Jamie Dixon

[tecumseh]

I think Jamie Dixon is the best coach in America. Year in and year out he gets it done with so so talent. His teams play hard, great defense, don't turn the ball over, yeah they can be painful to watch because they struggle offensively but that is due to lack of talent not because they are taking bad shots. If Coach K had a heart attack he would be my choice to replace him. (I know zero posters will agree).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...=jn-pitt112010

[Jderf]

I think Jamie Dixon is the best coach in America. Year in and year out he gets it done with so so talent. His teams play hard, great defense, don't turn the ball over, yeah they can be painful to watch because they struggle offensively but that is due to lack of talent not because they are taking bad shots. If Coach K had a heart attack he would be my choice to replace him. (I know zero posters will agree).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...=jn-pitt112010

I'm also a big fan of Dixon and what he's been doing at Pitt. He consistently recruits good kids (typically underrated) and puts together some very cohesive teams. I don't know if he's actually the second best coach in America (I'm assuming you only ranked him ahead of K by accident), but in my opinion he is certainly near the pinnacle of the college game right now.

[tecumseh]

Some might argue his teams have underperformed in the tourney. I think this is a bit unfair criticism and the truth is his teams overperform during the regular season so expectations are probably a bit too high. Last year all the "experts" picked Pitt to finish last or near to last in the Big East and he finished at the top probably one of his best coaching jobs. His teams do have some similarities to Duke teams in they way they play defense and their intensity and team chemistry. He signed a nice contract extension I think he would only leave for a few jobs like Duke, UNC, Kentucky, his recruiting is finally starting to pick up.

[Bluedevil114]

I think Jamie Dixon is the best coach in America. Year in and year out he gets it done with so so talent. His teams play hard, great defense, don't turn the ball over, yeah they can be painful to watch because they struggle offensively but that is due to lack of talent not because they are taking bad shots. If Coach K had a heart attack he would be my choice to replace him. (I know zero posters will agree).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...=jn-pitt112010

If he is that great then why dont the top recruits think so and why does he not have a National Championship? Coach Izzo does not get the cream of the crop of talent and he has won a National Championship and gone to the Final Four numerous times and what about Gary Williams the same goes for him with the talent level. Coach K is the best college coach in America. Lets not kid ourselves. He won with an average group but made them a TEAM.

[DevilHorns]

If he is that great then why dont the top recruits think so and why does he not have a National Championship? Coach Izzo does not get the cream of the crop of talent and he has won a National Championship and gone to the Final Four numerous times and what about Gary Williams the same goes for him with the talent level. Coach K is the best college coach in America. Lets not kid ourselves. He won with an average group but made them a TEAM.

This is absurd: "average group"?

We were a #1 seed last year in the tourney. We fully deserved that seeding after winning the ACC regular season and ACC championship. We had multiple pro prospects on our roster. How is the group that won last year's championship ''average'' in any way?

Regardless, I agree that Gary Williams and Tom Izzo (and Brad Stevens in my view) deserve the title of #2 best 'coach' in the nation more so than Dixon.

Gary Williams won a national championship without any McD All-Americans. Remarkable feat.

[ajgoodfella7]

I have heard many stories that Jamie is a very loyal guy, along with being a great coach. He is originally from the West Coast and he has had many job offers from Pac-10 schools, including Arizona, Arizona State and Oregon. He was also reportedly offered more money and turned them down.

Jamie has done a great job getting Pitt in contention in a very competitive Big East, year in and year out. Some would argue that the Big East may have the greatest collection of coaches in the country including Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Rick Pitino, Jay Wright, Bob Huggins, Mike Brey and John Thompson III. Despite Pitt not being a traditional power, and the big name teams and coaches that Pitt must deal with, Jamie Dixon has really pushed Pitt's program to places it has never been. Pitt has established a recruiting pipeline in New York and New Jersey and I think this has been huge for the program. As we all know first hand, HS players from this area are some of the most "college-ready" players in the country.

I think without a doubt he is one of the best young coaches in the country and hopefully sometime soon he can get Pitt over the hump and make a Final Four.

[ajgoodfella7]

Also I think Pitt is starting to turn the corner in recruiting. As of now in their 2012 class, they have commitments from Khem Birch (Rivals 5-star, #4 overall, #1 PF) and Steven Adams (Rivals 4-star center from New Zealand, #46 overall). It will be interesting to see what Dixon can do with a little higher level of talent then he has now if these commits stay with Pitt.

