Gmtm Logo
SIGN UP
Gmtm Logo
ACTIVITIES
Download Our App
Sign in
Sign up

College Basketball: Three Biggest Coaching Hires of the Offseason

ByBryan Armetta

4 min read

College Basketball: Three Biggest Coaching Hires of the Offseason

Once upon a time, long before the transfer portal and NIL deals, college basketball offseasons were fairly boring affairs. Most players stayed in school, the most talented went pro, and coaches built up programs in an attempt to create their own legacies. Those days, the ones your dad remembers fondly, are over.

If players jumping from one school to the next was too much for the casual fan to handle, just wait until they see what the coaches are doing. In a sport that has historically prioritized patience and perseverance, fans now look to the suits to turn around a team. While it doesn't always lead to immediate wins, coaching hires can create a 'buzz' around campus that is hard to match. With talented transfers and five-star recruits spending months looking for a new home, a big name on the sidelines can attract major talent in a matter of days. Here are three head coaching hires that could reshape the landscape of college basketball.

Thad Matta - Butler Bulldogs

There's nothing quite as nice as coming home. That's exactly what Thad Matta did when he decided to come out of retirement to coach his alma matter, Butler. It's not often that a coach with two Final Four appearances and five conference Coach of the Year awards takes a five-year hiatus from the game. Matta had suffered from a medical condition known as drop foot, but has gotten himself "back into fighting shape." Matta returns to Butler as a head coach, having taken the school to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2001 in his one season as head coach.

Almost overnight, Matta has revamped the Bulldogs, bringing in a slew of experienced transfers to Indianapolis. Among the several players brought in, sharpshooter Eric Hunter Jr. and shot-blocking big man Manny Bates stand out as day-one difference makers. While they finished second-to-last in their conference last season, the gap between the best of the Big East and the rest has always been slim. With Jay Wright gone from Villanova, it's anyones guess as to who the conference favorites should be. They might not be there yet, but Matta's Bulldogs have the pieces to snap the team's five-year absence from the NCAA Tournament.

Kenny Payne - Louisville Cardinals

It seems as though Louisville's program has been in shambles ever since the NCAA stripped the team of its 2013 National Championship. Investigations, poor play, and behind-the-scenes dysfunction carried over past the Rick Pitino era, essentially dooming his replacement Chris Mack. Now, Cardinals faithful hopes one of the worst stretches in men's basketball history is just that: history. The climb back to respectability is what faces new head coach Kenny Payne, who will look to transform Louisville's culture in addition to its roster.

Payne, a former assistant at Oregon, Kentucky, and the New York Knicks, brings instant credibility to the Cardinals' bench. He's already managed to convince six players to return, an impressive feat in year one of a 'rebuild.' Payne also brings aboard two four-star prospects, Devin Rees and Kamari Lands, as well as former five-star Brandon Huntley-Hadfield, a sophomore transfer from Tennessee. It's an intriguing mix of talent that could lead to a tournament appearance, or a middling finish in the always-tough ACC. Regardless, this struggling program appears to be back on track, although the on-court results will tell us the most about Payne's future in Louisville.

Frank Martin - Massachusetts (UMass) Minutemen

While a rapid turnaround is possible next season for Butler and Louisville, it's hard to say the same of UMass. Since former head coach John Calipari left in 1996, the once-powerful Minutemen have made the NCAA Tournament just three times. Before they had even hired a head coach this offseason to replace Matt McCall, it was safe to say that UMass wouldn't be an easy fix. That's why it was nice to see the program go after one of the biggest names on the open market, Frank Martin.

Martin, who took both Kansas State and South Carolina to the Elite Eight (SC to the Final Four in 2017), is a proven winner with a power conference pedigree. While his hiring was made with a long-term focus, Martin has already had a significant impact on the makeup of the 2022 roster. Do-it-all guard Rashool Diggins transferred from UConn, Matt Cross comes over from Louisville, and Martin was also able to persuade forward Gianni Thompson into leaving rival Boston College. That's quite the haul for a program that has often struggled to attract premium talent. While the Atlantic 10 conference has some tough competition, Martin is the kind of coach that can bring a program back from the dead. Is it time for Amherst to party like it's 1996? Only time will tell.

Are you an Athlete?

Create a free profile to access the largest network specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities. Get started.

RELATED ARTICLES
USA Cycling: The Search for Speed Starts Here

USA Cycling: The Search for Speed Starts Here

Do you have a need for speed? If so, you should check out USA Cycling’s new talent identification...

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Jan 24 2024
From Challengers to Champions: USA Boxing Launches New Athlete Identification Program

From Challengers to Champions: USA Boxing Launches New Athlete Identification Program

USA Boxing, the National Governing Body for Boxing in the U.S., has launched a brand new Talent...

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Jan 17 2024
USA Football Dominates 2023: Unprecedented Growth and Digital Combine Triumphs

USA Football Dominates 2023: Unprecedented Growth and Digital Combine Triumphs

2023 has proved to be a year of acceleration for the sport of flag football. From a pivotal Olympic...

ByTiffany Allen | Mon Dec 18 2023
USA Triathlon Celebrates New Heights in November

USA Triathlon Celebrates New Heights in November

In a dynamic collaboration aimed at boosting collegiate triathlon, USA Triathlon joined forces with...

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Dec 13 2023
Rise to the Challenge: Join the USA Triathlon Virtual Combine this November

Rise to the Challenge: Join the USA Triathlon Virtual Combine this November

Are you ready to put your skills to the test, go beyond your limits, and claim your spot amongst...

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Oct 18 2023
USA Football and GMTM Announce 2023 Digital Combine

USA Football and GMTM Announce 2023 Digital Combine

USA Football and GMTM will hold the second U.S. National Team Digital Combine with GMTM to identify...

BySamuel Teets | Thu Aug 10 2023
USA Bobsled & Skeleton Launches Registration for August In-Person Combine

USA Bobsled & Skeleton Launches Registration for August In-Person Combine

USA Bobsled & Skeleton has launched registration for their next in-person combine open to the...

ByTiffany Allen | Tue Aug 01 2023
How To Participate in the 2023 Virtual World Flip League

How To Participate in the 2023 Virtual World Flip League

U.S. Ski & Snowboard has just launched the first Virtual World Flip League. The Virtual World Flip...

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Jul 05 2023
USA Bobsled & Skeleton Hosts In-Person Combine Open to the Public

USA Bobsled & Skeleton Hosts In-Person Combine Open to the Public

USA Bobsled & Skeleton has been working to provide unique opportunities for aspiring athletes to...

ByTiffany Allen | Fri Jun 16 2023
Trending Stories from Volleyball Canada: March/April

Trending Stories from Volleyball Canada: March/April

A new season means new events and opportunities for volleyball athletes across Canada. As the...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Apr 20 2023
USA Team Handball: Three Handball events you should pay attention to this month

USA Team Handball: Three Handball events you should pay attention to this month

It may seem like a sleepy time for Olympic sports, halfway through a year with no Olympic games....

ByTiffany Allen | Wed Apr 12 2023
Meet The Top Finishers At The 2023 USA Bobsled & Skeleton National Championships

Meet The Top Finishers At The 2023 USA Bobsled & Skeleton National Championships

LAKE PLACID, NY - The 2023 Skeleton Selection Races and the USABS National Championships for both...

ByAbby Slenker | Thu Mar 30 2023
USA Football announces final rosters for 2023 Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams

USA Football announces final rosters for 2023 Men’s and Women’s Flag National Teams

INDIANAPOLIS – USA Football, a member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the sport's...

ByTiffany Allen | Thu Mar 23 2023
4 GMTM Athletes Attend USA Football's National Team Trials

4 GMTM Athletes Attend USA Football's National Team Trials

March 10, 2023 - It’s a gray, rainy Friday morning in Charlotte, NC. We’re inside the Belk...

ByTiffany Allen | Thu Mar 16 2023
College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

While the games from November through February certainly count in the standings, the tilts that...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Mar 15 2023
Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

For college basketball fans around the country, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year....

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Mar 07 2023
What new sports could be coming to your high school in the future?

What new sports could be coming to your high school in the future?

Sports is a vital part of high schools throughout the country. They help students interact with...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Mar 06 2023
When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

More than a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt Jr's injury during an amateur football game resulted in...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Mar 02 2023
Five Reasons Why College Basketball Coaches Rescind Scholarship Offers

Five Reasons Why College Basketball Coaches Rescind Scholarship Offers

It’s what you have dreamed of, worked for, and waited on your whole life - a coveted college...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Feb 13 2023
Unlocking Billions: How World-Class Sports Organizations Manage Talent for Success

Unlocking Billions: How World-Class Sports Organizations Manage Talent for Success

What is the thing that has driven the $90 billion Sports industry? Talent Without talent, Sports...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Jan 19 2023
2022 Recap: GMTM Continues To Innovate How Teams Engage And Recruit

2022 Recap: GMTM Continues To Innovate How Teams Engage And Recruit

Since GMTM first launched a Virtual Event in 2020, a lot has changed on the platform. New social...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Dec 30 2022
How Ohio State Handball Is Becoming A Talent Pipeline For European Clubs

How Ohio State Handball Is Becoming A Talent Pipeline For European Clubs

J.D. Orr isn’t the most recognized coach at Ohio State. At a state school where the athletic...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Dec 12 2022
Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

2019 was a transformative year in NCAA athletics. The NCAA Transfer Portal, a database which allows...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sun Dec 11 2022
Recruiting Rankings: Should I Be Worried If I’m Not A Ranked Basketball Player?

Recruiting Rankings: Should I Be Worried If I’m Not A Ranked Basketball Player?

Getting ranked - it’s the ultimate goal and source of motivation for many basketball players across...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Dec 04 2022
"What Is A 5-Star Recruit?": Explaining how high school basketball prospect rankings work

"What Is A 5-Star Recruit?": Explaining how high school basketball prospect rankings work

High School basketball players like Bronny James are all over TV and social media nowadays, with...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Dec 01 2022
Five Ways To Boost Your Basketball Recruiting with Social Media

Five Ways To Boost Your Basketball Recruiting with Social Media

Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, GMTM, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook... Social media is a...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sat Nov 19 2022
How To Complete The 5-10-5 Shuttle Run Drill

How To Complete The 5-10-5 Shuttle Run Drill

The 5-10-5 Shuttle Run, also known as the Pro Agility Test is one of the most popular drills used...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Oct 17 2022
How Athletic Scholarships Work: A Quick Guide To Paying For College

How Athletic Scholarships Work: A Quick Guide To Paying For College

It is no secret that college is expensive, and as time goes on, the price continues to increase....

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Oct 11 2022
Why Is Boise State’s Football Field Blue?

Why Is Boise State’s Football Field Blue?

Some of college football’s most daunting homefield advantages come to mind pretty quickly. The Big...

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Oct 11 2022
How To Run Faster: Five Best Strength Training Workouts For Track Athletes

How To Run Faster: Five Best Strength Training Workouts For Track Athletes

In order to be successful in track, athletes should devote a considerable amount of time to lifting...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Oct 05 2022
College Basketball: Midnight Madness and the start of the CBB schedule

College Basketball: Midnight Madness and the start of the CBB schedule

Many college basketball fans think that the season gets underway in earnest around Thanksgiving,...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Sep 30 2022
College Basketball: What Is The NCAA Transfer Portal And How Does It Work

College Basketball: What Is The NCAA Transfer Portal And How Does It Work

With the ever-changing NCAA and college athletics scene, transfer athletes have become more and...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 15 2022
2022 College Football Cheat Sheet: Who Will Finish On Top In The Big Ten

2022 College Football Cheat Sheet: Who Will Finish On Top In The Big Ten

It's not the flashiest conference, nor is it the most talented, but Big Ten football offers...

