Compile winning record for first time in four seasons. |
| Arizona | Tommy Lloyd | Avoid incurring double digits in defeats for eighth time in last 10 years. |
| Arkansas-Pine Bluff | Solomon Bozeman | End streak of eight straight losing records. |
| Austin Peay | Nate James | Post at least 19 victories for fourth time in last five seasons. |
| Bethune-Cookman | Reggie Theus | Win at least 14 games for fourth year in a row. |
| Binghamton | Levell Sanders (interim) | End streak of 12 consecutive losing campaigns. |
| Boston College | Earl Grant | Notch second winning mark in last 12 seasons. |
| Cal State Northridge | Trent Johnson (interim) | End streak of 12 straight losing records. |
| Cal State Sacramento | Brandon Laird (interim) | Assemble second winning mark in last seven years. |
| Central Connecticut State | Patrick Sellers | Secure first winning record in 11 seasons. |
| Central Michigan | Tony Barbee | Manufacture winning record for first time in three campaigns. |
| Chicago State | Gerald Gillion | Reach double figures in victories for first time in eight years. |
| Cincinnati | Wes Miller | Compile 13th consecutive winning campaign. |
| College of Charleston | Pat Kelsey | Return to average of 25 wins annually during three-year span from 2016-17 through 2018-19. |
| Delaware State | Stan Waterman | Amass first winning record in 10 seasons. |
| Denver | Jeff Wulbrun | Post first winning record in five years. |
| DePaul | Tony Stubblefield | Boost school to first winning mark in Big East Conference competition since 2006-07. |
| East Tennessee State | Desmond Oliver | Secure winning records overall and in Southern Conference competition for sixth straight season. |
| Eastern Illinois | Marty Simmons | Incur fewer than 15 defeats for first time since 2009-10. |
| Eastern Michigan | Stan Heath | Absorb fewer than 12 setbacks for first time in 21st Century. |
| Eastern Washington | David Riley | Notch at least 15 victories for eighth consecutive campaign. |
| Fordham | Kyle Neptune | Register first winning record in Atlantic 10 Conference competition since 2006-07. |
| George Mason | Kim English | Engineer fourth winning worksheet in a row. |
| Hofstra | Speedy Claxton | Finish with fifth straight CAA winning record. |
| Indiana | Mike Woodson | Incur fewer than a dozen reversals for first time since 2015-16. |
| IUPUI | Matt Crenshaw | Post first winning record in 11 years. |
| Indiana State | Josh Schertz | Assemble third straight MVC record at least four games above .500. |
| Iowa State | T.J. Otzelberger | Refrain from losing at least 20 games like last two seasons. |
| Jacksonville | Jordan Mincy | Register second winning record in last 11 years. |
| Lamar | Alvin Brooks | Lose fewer than 13 games for first time since 2011-12. |
| Loyola of Chicago | Drew Valentine | Finish at least six games above .500 in MVC competiton for fifth consecutive campaign. |
| Marquette | Shaka Smart | Lose fewer than 10 games for first time since 2012-13. |
| UMBC | Jim Ferry | Manufacture at least 14 victories for sixth straight season. |
| McNeese State | John Aiken | Secure first winning season in 10 years. |
| Minnesota | Ben Johnson | Lose fewer than 14 contests for first time in five seasons. |
| New Mexico | Richard Pitino | Incur fewer than 14 defeats for first time in eight campaigns. |
| North Carolina | Hubert Davis | Win NCAA playoff game for first time in three years. |
| UNC Greensboro | Mike Jones | Post more than 20 victories for sixth straight season. |
| Northern Illinois | Rashon Burno | Sustain fewer than 13 setbacks for first time since 2005-06. |
| Oklahoma | Porter Moser | Lose fewer than 11 games for first time in six seasons. |
| Pacific | Leonard Perry | Post second winning record in last seven years. |
| Penn State | Micah Shrewsberry | Provide second winning record in Big Ten Conference competition in last 12 campaigns. |
| Portland | Shantay Legans | Produce first winning mark in WCC competition in 12 seasons. |
| Portland State | Jase Coburn | Incur fewer than 13 reversals for first time since 2008-09. |
| Radford | Darris Nichols | Finish at least six games above .500 in Big South Conference competition for fifth consecutive campaign. |
| San Jose State | Tim Miles | Secure second winning record since 1993-94. |
| Seattle | Chris Victor (interim) | Finish more than three games above .500 for second time since returning to NCAA DI level in 2009-10. |
| South Carolina State | Tony Madlock | Compile second winning record in last 12 years. |
| UT Martin | Ryan Ridder | End streak of four straight seasons at least seven games below .500. |
| Texas | Chris Beard | Win an NCAA Tournament game for first time since 2015. |
| Texas-Arlington | Greg Young | Lose fewer than 13 games for first time in five years. |
| Texas A&M-Corpus Christ | Steve Lutz | Lose fewer than 18 contests for first time in five seasons. |
| Texas-El Paso | Joe Golding | Finish at least three games above .500 for first time in six campaigns. |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | Matt Figger | Register winning record for second time in last 14 years. |
| Texas Tech | Mark Adams | Win at least 18 games for seventh straight season. |
| UNLV | Kevin Kruger | Reach 20-win plateau for second time in last eight campaigns. |
| Utah | Craig Smith | Attain at least 20 triumphs for first time in four years. |
| Utah State | Ryan Odom | Accumulate at least 20 victories for fourth consecutive campaign. |
| Western Carolina | Justin Gray | Reach 20-win plateau for first time in 12 seasons. |
| Winthrop | Mark Prosser | Win at least 18 games for ninth year in a row. |