Generation Hex: Brey on Luminary List of Coaches Never Reaching Final Four

The Final Four microscope has been focusing on Notre Dame's Mike Brey as the best active power-league coach participating in more than 10 tourneys never to reach the national semifinals. Brey is in same AWOL category with all-time greats John Chaney, Fran Dunphy, Lefty Driesell, Gene Keady and Norm Stewart - five retired luminaries failing to advance to the national semifinals in a total of 81 NCAA Tournaments. "It's so difficult not being able to make that final step," said Chaney, who lost five regional finals with Temple.

Driesell made 11 NCAA playoff appearances with Davidson and Maryland from 1966 through 1986. "I always wanted to get to the Final Four, but not as much as some people think," said Driesell, who lost four regional finals. "I'm not obsessed with it."

Only four schools - North Carolina, Duke, Georgetown and Syracuse - supplied more NCAA consensus first- and second-team All-Americans from 1982 through 1992 than Stewart-coached Missouri (seven). It must have been particularly frustrating for Mizzou fans when the Tigers compiled a 4-8 NCAA tourney worksheet in that span. Speaking of exasperation, UCLA jettisoned Steve Alford for another coach (Mick Cronin) who also never has advanced to a regional final.

But some mentors never will receive the accolades they deserve because of failing to reach the Promised Land, including maligned Dave Bliss, who resurfaced as coach of an NAIA school in Texas. There were 100,000 reasons Sean Miller joined this dubious list after dismal first-round loss against Buffalo in 2018 despite bringing freshman phenom Deandre Ayton to Arizona in some form or fashion (cause or no cause). Miller may need a safe space on campus to curl up in a fetal position depending upon eventual fallout from a FBI probe, but the following "Generation Hex" list includes prominent coaches without a Final Four berth on their resume despite more than 10 NCAA Tournament appearances: