One of the four remaining head coaches in the men’s NCAA Tournament will secure his first national championship on Monday night. It could be Kelvin Sampson of Houston, who’s in his 36th season at 69 years old, or Jon Scheyer of Duke, coaching for just his third season at age 37.
Bruce Pearl of Auburn is more akin to Sampson, being 65 years old and in his 30th year as a head coach. Meanwhile, Todd Golden of Florida has only just begun his coaching journey at 39, with six years under his belt, similar to Scheyer. While comparing coaches from different eras is challenging, this analysis aims to provide insights ahead of the key matchups in Saturday’s national semifinals at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Longevity
This category is particularly relevant given how Sampson and Pearl have thrived amid the current landscape of player compensation and transfers.
4: Sampson
3: Pearl
2: Golden
1: Scheyer
Achievement
Sampson’s record stands at 798-353, making a potential 800th win on the horizon. Pearl has a record of 706-267, and both Sampson and Pearl began their coaching careers at smaller programs before achieving success. Sampson has led two different schools to the Final Four, and with his recent triumphs at Houston, he earns a top rating. Golden has found success at both San Francisco and Florida, while Scheyer is winning over 80% of his games.
4: Sampson
3: Pearl
2: Scheyer
1: Golden
Mentors
Scheyer’s background includes coaching under Mike Krzyzewski, while Sampson benefited from learning under Len Stevens and Jud Heathcote. Pearl established his roots with Tom Davis, whereas Golden was mentored by Randy Bennett and Pearl, giving him an edge.
4: Scheyer
3: Golden
2: Sampson
1: Pearl
Resources and Support
In terms of resource utilization, Pearl is noteworthy for achieving success at Auburn, a school traditionally focused more on football. Both Pearl and Golden are harnessing SEC football revenue, contributing to competitive NIL arenas. Sampson has revitalized a storied program, while Scheyer faces high expectations succeeding Krzyzewski but also enjoys significant advantages.
4: Pearl
3: Sampson
2: Golden
1: Scheyer
NCAA Rule Following
Adherence to NCAA regulations remains significant. Sampson faced a five-year show-cause penalty for making improper calls to recruits during his time at Indiana, while Pearl faced scrutiny after being linked to a recruit at a private gathering and subsequently suffered disciplinary actions at Tennessee.
4: Scheyer
4: Golden
1: Sampson
0: Pearl
Final Comparison
Taking all factors into account, here’s how the final scores shape up: Sampson: 24, Pearl: 23, Scheyer: 23, Golden: 19. If these rankings reflect the outcomes of the games, Houston and Auburn will be the teams competing for the title on Monday, a rematch of their earlier game this season.
