Family Affair: Does Father Really Know Best Any Longer in Pitino Clan?

April 3rd, 2013 - 20:47

Comparable to the vast majority of player recruits, it's blatantly absurd to proclaim a new head coach ready for the NCAA Division I level because of his last name; especially in a power conference. About this time last spring, there simply were no guarantees that Florida International would halt its streak of 12 losing seasons (none with more than 13 wins) because Richard Pitino, son of Louisville coach Rick Pitino, assumed control of the Golden Panthers' program with a six-year contract. But after guiding FIU to 18 victories, the younger Pitino's achievement plus his name made him attractive to Minnesota, which gave him a six-year contract.

The only things we could reasonably be assured about a year ago was that Richard would register a higher winning percentage than his predecessor (Isiah Thomas/.286) and the Pitino clan could move into the all-time top 10 of father-son coaching combinations for most victories. Daddy Pitino boasts 663 victories entering the '13 final, including two when he was an interim coach for Hawaii in 1975-76, en route to his seventh Final Four. If son Richard, a three-year assistant under his father, averages about 20 victories annually for 25 campaigns, they have a shot at moving together atop the father-son list. New Loyola (Md.) coach G.G. Smith also faces a long haul with his father (Tubby Smith) to move up the family coaching list.

But keep in mind that only two sons of former coaches with a minimum of 200 triumphs have posted more victories than their dads - Tim Floyd and Dan Monson. At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, the Pitinos could rank 12th on the following list of all-time winningest father-son head coaching combos in NCAA history (more than 625 victories) if the Cardinals capture the championship:

1. Suttons (1,111-529 record through 2012-13, .677)
Father: Eddie Sutton (Creighton/Arkansas/Kentucky/Oklahoma State/San Francisco 1970-89, 1991-2006 and 2008, 802-323 in 37 years, .713)
Son: Scott Sutton (Oral Roberts 2000-13; 270-177 in first 14 years, .604)
Son: Sean Sutton (Oklahoma State 2007 & '08; 39-29 in two years, .574)

2. Meyers (1,023-565, .644)
Father: Ray Meyer (DePaul 1943-84; 724-354 record in 42 years, .672)
Son: Tom Meyer (Illinois-Chicago 1978-83; 77-86 in six years, .472)
Son: Joey Meyer (DePaul 1985-97; 222-125 in 12 years, .640)

3. Ibas (1,006-582, .634)
Father: Hank Iba (Northwest Missouri State/Colorado/Oklahoma State 1930-70; 767-338 in 41 years, .694)
Son: Moe Iba (Memphis State/Nebraska/Texas Christian 1967-70, 81-86, 88-94; 239-244 in 17 years, .495)

4. Knights (975-475 through 2012-13, .672)
Father: Bob Knight (Army/Indiana/Texas Tech 1966-2008; 899-374 in 42 years, .706)
Son: Pat Knight (Texas Tech/Lamar 2008-13; 76-101 in first six years, .429)

5. Bartows (939-571 through 2012-13, .622)
Father: Gene Bartow (Central Missouri State/Valparaiso/Memphis State/Illinois/UCLA/UAB 1962-77 and 1979-96; 647-353 in 34 years, .647)
Son: Murry Bartow (UAB/East Tennessee State 1997-2002 and 2004-13; 292-218 in first 16 years, .573)

6. Driesells (898-534 through 2012-13, .627)
Father: Lefty Driesell (Davidson/Maryland/James Madison/Georgia State 1961-86 and 1989-2003; 786-394 in 41 years, .666) Son: Chuck Driesell (Marymount/The Citadel 1998-2003, 2011-13; 112-140 in first eight years, .444)

7. Drews (887-597 through 2012-13, .598)
Father: Homer Drew (Bethel, IN/Ind.-South Bend/Valparaiso 1977-2002 and 2004-11; 639-428 in 34 years, .599)
Son: Bryce Drew (Valparaiso 2012 and 2013; 48-20 in first two years, .706)
Son: Scott Drew (Valparaiso/Baylor 2003-13; 200-149 in first 11 years, .573)

8. Thompsons (882-392 through 2012-13, .692)
Father: John Thompson Jr. (Georgetown 1973-99; 596-239 in 27 years, .714)
Son: John Thompson III (Princeton/Georgetown 2001-13; 277-131 in first 13 years, .679)
Son: Ronny Thompson (Ball State 2007; 9-22 in one year, .290)

9. Diddles (815-382, .681)
Father: Ed Diddle Sr. (Western Kentucky 1923-64; 759-302 in 42 years, .715)
Son: Ed Diddle Jr. (Middle Tennessee State 1957-62; 56-80 in six years, .412)

10. Moirs (779-454 through 2012-13, .632)
Father: Charlie Moir (Roanoke/Tulane/Virginia Tech 1968-87; 392-196 in 20 years, .667)
Son: Page Moir (Roanoke 1990-2013; 387-258 in first 24 years, .600)

11. van Breda Kolffs (686-427, .616)
Father: Butch van Breda Kolff (Lafayette/Hofstra/Princeton/New Orleans 1952-67, 78-79, 85-94; 482-272 in 28 years, .639)
Son: Jan van Breda Kolff (Cornell/Vanderbilt/Pepperdine/St. Bonaventure 1992-2003; 204-155 in 12 years, .568)

