With the Virginia men’s basketball team’s tournament fate all but sealed, interim head coach Ron Sanchez is not positioned to survive beyond his one-year trial. We can question the roster’s talent level and the unique circumstances of Sanchez’s ascension only two weeks prior to the season’s start; however, it’s time for a changing of the guard in Charlottesville.
Bennett’s Pack-Line defense bestowed upon Virginia faithful unprecedented success in one of the nation’s most competitive conferences. His offense, moreover, operated uber-efficiently in the mid-to-late 2010s, with Virginia finishing twice in the top-ten of the KenPom offensive efficiency rankings in 2015-16 and 2018-19, respectively. Stagnant offenses exacerbated by the ever-moving portal era made life increasingly difficult for Bennett, a winner throughout it all who was nonetheless affected by matters out of his control. While it’s a tough pill to swallow, Sanchez is a martyr of the Pack-Line and blocker-mover styles on offense and defense, which will almost certainly cease to exist at Virginia following the hiring of a new coach this offseason.
High-octane offenses are all the rage, with a few programs — Houston, Iowa State, San Diego State, and Saint Mary’s, in particular — staying true to their defensive principles amidst the chaos. Defense can survive the portal madness, but it’s dependent on coaching cultures. Ultimately, the program will need a “culture builder” to start things from scratch at a university that should appeal to a host of mid-major and power-conference candidates.
FYI, Bennett was just shy of 40 years old when he was hired to coach at the University of Virginia. The search shouldn’t include qualified candidates such as Brian Dutcher (San Diego State) and Randy Bennett (Saint Mary’s), as the athletic department will likely select a younger torchbearer for a program headed in a new direction.
A Wisconsin native and the former coach of Virginia Commonwealth, the 47-year-old Smart is no stranger to Coach Tony Bennett and the Virginia men’s basketball program. One of the few elite culture builders remaining in college basketball, Marquette’s leader has created an insular structure in Milwaukee which emphasizes player retention and development over portal additions. Smart’s breakout year at Marquette came in 2022-23, in which the Golden Eagles captured both the regular season and conference tournament titles in a season in which the Connecticut Huskies — a Big East foe — thoroughly dominated the Big Dance.
Smart has proved to be adept at churning out NBA-level talent, a key feature for recruits who may bypass higher NIL payments elsewhere in exchange for elite development. This would be a home-run hire for Virginia’s athletic department. Smart, however, signed an extension to remain with Marquette until 2030, and he hails from the area. Poaching a top-ten coach nationally won’t come without a challenge, and the Golden Eagles (14-2, 5-0 Big East) look poised to secure a high seed in the NCAA Tournament once again. He has consistently overperformed after relocating from the University of Texas.
I do believe that Virginia basketball is a bigger brand than that of Marquette, which plays into the ‘Hoos’ favor. Smart brought the Golden Eagles out of a middling stretch from 2012 to 2021.
Sound familiar? Richey and Furman vanquished Bennett and Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2023, in which guard JP Pegues — now at Auburn — drained a buzzer-beating three-pointer following an ill-fated heave from the Cavaliers’ Kihei Clark. The 41-year-old Richey wouldn’t be nearly as sexy of a hire as Smart, but he’s an elite mid-major coach who has recorded 25+ wins in three of his seven full seasons with the Paladins. Richey did suffer from the departures of multiple contributors following Furman’s run to the Round of 32; however, his current team is 14-2 and tracking for another automatic bid to the Big Dance.
Richey’s youth and track record at a reputable mid-major could translate well to a full-time position at a power-conference school. Virginia ought to wait to see the results from this campaign, but their current trajectory suggests that another 25+ win season could be in the cards. Like Smart, moreover, Richey prioritizes player development and has produced a Big South Player of the Year in 2023 — forward Jalen Slawson — an NBA player who enjoyed a five-year career at Furman.
