An Informal Poll or What Is Your Guess

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

I should have actually gone back 15 years to the beginning of Few’s tenure at Gonzaga. Throw on a 10 and a 12 seed to the previous list which only went back 13 years. With those included, he has had:

4 Sweet 16s
8 Round of 32s
3 First Round losses

The lack of an Elite 8 or better is about the only thing keeping him from being a sure thing for the top 10 of the coaching list. Still, I contend that there are only 8-12 coaches out there whose last decade (+/- a few years) has been better that Mark Few and Gonzaga.

Taking Gonzaga to #1 in the polls and a 1 seed just 2 years ago should be a major positive for the "what have you done lately crowd". Unfortunately, I think there are way too many people that take the loss to WSU in the round of 32 as proof that the season was a disappointment and would use that as a knock on Few.

[ShockTalk]

Too low. There are not 16 coaches that deserve to be ahead of Mark.

NCAA Seeding the last 13 years: 8, 1, 7, 11, 8, 4 , 7, 10, 3, 3, 2, 9, 6

That is a top 15 resume, probably top 10 when you factor in that he is doing it at Gonzaga.

I would agree. However, he set the pole so high early. E8 and 2 S16 in his first 3 years. Over the last 12 years, 2 S16s and none in the last 5 years. Our Shocks knocking out the Zags stopped what would have probably been their best chance to make a strong run in the Dance during those 5 years.

I was very surprised to see that he was not mentioned or quoted in the article in another thread regarding quality coaches staying at non-Big 5 schools. Few was the "trend setter".

[1972Shocker]

I was very surprised to see that he was not mentioned or quoted in the article in another thread regarding quality coaches staying at non-Big 5 schools. Few was the "trend setter".

Agreed. Of course Coach Few had the advantage of seeing what happened to the guy who initially put the Gonzaga program on the map, Dan Monson, when he moved on to supposed greener pastures.

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

E8 and 2 S16 in his first 3 years.

Minor correction. Few took over as head coach the year following the E8 run.

I do agree with the rest of your points though. I just think people underestimate the impressiveness of being so consistently good at a school like Gonzaga.

[ShockTalk]

Minor correction. Few took over as head coach the year following the E8 run.

I do agree with the rest of your points though. I just think people underestimate the impressiveness of being so consistently good at a school like Gonzaga.

Thanks for the correction. I always forget Monson started that run of Dance appearances (and as could be inferred from @1972Shocker:'s post, it's possible a lot of people may have forgotten about him).

That consistency is amazing.

[Ricardo del Rio]

#16 Roy Williams, North Carolina

[Royals85]

Too low. There are not 16 coaches that deserve to be ahead of Mark.

NCAA Seeding the last 13 years: 8, 1, 7, 11, 8, 4 , 7, 10, 3, 3, 2, 9, 6

That is a top 15 resume, probably top 10 when you factor in that he is doing it at Gonzaga.

ZERO Elite 8's in a 15 year career. (There are 8 active coaches who have 6 or more Elite 8's in their careers). ZERO Sweet 16's in the last 5 years. Only 2 Sweet 16's in his last 13 years. Only twice in the last 8 years a seed better than 7.

Somewhere in the 16-25 range is appropriate, no way Few has a top 10 resume.

[Shoxfan11]

I would agree. However, he set the pole so high early. E8 and 2 S16 in his first 3 years. Over the last 12 years, 2 S16s and none in the last 5 years. Our Shocks knocking out the Zags stopped what would have probably been their best chance to make a strong run in the Dance during those 5 years.

I was very surprised to see that he was not mentioned or quoted in the article in another thread regarding quality coaches staying at non-Big 5 schools. Few was the "trend setter".

I really do believe Gonzaga makes the Final Four last year if it wasn't for us. They were the best team we beat.

[ShockTalk]

ZERO Elite 8's in a 15 year career. (There are 8 active coaches who have 6 or more Elite 8's in their careers). ZERO Sweet 16's in the last 5 years. Only 2 Sweet 16's in his last 13 years. Only twice in the last 8 years a seed better than 7.

Somewhere in the 16-25 range is appropriate, no way Few has a top 10 resume.

So, name me any other non-Big 5/BCS coach that has a 10+ year history with the success and consistency that Few has accomplished. It's one thing for a coach at UK, UNC, Duke, Michigan St and the such to do what he has done, another thing if you're not.

[Dan]

Few is still the model of consistency for the non-BCS programs, but he also needs to get to the next level to get the next level of respect. He needs a Final 4 on his resume.

[Royals85]

So, name me any other non-Big 5/BCS coach that has a 10+ year history with the success and consistency that Few has accomplished. It's one thing for a coach at UK, UNC, Duke, Michigan St and the such to do what he has done, another thing if you're not.

Consistently accomplished what? He consistently wins a conference that is usually ranked by Kenpom in the 10-15 range and loses in the first weekend of the tournament. 2 Sweet 16's in a 13 year period without a single Elite 8 speaks for itself.

Shocker fans know better than most that playing outside of a top 5 conference doesn't preclude post-season success. Plenty of top 10 caliber coaches had tournament success at non-bcs schools before they moved on. Pitino made it to a Final 4 at Providence, Calipari at UMass. Self made an Elite 8 at Tulsa, Thad Matta and Sean Miller at Xavier. Elite, top 10 caliber coaches, have the ability to go on a 3 game winning streak during March Madness no matter the conference.

He's a top 25 coach, not top 10.

[1972Shocker]

Few is still the model of consistency for the non-BCS programs, but he also needs to get to the next level to get the next level of respect. He needs a Final 4 on his resume.

Perhaps for some but I personally have a great deal of respect for Coach Few. Not sure a Final Four would make that much difference to me. But I often find myself in the minority.

[FlyingWheat]

15. Fred Hoiberg

[Jamar Howard 4 President]

Fred Hoiberg
2011 – First year following Greg McDermott, last place in Big 12
2012 – 8 seed, tied for 3^rd in Big 12, Round of 32
2013 – 10 seed, tied for 4^th in Big 12, Round of 32
2014 – 3 seed, tied for 3^rd in Big 12, Sweet 16

Good, but not more deserving than Mark Few just yet.

[WSUwatcher]

Hoiberg's presence and ranking make it obvious the extent to which "what have you done lately" was a factor in the voting, which probably bodes well for Marshall's final standing.

It's also interesting that he got into the top 15 by cleaning up, to the considerable extent he has, the rubble that was left when #23 Greg McDermott escaped in the nick of time. Where will McDermott be if this voting is repeated five years from now -- will he still be in the top 50?