ByBryan Armetta | Mon Sep 05 2022
College Football: Why Head Coach Salaries At Top Schools Keep Going Up

College Football: Why Head Coach Salaries At Top Schools Keep Going Up

What does one normally associate with the position of college football head coach? Leaders of men....

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Sep 04 2022
College Football: Are Spencer Rattler and South Carolina SEC East Contenders?

College Football: Are Spencer Rattler and South Carolina SEC East Contenders?

Competing in the SEC is not for everybody. Lost in the shuffle of the annual arms race between...

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Sep 04 2022
How UConn Has Dominated Women’s College Basketball

How UConn Has Dominated Women’s College Basketball

Women’s College Basketball and UConn are two terms that you will often hear together as they have...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 01 2022
GMTM Hosts Coaches Referral Program as a Way to Connect Athletes to Olympic Opportunities

GMTM Hosts Coaches Referral Program as a Way to Connect Athletes to Olympic Opportunities

Because our mission at GMTM is to connect athletes to opportunities, we are always looking for new...

ByTiffany Allen | Tue Aug 30 2022
GMTM Referral Program Terms & Conditions

GMTM Referral Program Terms & Conditions

These terms and conditions (“Terms”) apply to your participation in the GMTM Referral Program...

ByTiffany Allen | Tue Aug 30 2022
Basketball Recruiting: Four Ways To Improve Your Chances Of Getting A Scholarship

Basketball Recruiting: Four Ways To Improve Your Chances Of Getting A Scholarship

College basketball recruiting is structured in a time-sensitive and fast-paced manner:...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Aug 29 2022
Five Ways To Gain A College Basketball Coach’s Attention in the First Correspondence

Five Ways To Gain A College Basketball Coach’s Attention in the First Correspondence

Whether by writing a letter or sending an e-mail, reaching out to a college basketball coach for...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Thu Aug 25 2022
A Few Reasons Why Americans Are So Obsessed With College Sports

A Few Reasons Why Americans Are So Obsessed With College Sports

Of all the interesting traditions Americans have, few are more difficult for a foreign audience to...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 23 2022
College Football: Four Of The Best College Towns In Division-I

College Football: Four Of The Best College Towns In Division-I

What makes a college sports town great? It certainly helps to eat, live and breathe the experience...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Aug 22 2022
Four Things Recruiting Highlights Don't Show College Basketball Coaches

Four Things Recruiting Highlights Don't Show College Basketball Coaches

You clipped together the perfect highlight tape: the half-court buzzer beater, the flashy handles,...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Fri Aug 19 2022
Four Ways College Basketball Coaches Will Show Interest In Recruits

Four Ways College Basketball Coaches Will Show Interest In Recruits

Postcards from sunny, resort locations such as the Bahamas or Hawaii. Pictures of the team smiling...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sun Aug 14 2022
Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

The name, image, and likeness of college athletes has been a topic of discussion for several years,...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Aug 02 2022
How GMTM is helping organizations recruit athletes on an international scale

How GMTM is helping organizations recruit athletes on an international scale

"Sports are going borderless." That is how GMTM founder Joey Grant sums up the unlimited reach his...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Jul 25 2022
Basketball Recruiting: Do the top high school teams get more attention from college coaches?

Basketball Recruiting: Do the top high school teams get more attention from college coaches?

If you are a basketball fan, player, or coach, you’ve often heard about or have watched some of the...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Fri Jul 22 2022
College Basketball Scholarships: Four Unknown Truths Every Recruit Should Know

College Basketball Scholarships: Four Unknown Truths Every Recruit Should Know

For many people in the basketball community, a college basketball scholarship is held in the...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Wed Jul 20 2022
Distracting Game Film? Here are six types of videographers to avoid during your biggest games

Distracting Game Film? Here are six types of videographers to avoid during your biggest games

If you desire to get recruited to play college basketball, it’s paramount that you record games,...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Jul 15 2022
What are the benefits and drawbacks of playing college sports?

What are the benefits and drawbacks of playing college sports?

Becoming a college athlete is fun, tiring, rewarding, and busy. It is also something that can...

ByLily Ford | Wed Jul 13 2022