Also, his middle name is McIntire! Get him to Charlottesville. Richey’s cultural fit would be seamless, and his mission to build from within would, I believe, align with that of the athletic department and the men’s basketball program.
Another familiar face, Odom led sixteenth-seeded UMBC to its stunning upset of Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2018. A 50-year-old Odom — the son of Dave Odom, a three-time ACC Coach of the Year and an assistant under Terry Holland in the Ralph Sampson era — has coached at two mid-major mainstays in Utah State and VCU since leaving the Retrievers at the end of the 2020-21 season. He led the Aggies to a 26-9 record and an NCAA Tournament berth three seasons ago, and his current Rams have some lofty expectations to fill after returning four of five starters.
Possessing Virginia ties through his family’s time in Charlottesville and his alma mater, nearby Hampden-Sydney College, Odom would be well-aware of the responsibilities and expectations placed upon the Cavaliers’ next coach. His performance at Utah State and VCU does leave much to be desired, however, and a disappointing campaign this season would seriously detract from his candidacy; the Rams don’t have a signature win and squandered non-conference opportunities to move the needle. I wouldn’t be surprised if they run the table in the Atlantic 10, though.
He’s a popular name in Virginia coaching circles and will almost certainly find his way into the ‘Hoos’ coaching search. This season will be a major litmus test as to whether he can live up to expectations with a stacked roster, even if VCU did throttle Virginia in a preseason scrimmage.
Byington — Virginia’s Director of Basketball Operations in 2005 — hails from Salem, Virginia, and has experience within the program, albeit not in a coaching position. After four years at neighboring James Madison, the 48-year-old Byington made the jump to the SEC upon leading the Dukes to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season. He increased his win totals from 15 to 22 to 32 in his three full seasons in Harrisonburg (the first was affected by COVID-19), and Byington has also impressed by steering the Commodores to a 13-2 start.
Whether he would leave the Vanderbilt job after one season is a question that largely depends on Virginia’s offer and plan for adjusting to the NIL/portal landscape, but Charlottesville is likely a more attractive landing spot within the power-conference landscape. However, does the security and newfound basketball prowess of the Southeastern Conference convince him to stay? If Vanderbilt seriously overperforms under Byington, it may grow more difficult to poach him in an offseason coaching search.
Virginia was perhaps one year late to securing a rising star in their backyard. Hopefully, Byington’s ties to the program keep him seriously interested in returning to Charlottesville.
A Princeton alum who returned to coach the Tigers in 2011, the 49-year-old Henderson has notched four Ivy League regular-season championships, two conference tournament titles, and two NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Sweet Sixteen berth in 2023. Princeton isn’t on par with a Utah State or a VCU in terms of mid-major pedigree or conference strength, but Henderson has accomplished plenty while navigating tricky admissions requirements and the lack of an NIL presence at Ivy League schools. A two-year streak of defeating Rutgers is a strong indicator that Henderson has done more with less, and wins over Arizona and Missouri in the Big Dance also add to an impressive resumé built at Princeton.
Henderson’s track record at an academic powerhouse would translate well to Virginia, and he’d be armed with resources not available at his alma mater; yes, I know the Tigers’ endowment is massive, but athletics do not make the university money. On the other hand, he’s a Princeton man through and through. He might not be willing to plunge into a money-laden world far from the confines of an Ivy League campus.
I would expect him to throw his hat in the ring. Pulling an alumnus away from his alma mater could take some convincing, though.
Up for Consideration: Bucky McMillan (Samford), Ben McCollum (Drake), Ed Cooley (Georgetown), Niko Medved (Colorado State)
The Plus/Minus: Virginia Crashes and Burns at Stanford
Five Takeaways From Virginia Basketball’s 88-65 Loss to Stanford
Round Robin: Evaluating UVA Basketball at Near Midway Point of the Season
What’s Going on With Christian Bliss? Ron Sanchez Finally Gives an Answer
Report: Former Virginia Guard Dante Harris Transfers to Memphis
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