Risky Business: How Often Are Coaches Hired Coming Off Losing Record?

At the time, it seemed equivalent to betting everything on a penny stock. But it can turn into a bonanza as evidenced by Mike Krzyzewski going on to become the all-time winningest major-college mentor at Duke after arriving in Durham to homestead Krzyzewskiville on the heels of a season W-L record eight games below .500 with Army.

Upon his retirement, could another Special K be in the mix as coaches hired despite coming off a losing mark the previous season? A couple of new SWAC bench bosses joined the following alphabetical list of active coaches hired by their current school despite coming off a season when posting a losing record:

Active DI Coach	Current School	Losing Season Record With Previous School
Rod Barnes	Cal State Bakersfield (since 2011-12)	11-18 with Georgia State in 2010-11
Mike Davis	Detroit (since 2018-19)	16-20 with Texas Southern in 2017-18
John Dunne	Marist (since 2018-19)	14-18 with Saint Peter's in 2017-18
Travis Ford	Saint Louis (since 2016-17)	12-20 with Oklahoma State in 2015-16
Jeff Jones	Old Dominion (since 2013-14)	10-20 with American University in 2012-13
Derek Kellogg	Long Island (since 2017-18)	15-18 with Massachusetts in 2016-17
Jim Les	UC Davis (since 2011-12)	12-20 with Bradley in 2010-11
Tony Madlock	Alabama State (since 2022-23)	15-16 with South Carolina State in 2021-22
Greg McDermott	Creighton (since 2010-11)	15-17 with Iowa State in 2009-10
T.J. Otzelberger	Iowa State (since 2021-22)	12-15 with UNLV in 2020-21
Richard Pitino	New Mexico (since 2021-22)	14-15 with Minnesota in 2020-21
Mark Prosser	Winthrop (since 2021-22)	11-16 with Western Carolina in 2020-21
Maurice "Mo" Williams	Jackson State (since 2022-23)	9-21 with Alabama State in 2021-22