Chansky's Notebook: Reasons To Leave

Five and dive is the catchphrase for a popular coaching philosophy.

At UNC, alumni and fans may not be familiar with coaches leaving after they have achieved a certain level of success. Dean Smith was here for 36 years as head coach, Roy Williams 18 seasons after 15 at Kansas, Mack Brown spent 10 years here and is back a second time.

But two of the biggest coaching changes have undermined that popular philosophy in the last few weeks.

Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley left Norman after five years as head coach, four Big 12 titles and a trip to the College Football Playoffs. Riley, who is now 38 after going to Oklahoma from East Carolina, signed a $100 million contract with USC: $10 million a year for 10 years.

And Mario Cristobal, who could have made as much money as Riley at Nike- and Phil Knight-funded Oregon, has returned to his alma mater for an $80 million the day after Miami fired Manny Diaz, who went 21-15 in three seasons as the head Hurricane.

Miami new football coach, Mario Cristobal, holds up a jersey after being introduced at a news conference Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021, in Coral Gables, Fla. Cristobal is returning to his alma mater, where he won two championships as a player. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Riley might have taken the Sooners as far as they can go without winning a national championship. But 12-win seasons and big bowls aren’t good enough for Oklahoma fans, and Southern Cal is a true sleeping giant that was wide awake in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Remember Bill Foster at Duke? He lived by the five-and-dive mantra. Three last-place seasons with the Blue Devils were followed by a Final Four and two more top ten teams. He quit to coach SEC bottom-feeder South Carolina, where his chances of replicating what he did at Duke were slim. He left Columbia for Northwestern.

Rick Pitino began as one of the biggest five-and-divers, coaching at Providence for two years, two short stints in the NBA and then at Kentucky and Louisville for 23 total years and an NCAA title at each before leaving both amidst controversy and now is surprising everyone with the fast start at Iona, where at 69 he pledges to stay until retirement.

More coaches stay too long than never wear out their welcome. Mark Turgeon jumped around early before having 11 successful years at Maryland, where he went 226-116 but was booed leaving the court after a home loss to Virginia Tech and then suddenly resigned.

In the past, pressure of expectations drove coaches from one school to another. Now, obscene incomes are speeding those moves.

Photo via AP Photo/Ashley Landis.

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Chansky’s Notebook: Reasons To Leave

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