Changing in Midstream: History Against USC Interim Cantu Posting Winning Mark
January 16th, 2013 - 23:09
A sure sign of the instability in USC's program was the Trojans' firing of their coach for the third time in mid-season in the last 18 seasons. But Kevin O'Neill (7-10 record this year) isn't the first bench boss from a power conference member to face such a fate. He joins a dubous list including John Brady (Louisiana State in 2007-08), Lou Campanelli (California in 1992-93), Gale Catlett (West Virginia in 2001-02), Jim Dutcher (Minnesota in 1985-86), Dennis Felton (Georgia in 2008-09), Larry Glass (Northwestern in 1968-69), Mark Gottfried (Alabama in 2008-09), Joe Harrington (Colorado in 1995-96), Bob Knight (Texas Tech in 2007-08), Ward "Piggy" Lambert (Purdue in 1945-46), Shelby Metcalf (Texas A&M in 1989-90), Charlie Parker (Southern California in 1995-96), Steve Patterson (Arizona State in 1988-89) and Quin Snyder (Missouri in 2005-06) as coaches who lasted more than half of a specific season before their tenures ended for one reason or another.
What about the schools that don't even give a coach half a season to make his case? A total of 27 schools in the previous 16 seasons had a coach relieved of his duties or pass away after the start of the season but before the second half of the campaign. The odds are against O'Neill's replacement (Bob Cantu) compiling a winning mark. Last year, Western Kentucky's Ray Harper (11-8) became only the seventh "successor" coach piloting a club more than half of a campaign since the NCAA playoffs expanded to at least 64 entrants in 1985 to post a winning record the remainder of the season. He joined Jeff Dittman (10-8 with Sam Houston State in 1988-89), Dave Fehte (9-8 with Saint Mary's in 1990-91), Max Good (13-9 with UNLV in 2000-01), Mike Perry (10-9 with Georgia State in 2002 -03), Brad Soderberg (16-10 with Wisconsin in 2000-01) and Stetson's Derek Waugh (14-8 with Stetson in 2000-01).
Harper and Soderberg guided the squads they inherited to an NCAA playoff berth. Following is an alphabetical list of universities in this impatient category since the start of national postseason competition and the records of their coaches that season:
| Division I School | Season | Successor/Interim (Record) | Departing Coach (Record) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appalachian State | 1974-75 | Russ Bergman (2-12) | Peter "Press" Maravich (1-11) |
| Boise State | 1972-73 | Doran "Bus" Connor (6-7) | Murray Satterfield (5-8) |
| Brigham Young | 1996-97 | Tony Ingle (1-25) | Roger Reid (1-6) |
| Buffalo | 1999-00 | Reggie Witherspoon (3-20) | Tim Cohane (2-3) |
| Cal Poly | 2000-01 | Kevin Bromley (3-12) | Jeff Schneider (5-7) |
| Centenary | 1977-78 | Tommy Canterbury (6-9) | Riley Wallace (4-8) |
| Central Connecticut State | 1987-88 | C.J. Jones (8-15) | Bill Detrick (2-3) |
| Chicago State | 1996-97 | Phil Gary (4-17) | Craig Hodges (0-6) |
| The Citadel | 1939-40 | Ben Parker (4-5) | Absalon "Rock" Norman (4-4) |
| Colgate | 1997-98 | Paul Aiello (10-12) | Jack Bruen (0-6) |
| Connecticut | 1946-47 | Hugh Greer (12-0) | Blair Gullion (4-2) |
| Connecticut | 1962-63 | George Wigton (11-4) | Hugh Greer (7-3) |
| Dartmouth | 1966-67 | Dave Gavitt (2-15) | Alvin "Doggie" Julian (5-2) |
