Coach K vs. Billy Donovan

[4everaGator]

Originally Posted by GatorCrazy11

I, too, have not yet gotten over the travesty that was the 2nd half officiating in that game. Butler was getting to the Final Four no matter what, and it was painfully obvious.

I thought we lost to Pitino and Louisville last year. Butler was 2 years ago.

[ApexNC]

Originally Posted by GatorRade

I'm not sure about this. If I am not mistaken, Duke wasn't really that good before he got there. Its before my time though, so can anyone speak to this?

Duke had a LOT more history and basketball tradition when K took over than than UF when Coach Donovan took over. I'm not saying Coach K wouldn't have accomplished as much at UF, but I think the relative state of the programs makes what Coach Donovan has done even more impressive.

[patsyruth2008]

I think it is also important to point out that Coach Donovan has accomplished everything he has done at a "Football School". The other Coaches mentioned are at "Basketball Schools" where the emphasis, attention (and dollars) are poured into the hoops program. Billy has been able to co-exist with football better than any Coach I know of. The time frame of 2006-2008 at Florida is unprecidented in college sports.

[steve6137]

I remember watching the Gators in Alligator Alley. It's hard to get my head around how far this program has come since those days.
We've been incredibly lucky to have coach Donovan build the program to one of the premier basketball programs in the country.
Truly amazing transformation!

[bofusgators]

Both Billy and coach K are on a coaching par, but Billy will soon eclipse coach K. Billy is already the best the Gators have ever had.

[GatorRade]

Originally Posted by bofusgators

Both Billy and coach K are on a coaching par, but Billy will soon eclipse coach K. Billy is already the best the Gators have ever had.

I love Billy, but this would be pretty tough.

Coach K:
4 NCAA championships
11 final fours
12 ACC championships
13 ACC tournament championships
79 NCAA tournament victories
935 total victories

Billy D:
2 NCAA championships
3 final fours
4 SEC championships
3 SEC tournament championships
25 NCAA tournament victories
427 total victories

[GataBaitx3]

Originally Posted by Ohio_Gator

Just for fun....

Coach K (at age 46) right after 1992-1993 season

394 victories, 177 losses (.690)
2 National Championships
5 Final Fours
10 NCAA Tourney Appearances

Billy D (at age 46) present day

395 victories, 167 losses (.702)
2 National Championships
3 Final Fours
11 NCAA Tourney Appearances

Billy D is a PREMIER coach.

[jeffphillips21]

Originally Posted by qwghlmgator

Is it OK if we consider Billy to have 3.5 Final Fours? I'm still pissed about last year.

and the year before

[tilly]

Guys pay attention. This is a year old resurected thread from last season. Thus the references to the BUTLER game.

Now carry on

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tablet using Gator Country

[Singaporegator]

Originally Posted by traubgator

this post should remain at the top. billy d is the greatest coach ever at the unversity.

only place i ever see him leaving for would be unc or duke. unc will be all over him once roy gets canned for academic fraud.

Billy D is by far the greatest BB coach at UF and will be in the discussion for the GOAT. However, greatest coach ever (so far) at UF has to be Mary Wise. Won the SEC EVERY year for her 1st 15 years at UF, now 19 of 21 ( damn, she is slipping). In the history of NCAA basketball, football, baseball ( and of course volleyball) no one has a better winning percentage over at least 10 years than Wise at .902. That is total domination.

[rserina]

More than the eventual success, the offensive scheme, the up and down pressing action, and all the other features he brought to the program, what still strikes me is his early recruiting. Facilities were not that good, the SEC was a second-tier hoops conference being dominated by Pitino's UK teams, we were a football school at its mid-90s peek, and he was a 30-year old kid fresh off two seasons at Marshall of all places, yet Donovan was able to step in and in his second full class pull off Mike Miller in addition to Dupay, Haslem, and Halton, then turn right around and sign Nelson, Harvey, Bonner, and Hamilton. At the time, it didn't dawn on me how extraordinary that feat was.

[InstiGATOR1]

Originally Posted by ApexNC

Duke had a LOT more history and basketball tradition when K took over than than UF when Coach Donovan took over. I'm not saying Coach K wouldn't have accomplished as much at UF, but I think the relative state of the programs makes what Coach Donovan has done even more impressive.

Duke was in the final four just a few years prior to Krzyzewski and was in the final four several times in the 1960s and had several national players of the year. Duke was done prior to Bill Foster going there.

BTW, it was a near thing for Krzyzewski succeeding at Duke his first three years were 17-13 NIT, 10-17 and 11-17. Bill Foster's last three years at Duke were 27-7 NCAA runner up, 22-8 NCAA second round and 24-9 NCAA regional final. As you can imagine going from Foster's last three years to Krzyzewski's first three year cause much doubt among the Duke basketball family.

[demosthenes]

Originally Posted by rserina

More than the eventual success, the offensive scheme, the up and down pressing action, and all the other features he brought to the program, what still strikes me is his early recruiting. Facilities were not that good, the SEC was a second-tier hoops conference being dominated by Pitino's UK teams, we were a football school at its mid-90s peek, and he was a 30-year old kid fresh off two seasons at Marshall of all places, yet Donovan was able to step in and in his second full class pull off Mike Miller in addition to Dupay, Haslem, and Halton, then turn right around and sign Nelson, Harvey, Bonner, and Hamilton. At the time, it didn't dawn on me how extraordinary that feat was.

Weren't Donovan and WWW friends/acquaintance s back then?

[UFLAW81]

Originally Posted by PSGator66

As I have said before - Donovan is the best coach in Gator history in all sports.

Don't forget Buster Bishop!!!!!!

[rserina]

Originally Posted by demosthenes

Weren't Donovan and WWW friends/acquaintance s back then?

Never heard that. There was some chatter about runner who organized a trip for Miller, Bonner, and some others, but it was unrelated to Donovan.

[NorthCaptivaGator]

Stat from FSU game: most consecutive 20 win seasons Billy was second with 14 BUT as they pointed out, he has only been here 16, pretty amazing consistency

[tupacbiff]

Biggest diff between coach k and billy?

Billy doesn't disparage recruits like k.

[madgator]

unfortunate but true.....Billy should have 2 more final fours on his resume

[tampajack1]

I believe that Duke was a top-20 program before Coach Krysz$#ewski. The Gator basketball team under Tommy Bartlett in the late-60's and early-70's was actually pretty good and had great top-spin serves.

[InstiGATOR1]

Andy Glockner of SI mentioned on the CBS podcast I linked in the podcast thread that he wrote this column on "Catching Coach K" and here it is:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/new...?sct=uk_t11_a5

here is some of the Donovan discussion:

Billy Donovan, Florida

A profile similar to Self's, Donovan started as a head coach in 1994-95, spending two seasons at Marshall before heading to Gainesville. He currently has 428 career wins. He's only 47 years old, but is also at a program with a slightly lower annual wins trajectory.

Florida has averaged 25 wins a season over the past five years and only has two seasons with 30 or more wins -- the back-to-back national title years in 2006 and '07. Even if you bump up expectations a bit and give Donovan an average of 27 wins a year over the long run, he would need to coach for 24 more seasons to broach Krzyzewski's assumed end total.

Donovan already had his NBA flirtation, famously changing his mind on a deal with the Orlando Magic, so his NBA flight risk is likely lower than Self's. Donovan always has been a grinder, so the thought of coaching past 70 isn't crazy, but that's a pretty big ask to win at that level for another almost quarter-century, unless he moves up half a step to a truly top-five job at some point.