From Yahoo! Sports write Mike Huguenin: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaab--there-s-no-overriding-theme-to-the-hiring-of-a-successful-coach.html;_ylt=ArTD9M2iTOlxy7Vt.wOfvfjevbYF

Some interesting stats, some of the "Other" is from ESPN analysts and former coaches, such as Steve Lavin, Billy G, Mark Gottfreid, Mike Montgomery. This usually sparks a debate about the Job Hiring system in HD.

ACC:
From Mid-Majors = 5
From Low-Major = 1 (Coach K from Army)
From Another Big-Six School = 4
Big-Six Assistants = 1
Out of Coaching, TV Analyst, etc. = 2

Big East:
From Mid-Majors = 5
From Low-Major = 2
From Another Big-Six School = 2
Big-Six Assistants = 3
Other = 1

Big Ten:
From Mid-Majors = 7
From Low-Major = 0
From Another Big-Six School = 3
Big-Six Assistants = 2
Other = 0

Big 12:
From Mid-Majors = 3
From Low-Major = 0
From Another Big-Six School = 4
Big-Six Assistants = 0
Other = 2 (Billy G is one, but he coached Big Six before)

Pac-12:
From Mid-Majors = 4
From Low-Major = 2
From Another Big-Six School = 2
Big-Six Assistants = 0
Other = 2

SEC:
From Mid-Majors = 8
From Low-Major =  1
From Another Big-Six School = 4 
Big-Six Assistants = 1
Other = 0

Krzyzsewski! ARMY!!

Posted by caesari on 5/26/2012 9:07:00 AM (view original):
Krzyzsewski! ARMY!!

Hopefully this isn't news to you, is it?

Posted by emy1013 on 5/26/2012 12:59:00 PM (view original):

Posted by caesari on 5/26/2012 9:07:00 AM (view original):
Krzyzsewski! ARMY!!

Hopefully this isn't news to you, is it?

not everyone is a duke fan like you emy :) i didn't have a clue, to be honest. seems like i should have though, tough to claim you are a college basketball fan, and not know where the best active coach in college basketball came from. although, i like to think coach cal is better RIGHT NOW, im very much of a, greatness is defined by being great for a long time, kind of guy (thats why i vehemently defend UK as #1 in college bball, despite sucking for a recent decade and change under tubby and coach billyg). and by that metric, there really isn't anyone else in the discussion, is there? coach k is never the *hot* coach it seems - well he was in the early 90s no doubt - but over the short run, roy williams, billy D, and even ricky P all had him in at their peak, i think. and maybe tom izzo too. but he has outlasted everybody.

Is your head going to explode when you find out that Coach K played for Bobby Knight at Army?

Interesting article!   They have Xavier and Memphis listed as mid-major. While their conferences are mid-major, both of those programs are definitely major. Xavier, in fact, won't allow themselves to be listed in the weekly mid-major poll.  Interestingly, Gonzaga participates in that poll, won by Murray St., finishing 6th this season

I also wonder about classifying the Summit as mid-major, ahead of the low-major Ohio Valley.  At least in the past two years, with Morehead and Murray St, the Ohio Valley is better. Now that they've added Belmont, it should be even stronger.

According to the author, here are the other coaches that came from low-major schools:

Mick Cronin , Cincinnati, came from Murray St.
Billy Kennedy, Texas A&M, came from Murray St.
Mike Rose, Rutgers, came from Robert Morris
Tad Boyle, Colorado, came from No. Colorado
Ken Bone, Washington St., came from Portland St.

Curious, I did some research.   What major coaches have ever coached at JUCO, NAIA, DIII, or DII? Is working your way up the ladder a good career plan?
Apparently not.  Most major coaches started out as assistants, then moved up the ranks until they were offered a head coaching job.  Only three coaches...Tim Miles, John Beilein, and Dana Altman....coached at multiple schools in these lower divisions.

Murray State is a good place to start. They are the only  low-major school to have three former coaches (Billy Kennedy, Mark Gottfried, Mick Cronin)  now at a BCS school.

JUCO  

 Only one current BCS coach, Dana Altman of Oregon, was ever a head coach at a JUCO. He has two...Southeast CC and Moberly CC.

DIII
Bo Ryan (Wisconsin) was at Wisc-Platteville
John Beilein (Michigan) was at Nazareth, NY

NAIA

KEvin O'Neill (USC) coached at Marycrest (IA), his alma mater.  
Travis Ford (Oklahoma St.) was at Campbellsville (KY)
Bob Huggins (W. Virginia) was at Walsh, OH
Tim Miles (Nebraska) coached at Mayville St
.

DII
Ken Bone (Wash. St.) was at Seattle Pacific
John Beilein (Michigan) was at Le Moyne, NY
Tim Miles (Nebraska) was at SW Minnesota

Several coaches, after being an assistant, got their first head coaching job at low-majors. Again, your definition of 'low' may differ from mine

Mark Tugeson (Maryland)- Jacksonville St.
Jeff Bzdelik (Wake Forest)- Maryland-Baltimore County
Oliver Purnell (DePaul)- Radford
Buzz Williams (Marquette)- New Orleans
Fran McCaffery (Iowa)- Lehigh
John Beilein (Michigan)- Canisius
Tim Miles (Nebraska)-  North Dakota St.
Scott Drew (Baylor)- Valparaiso
Lon Kruger (Oklahoma)- Texas-Pan American
Travis Ford (Oklahoma St.)-  Eastern Kentucky
Ben Howland (UCLA)- Northern Arizona
Billy Kennedy (Texas A&M)- Centenary and SE Louisiana
Mark Gottfried (N.C. State)- Murray St.
 

Posted by emy1013 on 5/26/2012 12:59:00 PM (view original):

Posted by caesari on 5/26/2012 9:07:00 AM (view original):
Krzyzsewski! ARMY!!

Hopefully this isn't news to you, is it?

Haha no. Interestingly enough, my uncle worked as the Master of the Sword when K was hired.

alblack: That is very odd that Gonzaga is listed in that poll. Coach Few is adamant that nobody calls the program "mid-major" and won't speak to anyone who asks him about what it is like to be a "midmajor". He hates the word.

Posted by salag on 5/28/2012 7:01:00 PM (view original):
alblack: That is very odd that Gonzaga is listed in that poll. Coach Few is adamant that nobody calls the program "mid-major" and won't speak to anyone who asks him about what it is like to be a "midmajor". He hates the word.

Xavier contacted the poll and asked to be dropped.  Maybe Gonzaga didn't do that