Heres the ajc on who we could pick up.
Mike Anderson, Missouri: He presides over a Top 25 program in a major conference. (And Missouri can throw money at him to stay.) But he grew up in Birmingham and coached at UAB and worked under Nolan Richardson at Arkansas, and he might have a hankering to return to the South. And I for one would love to see his full-tilt style shake up the rather staid ACC.
Scott Drew, Baylor: He coached under his famous dad Homer at Valparaiso and has worked since 2003 in Waco, where he inherited a program leveled by a scandal involving the murder of a by a former player. Last spring he took the Bears to the Elite Eight, after which he signed a 10-year extension. Not sure hed leave for Tech, but how much longer is a coach this young (40) and skilled apt to stay in Waco?
Brian Gregory, Dayton: He doesnt fit the definition of a Hot Young Guy. Hes 44, which isnt that young, but hes 167-89 in seven-plus seasons at a mid-major that takes the sport seriously, and he apprenticed under Tom Izzo at Michigan State.
Cuonzo Martin, Missouri State: Heres your Hot Young Guy. Martin was Glenn Robinsons wingman at Purdue when the Big Dog was the best player in college basketball. Martin played in Europe and survived non-Hodgkins lymphoma and has become a coach of growing portfolio. He won 24 games last season at Missouri State, which as Southwest Missouri State perpetrated a memorable NCAA tournament upset of Clemson at the old Omni. Another reason to like Martin: He worked under Gene Keady at Purdue, and Keady assistants do well. Think Kevin Stallings at Vanderbilt, Bruce Weber at Illinois and now Matt Painter with the Boilermakers.
Chris Mooney, Richmond: Good young coach hes 38 at another pedigreed mid-major. He played under the legendary Pete Carril at Princeton, which means, surprisingly enough, that he runs the Princeton Offense. Mooney led the Spiders to the NCAA tournament last season.
Mark Turgeon, Texas A&M: Played under Larry Brown at Kansas, coached under both Brown and Roy Williams there. Turgeon also signed a contract extension after last season, in which he took the Aggies to the NCAA tournament for the third time in three tries. Not sure hed leave for Tech, either, unless he just wants out of College Station and into the ACC. (A&M is rumored to be bound for the SEC, which might or might not be a consideration.)
Craig Neal, New Mexico: Known as Noodles when he played at Tech, where he first served as Mark Prices backup before becoming an outstanding point after Price departed. He has been Steve Alfords chief assistant in Albuquerque since 2007, and last season the Lobos were 30-5 and entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 3 seed. I cannot imagine a circumstance in which Neal would not crawl to Atlanta for a chance to coach his alma mater.
Herb Sendek, Arizona State: Hes the dullest guy in the world, and hes not a great recruiter. He left N.C. State in a snit because Wolfpack fans werent satisfied with five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. Theres a chance Sendek could get fired this season. Its not often a big-time program hires a coach who has just been canned at another school, but Sendek does have a history of winning in the ACC. He was 46-34 in league play his final five seasons at State.