Swallowing Your Pride: Three Ohio Mid-Majors Add Ex-Power League Coach
June 3rd, 2017 - 18:25
Three Ohio mid-major schools (Akron, Cleveland State and Dayton) feature new head coaches previously piloting a power-conference member. Following is an alphabetical list of former power-league mentors - including John Groce (Akron/after stint at Illinois), Dennis Felton (Cleveland State/Georgia) and Anthony Grant (Dayton/Alabama) - swallowing their pride and currently toiling in more obscurity at mid-major level:
| Active Head Coach | Current Mid-Major School | Previous Power League School(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Tommy Amaker | Harvard (since 2007-08) | Seton Hall (1997-98 through 2000-01) and Michigan (2001-02 through 2006-07) |
| Rod Barnes | Cal State Bakersfield (since 2011-12) | Mississippi (1998-99 through 2005-06) |
| Todd Bozeman | Morgan State (since 2006-07) | California (1992-93 through 1995-96) |
| Bill Carmody | Holy Cross (since 2015-16) | Northwestern (2000-01 through 2012-13) |
| Keno Davis | Central Michigan (since 2012-13) | Providence (2008-09 through 2010-11) |
| Kermit Davis Jr. | Middle Tennessee State (since 2002-03) | Texas A&M* (1990-91) |
| Mike Davis | Texas Southern (since 2012-13) | Indiana (2000-01 through 2005-06) |
| Johnny Dawkins | UCF (since 2016-17) | Stanford (2008-09 through 2015-16) |
| Ed DeChellis | Navy (since 2011-12) | Penn State (2003-04 through 2010-11) |
| Steve Donahue | Penn (since 2015-16) | Boston College (2010-11 through 2013-14) |
| Cliff Ellis | Coastal Carolina (since 2007-08) | Clemson (1984-85 through 1993-94) and Auburn (1994-95 through 2003-04) |
| Larry Eustachy | Colorado State (since 2012-13) | Iowa State (1998-99 through 2002-03) |
| Dennis Felton | Cleveland State (since 2017-18) | Georgia (2003-04 to 2008-09) |
| Tim Floyd | Texas-El Paso (since 2010-11) | Iowa State (1994-95 through 1997-98) and Southern California (2005-06 through 2008-09) |
| Travis Ford | Saint Louis (since 2016-17) | Oklahoma State (2008-09 through 2015-16) |
| Anthony Grant | Dayton (since 2017-18) | Alabama (2009-10 through 2014-15) |
| Brian Gregory | South Florida (since 2017-18) | Georgia Tech (2011-12 through 2015-16) |
| John Groce | Akron (since 2017-18) | Illinois (2012-13 through 2016-17) |
| Frank Haith | Tulsa (since 2014-15) | Miami FL (2004-05 through 2010-11) and Missouri (2011-12 through 2013-14) |
| Jeff Jones | Old Dominion (since 2013-14) | Virginia (1990-91 through 1997-98) |
| Jeff Lebo | East Carolina (since 2010-11) | Auburn (2004-05 through 2009-10) |
| Bobby McCullum | Florida A&M (since 2017-18) | South Florida (2003-04 through 2006-07**) |
| Ritchie McKay | Liberty (2007-08, 2008-09 and since 2015-16) | Oregon State (2000-01 and 2001-02) |
| Dan Monson | Long Beach State (since 2007-08) | Minnesota (1999-00 to 2006-07) |
| Eddie Payne | USC Upstate (since 2002-03) | Oregon State (1995-96 through 1999-00) |
| Rick Ray | Southeast Missouri State (since 2015-16) | Mississippi State (2012-13 through 2014-15) |
| Doc Sadler | Southern Mississippi (since 2014-15) | Nebraska (2006-07 through 2011-12) |
| Kelvin Sampson | Houston (since 2014-15) | Washington State (1987-88 through 1993-94), Oklahoma (1994-95 through 2005-06) and Indiana (2006-07 and 2007-08) |
| Herb Sendek | Santa Clara (since 2016-17) | North Carolina State (1996-97 through 2005-06) and Arizona State (2006-07 through 2014-15) |
| Al Skinner | Kennesaw State (since 2015-16) | Boston College (1997-98 through 2009-10) |
*SEC member Texas A&M was in SWC at the time.
**South Florida's inaugural season in Big East Conference was 2006-07.