A great coach has the ability to get the most out of their players. They will find a way to win the game even if the players aren’t at their best. It may take a few years, but great coaching talent will always be recognized.. While there are dozens of great up and coming coaches, these six (especially Bobby Hurley) have taken their game to a new level and heightened watching the game for fans and players alike.
This is a guest contribution from Brooke Chaplan
Bobby Hurley
Bobby Hurley is best known for winning two national championships during his playing days at Duke, but he has quickly become one of the best young coaches in college basketball. Buffalo has won the Mid-American Conference both years with Hurley as head coach, and they even made an appearance in the NCAA tournament in 2015.
Gregg Marshall
Gregg Marshall became the head coach of the Wichita State basketball team in 2007, and they are now one of the premier programs in the country. After an appearance in the Final Four in 2013, Marshall led the Shockers to a perfect 34-0 record in the regular season the next season.
Mark Hudspeth
Louisiana-Lafayette may not get much attention in the college football world, but they have quietly put together four great seasons under Mark Hudspeth. He has led the team to four straight nine win seasons, and they were also able to win a bowl game in all four seasons. Not many coaches can claim four straight bowl game victories in college football right now, but Hudspeth is one of them.
Matt Wells
Matt Wells spent over 15 years as an assistant coach before he finally got the head coaching job at Utah State. In his two short years at the program, Wells as transformed Utah State into one of best small college football programs in the nation.
Bill O’Brien
Bill O’Brien proved his coaching skills when he turned around the troubled Penn State football program. O’Brien was able to show off his skills in the NFL last year as the head coach of the Houston Texans. Despite getting almost no production from the quarterback position, O’Brien was able to lead the Texans to nine victories.
Bruce Arians
Bruce Arians took his coaching skills to the next level last year when he was able to lead the Arizona Cardinals to the playoffs without his two best quarterbacks. Arians’ great offensive mind has helped the Cardinals become a regular contender in the NFC. It took all six of these coaches some time to get a prominent job, but they were able to secure them by constantly lifting the talent of their players. It pays to pay attention to who’s getting big in the game and the coaches behind them.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information about working in sports or getting an athletic administration degree contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan