New head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers men’s basketball team, Kevin Stallings, was officially hired Easter Sunday. However, today marked the first time he addressed the media and fans as the Pitt head coach. What does this new hire mean Pitt hoops?
The departure of Jamie Dixon last week was met with mixed emotions from fans and media alike. Some felt Dixon’s 328-123 record, along with consistent NCAA Tournament appearances, were good enough. Others felt that it was time for a change, especially after the program hit a wall these last five years winning just 64 percent of their games. Compare that 78 percent in the eight years prior.
However, Dixon was gone and moving on was the next step.
The first and most obvious successor was Sean Miller, who currently coaches at Arizona and played at Pitt from 1987 through 1992. Pitt athletic director, Scott Barnes, quickly offered him the head coaching position, but Miller turned it down stating he was happy at Arizona.
Sean’s brother, Archie Miller, was the next to dispel any possible rumors of taking over.
Then coaches like Valparaiso’s Bryce Drew and University of Southern California’s Andy Enfield had their names thrown into the ring only to come up empty.
It was not until Saturday that Kevin Stallings’, of Vanderbilt, name began to surface as a serious threat to take over. Pitt’s AD, Barnes, has connections with Stallings and ultimately the decision was made to sign him to a six year deal.
What makes this hiring interesting is that Stallings was reported to be on his was out at Vanderbilt, after 17 years of not quite good enough. As well, current Pittsburgh Panther, Sheldon Jeter, once played for Stallings at Vandy and when he tried to transfer to Pitt it was blocked by Stallings, forcing him to junior college for a year.
Jeter’s dad has publically stated that his son has no plans of transferring and will stick it out at Pitt.
Jeter is not the only player with doubts about the new hire, four star point guard from Justice Kithcart has re-opened his recruitment. Also, three star center, Corey Manigault is re-opening his.
In these complicated times the first question that comes to mind has to be is Kevin Stallings the right man for this job?
The answer is no.
Since taking over Vanderbilt in 1999 Stallings has made the NCAA Tournament seven times in 17 years, only one of his teams won the SEC Tournament and none of his teams have been farther than the Sweet Sixteen. To make matters worse, in the last five years his record is just 96-72(57.1%) with two NCAA Tournament appearances.
Compare that to Dixon’s 112-63(64%) over that same span and it does not appear to be an upgrade.
That does not mean Dixon should have been kept around, but that hiring Stallings feels like more of the same. A coach who at this point just is not good enough to get the program to where it needs to be.
Barnes hiring Stallings keeps Pitt, at best, sitting in the exact same place it was for the last five years. Which is a program that makes the tournament as a lower seed, without the threat of going on a deep run.
When Dixon left fans hoped the new coach would usher in a new era of basketball, instead we got a retread. It is time to hope for the best, but plan for the worst.