12. Davis (682-431 through 2012-13, .613)
Father: Tom Davis (Lafayette/Boston College/Stanford/Iowa/Drake 1972-99 and 2004-07, 597-356 in 32 years, .626)
Son: Keno Davis (Drake/Providence 2008-11 and Central Michigan 2013; 85-75 in first five years, .531)

13. Pitinos (681-253 to 2013 NCAA playoff championship game, .729)
Father: Rick Pitino (Hawaii/Boston University/Providence/Kentucky/Louisville 1976, 1979-83, 1986 & '87, 1990-97 and 2002-13, 663-239 in first 28 years, .735)
Son: Richard Pitino (Florida International 2013 before accepting similar position with Minnesota, 18-14 in first year, .563)

14. Harshmans (679-524, .564)
Father: Marv Harshman (Pacific Lutheran/Washington State/Washington 1946-85; 653-450 in 40 years, .592)
Son: Dave Harshman (Pacific Lutheran 2003-06; 26-74 in four years, .260)

15. Durhams (641-450, .588)
Father: Hugh Durham (Florida State/Georgia/Jacksonville 1967-95 and 1998-2005; 634-430 in 37 years, .596)
Son: Doug Durham (Georgia Southern 1995; 7-20 in one year, .259)

16. Bennetts (634-393 through 2012-13, .617)
Father: Dick Bennett (UW-Stevens Point/Wisconsin-Milwaukee/Wisconsin/Washington State 1977-2001 and 2004-06; 489-307 in 28 years, .614)
Son: Tony Bennett (Washington State/Virginia 2007-13; 145-86 in first seven years, .628)

17. Floyds (632-368 through 2012-13, .632)
Father: Lee Floyd (Southern Mississippi 1950-54 and 1963-71; 246-147 in 14 years, .626)
Son: Tim Floyd (Idaho/New Orleans/Iowa State/Southern California/Texas-El Paso 1987-98 and 2006-13; 386-221 in first 19 years, .636)

We also know that the Pitinos are the first father-son combination to each renege on contracts with at least five seasons remaining on them. Following is a list of active mentors who reportedly still had contractual obligations to schools of more than four seasons (longer than normal recruiting class) when they left for greener pastures at some point in their careers:

  • Steve Alford (10 years remaining on contract) - left New Mexico/hired by UCLA
  • Mike Anderson (5) - Missouri/Arkansas
  • Rick Barnes (6) - Clemson/Texas
  • John Beilein (6) - Richmond/West Virginia
  • John Beilein (5) - West Virginia/Michigan
  • Tony Bennett (6) - Washington State/Virginia
  • Mike Brey (7) - Delaware/Notre Dame
  • John Calipari (10) - Massachusetts/New Jersey Nets
  • Patrick Chambers (5) - Boston University/Penn State
  • Jim Christian (5) - Kent State/Texas Christian
  • Ed Conroy (5) - The Citadel/Tulane
  • Ed Cooley (5) - Fairfield/Providence
  • Tom Crean (9) - Marquette/Indiana
  • Larry Eustachy (6) - Utah State/Iowa State
  • Tim Floyd (6) - New Orleans/Iowa State
  • Tim Floyd (8) - Iowa State/Chicago Bulls
  • Travis Ford (7) - Massachusetts/Oklahoma State
  • Mark Fox (5) - Nevada/Georgia
  • Anthony Grant (5) - Virginia Commonwealth/Alabama
  • Brian Gregory (7) - Dayton/Georgia Tech
  • Leonard Hamilton (7) - Miami (Fla.)/Washington Wizards
  • Ben Howland (6) - Pittsburgh/UCLA
  • Ron Hunter (5) - IUPUI/Georgia State
  • Tim Jankovich (5) - Illinois State/SMU assistant
  • Trent Johnson (5) - Nevada/Stanford
  • Lon Kruger (5) - Florida/Illinois
  • Jeff Lebo (8) - Chattanooga/Auburn
  • Gregg Marshall (8) - Winthrop/Wichita State
  • Thad Matta (9) - Xavier/Ohio State
  • Fran McCaffery (7) - Siena/Iowa
  • Jim McDermott (5) - Northern Iowa/Iowa State
  • Jim McDermott (5) - Iowa State/Creighton
  • Sean Miller (9) - Xavier/Arizona
  • Dan Monson (10) - Gonzaga/Minnesota
  • Porter Moser (5) - UALR/Illinois State
  • Buzz Peterson (9) - Appalachian State/Tulsa
  • Richard Pitino (5) - Florida International/Minnesota
  • Rick Pitino (5) - Providence/New York Knicks
  • Oliver Purnell (6) - Clemson/DePaul
  • Bill Self (5) - Tulsa/Illinois
  • Bill Self (5) - Illinois/Kansas
  • Tubby Smith (6) - Georgia/Kentucky
  • Mark Turgeon (9) - Wichita State/Texas A&M
  • Gary Waters (5) - Kent State/Rutgers
  • Roy Williams (5) - Kansas/North Carolina