| Dartmouth | 2009-10 | Mark Graupe (2-13) | Terry Dunn (3-10) |
| Denver | 1948-49 | Hoyt Brawner (11-6) | Ellison Ketchum (6-9) |
| DePaul | 2009-10 | Tracy Webster (1-15) | Jerry Wainwright (7-8) |
| Detroit | 1987-88 | John Mulroy (7-20) | Don Sicko (0-3) |
| Detroit | 2007-08 | Kevin Mondro (3-13) | Perry Watson (4-10) |
| Eastern Kentucky | 1961-62 | Jim Baechtold (6-3) | Paul McBrayer (4-3) |
| Eastern Michigan | 1985-86 | Ben Braun (5-10) | Jim Boyce (4-8) |
| Fordham | 2009-10 | Jared Grasso (1-22) | Dereck Whittenburg (1-4) |
| Georgetown | 1998-99 | Craig Esherick (8-10) | John Thompson Jr. (7-6) |
| Georgia State | 1984-85 | Mark Slonaker (1-24) | Tom Pugliese (1-2) |
| Georgia State | 2002-03 | Mike Perry (10-9) | Charles "Lefty" Driesell (4-6) |
| Howard | 1999-00 | Billy Coward (1-18) | Kirk Saulny (0-9) |
| Idaho State | 1967-68 | Dan Miller (10-12) | Claude Retherford (3-1) |
| Idaho State | 2011-12 | Deane Martin (7-13) | Joe O'Brien (2-8) |
| Iowa | 1949-50 | Frank "Bucky" O'Connor (6-5) | Lawrence "Pops" Harrison (9-2) |
| Jacksonville | 1996-97 | Buster Harvey (5-17) | George Scholz (0-6) |
| Kent State | 1977-78 | Mike Boyd (5-11) | Rex Hughes (1-10) |
| Long Island | 2001-02 | Ron Brown (5-13) | Ray Martin (0-9) |
| Louisville | 1970-71 | Howard Stacey (12-8) | John Dromo (8-1) |
| Monmouth | 1986-87 | Ron Krayl (7-13) | Ron Kornegay (1-6) |
| UNC Greensboro | 2011-12 | Wes Miller (11-11) | Mike Dement (2-8) |
| North Carolina State | 1964-65 | Peter "Press" Maravich (20-4) | Everett Case (1-1) |
| Northern Illinois | 2000-01 | Andy Greer (4-16) | Brian Hammel (1-6) |
| Oral Roberts | 1982-83 | Dick Acres (11-9) | Ken Hayes (3-5) |
| Pennsylvania | 2009-10 | Jerome Allen (6-15) | Glen Miller (0-7) |
| Princeton | 1944-45 | Leonard Hattinger (5-8) | William Logan (2-4) |
| Princeton | 1960-61 | Jake McCandless (9-6) | Franklin "Cappy" Cappon (9-2) |
| St. John's | 2003-04 | Kevin Clark (4-17) | Mike Jarvis (2-4) |
| Saint Mary's | 1990-91 | Dave Fehte (9-8) | Paul Landreaux (4-9) |
| Sam Houston State | 1988-89 | Jeff Dittman (10-8) | Gary Moss (2-8) |
| San Francisco | 1970-71 | Bob Gaillard (10-12) | Phil Vukicevich (0-4) |
| San Francisco | 2007-08 | Eddie Sutton (6-13) | Jessie Evans (4-8) |
| South Alabama | 1994-95 | Judas Prada (8-15) | Ronnie Arrow (1-3) |
| South Carolina | 1942-43 | Rex Enright (10-6) | Frank Johnson (2-0) |
| South Florida | 1979-80 | Gordon Gibbons (2-13) | Hunter "Chip" Conner (4-8) |
| Southeast Missouri State | 2008-09 | Zac Roman (0-18) | Scott Edgar (3-9) |
| Southeastern Louisiana | 1987-88 | Leo McClure (4-12) | Newton Chelette (3-9) |
| Southern California | 2004-05 | Jim Saia (11-15) | Henry Bibby (2-2) |
| Stetson | 2000-01 | Derek Waugh (14-8) | Murray Arnold (4-4) |
| Tennessee State | 1984-85 | Ed Meyers (6-13) | Ed Martin (3-6) |
| Tennessee state | 2002-03 | Hosea Lewis/Teresa Phillips (0-20) | Nolan Richardson III (2-5) |
| Tennessee Tech | 1988-89 | Frank Harrell (8-17) | Tom Deaton (2-3) |
| Tulsa | 2004-05 | Alvin "Pooh" Williamson (7-15) | John Phillips (2-5) |
| UNLV | 2000-01 | Max Good (13-9) | Bill Bayno (3-4) |
| Western Kentucky | 2011-12 | Ray Harper (11-8) | Ken McDonald (5-11) |
| Wisconsin | 2000-01 | Brad Soderberg (16-10) | Dick Bennett (2-1) |