[jimsumner]

I think Jamie Dixon is the best coach in America. Year in and year out he gets it done with so so talent. His teams play hard, great defense, don't turn the ball over, yeah they can be painful to watch because they struggle offensively but that is due to lack of talent

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...=jn-pitt112010

I understand and agree with your respect for Dixon. But part of being a great coach is getting great talent. The two cannot be separated. At least not at the highest level.

He's coaching at a large state-supported university, with some hoops tradition, a spot in a major conference, located in a populous state that churns out lots of top prep talent. He doesn't have the constraints that someone like Bob McKillop has.

So, if he has so-so talent year after year, then perhaps he's not the best coach in America.

My two cents.

[SMO]

Regardless, I agree that Gary Williams and Tom Izzo (and Brad Stevens in my view) deserve the title of #2 best 'coach' in the nation more so than Dixon.

I'd throw Boeheim in with that mix too. I like Dixon though and I'd love to see him in the ACC. As DBR has often pointed out, beyond K, G. Williams, and O.R. Williams, ACC coaching is lacking.

[ajgoodfella7]

I'd throw Boeheim in with that mix too. I like Dixon though and I'd love to see him in the ACC. As DBR has often pointed out, beyond K, G. Williams, and O.R. Williams, ACC coaching is lacking.

I also think Bo Ryan would be in that discussion. I have always admired the way his teams at Wisconsin play.

[Bluedevil114]

I also think Bo Ryan would be in that discussion. I have always admired the way his teams at Wisconsin play.

Tournament success defines a coach and that is why Dixon and Ryan should not be included even though I agree they are good coaches just not GREAT. Bo Ryan always has a ton of seniors every year and that is why he does well in the regular season but for some reason he is not able to duplicate that success in the tournament. Why?

[ajgoodfella7]

Tournament success defines a coach and that is why Dixon and Ryan should not be included even though I agree they are good coaches just not GREAT. Bo Ryan always has a ton of seniors every year and that is why he does well in the regular season but for some reason he is not able to duplicate that success in the tournament. Why?

I definitely understand your point. But I think you can be a great coach without having an NCAA title or Final Four. I just think the definition of a great coach would be a coach who gets the most out of his players. And I think both of those guys do that. But I think I just got off discussion of the OP because I CAN'T argue that either of them are the 2nd best coach in the country. But I also couldn't argue that Gary Williams could be the 2nd best coach in the country either.

[tecumseh]

If he is that great then why dont the top recruits think so and why does he not have a National Championship? Coach Izzo does not get the cream of the crop of talent and he has won a National Championship and gone to the Final Four numerous times and what about Gary Williams the same goes for him with the talent level. Coach K is the best college coach in America. Lets not kid ourselves. He won with an average group but made them a TEAM.

This is just silly all intelligent posters realize there is a catch 22 in college hoops, the best kids want to go to programs that have won a lot recently and you cannot win BIG unless you have very good talent. That is why goodfellas talked about "turning the corner", NC State is one program looking to turn the corner and the next two years are crucial for them.

What Coach K did to get started is much, much harder to replicate in todays environment a kid like Dawkins does not stay 4 years.

[SilkyJ]

Gary Williams won a national championship without any McD All-Americans. Remarkable feat.

That doesn't mean he didn't have talent. He had several NBA draft picks on that team: Dixon, Blake, Baxter, Wilcox and Morris (I think Morris ended up being drafted).

I have a tremendous amt of respect for G Williams and J Dixon. Both are great coaches with great character.

[Poincaré]

I think Jamie Dixon is the best coach in America. Year in and year out he gets it done with so so talent. His teams play hard, great defense, don't turn the ball over, yeah they can be painful to watch because they struggle offensively but that is due to lack of talent not because they are taking bad shots. If Coach K had a heart attack he would be my choice to replace him. (I know zero posters will agree).

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketb...=jn-pitt112010

You make a good point, but why did you have to say "the best"? It sort of needlessly stirs up the nest. The imaginary Coach K heart attack is not great form either. Why would you even mention such a thing? It would be far more tasteful to replace the heart attack with retirement. If you subtracted those two parts, not a person in the world would disagree with you. Why make things more difficult for yourself? Is trying to convince people on DBR that Coach K is not as good as Jamie Dixon really a reachable goal? Is that worth your time? What I am trying to say is that if you are trying to promote Dixon here, you are going about it in a counterproductive way.

