We’re 1/3 of the way through the college basketball season, and it’s time to take a look at the ACC Hotseat.
We go from coldest to hottest.
0 – Ice Cold Seat
1 – Still cool
2 – There’s smoke
3 – Getting Warm
4 – On Fire
5 – Start working on the resume
Adrian Autry, Syracuse = 0
Adrian Autry is in his first season at Syracuse. You don’t get on the hot seat 10 games in, and their 3 losses have all been against NCAA teams – Tennessee, Gonzaga, and Virginia. They’ve quietly been sneaky good actually.
Damon Stoudamire, Georgia Tech = 0
Damon Stoudamire has Georgia Tech off to a 6-3 start. That includes a win over Duke. There have been some growing pains, but Georgia Tech fans should be satisfied with what they’ve seen so far.
Jim Larranaga, Miami = 0
Miami is 8-2 even with a couple of blow losses to Kentucky and Colorado. Larranage is coming off a Final 4 and an Elite 8. He’s good.
Tony Bennett, Virginia = 0
Tony Bennett and Virginia are 9-1. There’s no hot seat here as the Hoos are probably on their way to another 25+ win season.
Earl Grant, Boston College = 0
Earl Grant has improved Boston College from 13 wins to 16 wins to an 8-3 start this year. The trend is looking good for Earl Grant at BC so far.
Micah Shrewsberry, Notre Dame = .5
Shrewsberry is not off to the start at Notre Dame I expected going 4-6 and looking really bad in most of the losses. It is far too early to panic but keep an eye here.
Jon Scheyer, Duke = .5
Duke is 7-3, but it’s not the beginning of the season we thought we’d see for the Blue Devils. Scheyer fresh off an ACC Title last year has nothing to worry about, but doesn’t need to have a Hubert Davis type second season.
Mike Young, Virginia Tech = .5
All of Virginia Tech’s 3 losses have been likely to NCAA teams in the Hokies 8-3 start. Nothing to see for Young, unless there’s a second in a row missed NCAA tournament.
Jeff Capel, Pittsburgh = 1.5
Jeff Capel and Pitt are another team who’s 3 losses in their 8-3 start are to probably NCAA teams. Capel is coming off an NCAA Tournament where the Panthers won a couple of games. That was preceded by 4 missed NCAA seasons.
Steve Forbes, Wake Forest = 2
Steve Forbes is entering year 4 at Wake Forest. The first 3 ended without a NCAA Tournament bid. He’s off to a decent 6-3 start with a couple of good wins over Florida and Rutgers. He does need to make the Tournament, or things could get interesting.
Hubert Davis, UNC = 2.5
UNC had a major disappointment last year missing the NCAA Tournament. I think they make it this, and they’ve looked great at times. They’ve also looked just shakey enough that Davis isn’t all the way out of the woods.
Brad Brownell, Clemson – 2.5
Brad Brownell seems perpetually on the hot seat, but a 9-1 start and a top-15 team have quieted things. This might be Brownell’s best team ever. – So far so good –
Kevin Keatts, NC State = 3
Kevin Keatts has to win a NCAA tournament game at some point right? This year would make seven straight years without one if it doesn’t happen, and that can’t be good for business.
Leonard Hamilton, FSU = 4
After winning a pre-season tournament that included a victory over a good Colorado team, it appeared FSU might have something. Then the Noles lost 4 games in a row en route to a 4-5 start. It feels like the third straight year that the Noles will miss the NCAA tournament.
Kenny Payne, Louisville = 10,000
Kenny Payne’s seat is an absolute inferno right now. The Cardinals have started the year 5-6, and look worse every time out. Are the Cardinals even competing anymore? They need a lot more games like the blowout of Pepperdine and the near upset of Texas to even start thinking getting off the hotseat.
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