ACC Coaches In It For The Long Haul

Now that Mike Krzyzewski has left the court, there are four active ACC coaches holding records for the longest tenure at their respective schools. More important, all but one of them has a last name that starts with the letter “B”: Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, Notre Dame’s Mike Brey, Clemson’s Brad Brownell and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton. (OK, maybe not the most important characteristic.)

Both Boeheim and Brey landed at their respective schools long before the programs were added to the ACC in 2013-14.

Boeheim, Brey, Hamilton and Brownell are the longest-tenured among the 15 current ACC coaches regardless of school.

Back in 2001 Brey replaced one-year Irish wonder Matt Doherty, who assumed the helm at his alma mater and quickly steered the North Carolina program into a ditch. Doherty was acclaimed the national coach of the year in 2001 while the ACC media voted Paul Hewitt of Georgia Tech the league’s top coach in what was his inaugural season as well.

Doherty was brought to Chapel Hill when Roy Williams declined to leave Kansas to replace Bill Guthridge, sparking muted acrimony within the program. Guthridge, a 30-year assistant, had stepped in when Dean Smith retired after 36 years at UNC, a record for head-coaching longevity apt to stand for awhile at the school.

Thus, Carolina had four head coaches in eight seasons (1997-2004), a flurry of instability now long forgotten.

Smith was among three ACC record-setters who never held another head coaching job before or after settling in place.

Boeheim was an assistant devoid of head coaching experience when he took the Syracuse helm in 1977, and is entering his 47^th season directing the Orange. This is his 10^th ACC season.

NC State’s Everett Case came straight from high school and likewise holds his school’s record for tenure, including a significant portion prior to joining the ACC.

Both Chris Mack (Louisville) and Jeff Capel (Pitt) hold the records for longest ACC tenures at their respective schools. Mack was fired short of four years on the job. Capel is now entering his fifth season directing the Panthers. Pitt joined the league a decade ago when the ACC plundered the Big East. UL came a year afterward to replace Maryland.

Jim Christian, BC’s tenure-topper as an ACC member, posted a single winning record in just under seven seasons. (He was fired in mid-February 2021.) Capel has yet to enjoy a winning record and may well be embarking on a make-or-break season in ‘23.