Billy Donovan

[tricky23]

How has he only won the SEC coach of the year once? He is the best in the business and for as long has he has been in this league he has only won the award once. Will he win it this year?

[flwgator2]

I think he will win it by default because every other team underacheived this year.

[gatorfansrule]

I think many years he suffered from people "expecting" him to do what he did with the teams he had. Also possibly a reputation of being a better recruiter than a coach?

[GatorRade]

How has he only won the SEC coach of the year once? He is the best in the business and for as long has he has been in this league he has only won the award once.

An ancient mystery, like what is the sound of one hand clapping.

Will he win it this year?

Good question. Just thinking off the top of my head, I can't think of any other coach that has a great argument.

[Jonas]

He would have won it in 2006, but Pearl had an even better regular season. He should have won it in 2007, because doing that well with all the expectations is hard as he'll, but them stumbling at the end of the regular season probably didn't help.

[xenythx]

I bet they screw him again by giving it to Cuonzo Martin or something.

[GatorAvatar]

I bet they screw him again by giving it to Cuonzo Martin or something.

What has Gonzo Martin done. Bama coach has better record doesn't he?

[regurgigator]

The fact that Billy has only won the COY award once basically cheapens the award itself. It's a joke.

The voters are often too focused on picking someone whose team surprised everyone. So, Billy's teams are too consistent to ever get him the award on the basis of surprise.

To help the award "save face", they should be trying to find every excuse they can to give Billy the award as often as possible from here on out.

[Gatuar]

To makeup for it...they should give Billy the lifetime achievement award

[GatorsGators]

He's the only option this season.

[tricky23]

To makeup for it...they should give Billy the lifetime achievement award

I agree. Kinda like what happens when you get back pay.

[gatorjlm]

He would have won it in 2006, but Pearl had an even better regular season. He should have won it in 2007, because doing that well with all the expectations is hard as he'll, but them stumbling at the end of the regular season probably didn't help.

...but in 06 preseason expectations were nil. By sheer measure of exceeding expectations, BD should have won. Some had us ranked in the 60+ range before the season...we had lost almost everyone the prior year.

[gatorbogey]

he's "won" coach of the year, every year, as far as i'm concerned!
Gator coaching ICON!

[InstiGATOR1]

...but in 06 preseason expectations were nil. By sheer measure of exceeding expectations, BD should have won. Some had us ranked in the 60+ range before the season...we had lost almost everyone the prior year.

Yeah, but after that 17-0 start UF ended up 10-6 in the SEC and almost stumbled down the stretch to miss a bid. [UF of course won the SEC tourney to get the automatic bid anyway.]

[iam4uf]

I was thinking about this the other day. Donovan should win it this year.

[number1]

Yeah, but after that 17-0 start UF ended up 10-6 in the SEC and almost stumbled down the stretch to miss a bid. [UF of course won the SEC tourney to get the automatic bid anyway.]

I don't recall that team ever being in danger of not making the tournament that year. We were 24-6 going into the SEC tournament with a host of great wins. That doesn't sound like a bubble team to me. lol

[Jonas]

I could be wrong, but I think Tenn was predicted to do just as poorly. It was Pearl's first year as a coach, and they did really well in the SEC regular season and even got a 2 seed in the NCAA Tourney. I think he was a deserving choice since they give the award at the end of the regular season (I think). Obviously if they gave it after March Madness, Billy definitely should have gotten it.

[gatorjjh]

I think Billy worries a lot less about COTY than we do as fans, that said I would love to see him get the recognition he has earned for the job he has done as a Coach, including running a clean program with integrity and compassion for his players while winning consistently over the years.

[themistocles]

I think part of it has to do (1) with a consistent losing record in so-called "close games," and (2) always appearing to face the most difficult possible end of season schedule, meaning that the Gators frequently, if not almost always lose more than one game in the stretch run.

Take, for example the 2006 and 2007 teams, both of which lost more than one game in the stretch.

I really think these things factor into it, because otherwise, it makes absolutely no sense.

[rserina]

I think part of it has to do (1) with a consistent losing record in so-called "close games
Seeing as how no one was talking about it until that ***hat at the Sun brought it up last week, I would say it has absolutely nothing to do with it at all.

As others have said, it is strictly b/c our teams never "overachieved." That's it. This year he is a mortal lock, just like 2011, and deservedly so.

[tommyuf21]

2006 team was one of his finest coaching jobs. A team that many regarded as a 4th or 5th in the East preseason (with 3 new starters) wound up winning the SEC tourney.

That was a tough league that year too, not a lot of bad teams back then like this season.

[Noahtogo24]

By the way, who do you guys think is going to win it this season? Donovan? Grant?

[SmootyGator]

LOL!

It's because he can't win close games, or recruit bigs. Everyone knows this!!! :laugh:

[Go2gtr]

He has coached through multiple injuries and has had motivation challenges with his big gun in the post, which is not totally unique but the rest of the conference is still just trying to keep up and can't. This has been a really fine coaching job this year and he should be the runaway winner.

Did Calipari win it last year?

[REM08]

He has coached through multiple injuries and has had motivation challenges with his big gun in the post, which is not totally unique but the rest of the conference is still just trying to keep up and can't. This has been a really fine coaching job this year and he should be the runaway winner.

Did Calipari win it last year?

If memory serves, the last two years were won by the coach of the team that won the conference - even though they were projected to win the conference. This hasn't always been the case. Donovan this year will make this formula happen 3 years in a row.

[jcp]

I think part of it has to do (1) with a consistent losing record in so-called "close games"

PFFFFF. Completely disagree.

[GothamGator]

Does anyone know where there is a list of SEC Coach of the Year winners?

[REM08]

Does anyone know where there is a list of SEC Coach of the Year winners?

It appears no such list exists (that is easily findable through Google) on the internet. You can find it for football but not basketball.

I figured it wouldn't take long to just come up with a list since 2000, but its harder than I thought. I'm no internet detective, but I can't seem to find 2001. Also, I find places naming both Stallings and Kennedy COY in 2007. Were they co-coaches? I stopped caring at this point.

[Go2gtr]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Donovan

Can't find it on wiki or the official SEC Sports website. Apparently it's not important enough to track.

[tommyuf21]

I've been trying to find a list of the coaches that have won over 400 games, so I can track Billy's progress up the list. I can't seem to find anything until you get to 600.

Does anyone know if that list exists or where I can find it if it does?

[GatorRade]

I've been trying to find a list of the coaches that have won over 400 games, so I can track Billy's progress up the list. I can't seem to find anything until you get to 600.

Does anyone know if that list exists or where I can find it if it does?

This link has the list of active coaches by number of wins (down to 200 wins) at the start of the year. At that time, Billy was in 37th place it seems, just above Fang Mitchell from Choppin St and just below Oliver Purnell from DePaul.

http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2012/coaches.pdf