[tecumseh]

I guess part of it is I am a physician and we have a lot of gallows humor and pretty casual with throwing the phrase "a heart attack" around. PLUS and this is the big one Coach K does not have a cardiac history that I am aware of unlike say Dick Cheney.

"The best" is just an internet blog over the top statement to get a discussion going of course it is hyperbole. But it does bring up a question When Coach K retires what kind of guy would you want to replace him. My vote would be a Jamie Dixon type guy, in fact he would fit the bill perfectly. I think promoting assistants usually does not work you want someone with head coaching success in a major conference who is not too old IMHO. Recruiting will take care of itself for a few years. Bringing someone back who knows the "Duke/ Coack K way" does not light my fire. I kind of think bring someone in pretty young and let him build his own tradition.

I will say this it looks like a pretty thankless task, UCLA has struggled mightily replacing Wooden, Indiana is a mess post Knight, and Carolina very much a mixed bag. I do think if Jamie Dixon was coaching in Chapel Hill he would be doing a much better job.

[4decadedukie]

I am not attempting to "kidnap" this thread by highlighting Gary Williams (and moderators, please move this to a new thread if you wish). Several posters have extolled Coach Williams; I strongly demur. If a coach's duties and leadership responsibilities were limited to on-court, competitive, intercollegiate athletic performance, I could possibly agree. However, a coach is accountable for MUCH more than that; his duties clearly include both academics and ethics. Williams' "student" athletes have among the most atrocious academic records in major college sports; for some years, his graduation rate was ZERO. While this has recently improved, his aggregate record absolutely demonstrates the real value he places on life-vital scholastic preparation -- decidedly behind basketball -- which is truly unfortunate when one considers that VERY few of his players will ever enter professional ranks (and that solid degree might just be the youngster's catalyst to a happy, successful, productive and secure life). Similarly, anyone who has witnessed YEARS of despicable and deplorable fan/student behavior at Cole and Comcast -- especially aimed at Duke, and our athletes, coaches, their families, and our attending fans -- KNOWS that Coach Williams de facto encourages this brutish, boorish, dangerous and sometime felonious conduct. Yes, Gary may occasionally offer a few, mild rebukes; however, it is CLEAR that he wants teams to be intimidated -- and in ways that go FAR beyond ANY reasonable standards that constrain outrageous comportment in every other venue. Coach K would NEVER allow this sort of conduct, not even once and certainly not as a annual "Duke in College Park" festival of lewdness, incivility, abominable behavior, and truly dangerous/criminal acts.

Williams evidently believes his duties are limited to coaching his team; they are not. He is additionally responsible for his team's academic performance and his fans' behavior. He fails MISERABLY in these two critical responsibilities, and he is overall stature MUST reflect these substantial shortcomings.

[DevilHorns]

That doesn't mean he didn't have talent. He had several NBA draft picks on that team: Dixon, Blake, Baxter, Wilcox and Morris (I think Morris ended up being drafted).

I have a tremendous amt of respect for G Williams and J Dixon. Both are great coaches with great character.

Anybody who wins a national championship has 'talent.' The point is, he didn't have as highly touted recruits coming out of high school compared to other championship teams in our modern era of college basketball. In that sense, there's a lot of coaching impact that is logical to infer that he had on these young kids in terms of optimizing their potential and developing them into NBA prospects. Sure many of his players were under-ranked coming out of high school. He still coached them up and got them to over-achieve. Easily the best Williams coach in our conference.

4decadedukie -- I agree that he does have an obligation to the student-athletes in terms of education. He also should feel some sort of moral obligation to spurn poor behavior from his fanbase as he is the head coach. However, from a 'pure' coaching point of view, I think he tends to get his kids to over-achieve and develop the athlete half of student-athlete as good as anyone in the nation.

[jimsumner]

That doesn't mean he didn't have talent. He had several NBA draft picks on that team: Dixon, Blake, Baxter, Wilcox and Morris (I think Morris ended up being drafted).

I have a tremendous amt of respect for G Williams and J Dixon. Both are great coaches with great character.

Morris was indeed drafted.

But he wasn't a member of the 2002 Maryland team.

Byron Mouton was the fifth starter.

[NashvilleDevil]

and Carolina very much a mixed bag.

If you're referring to the Gut/Doh years than I guess post-Dean UNC has been a mixed bag. But they still have 2 titles-post Dean and I doubt you could find a UNC fan who would say that is a mixed bag.