With less than two weeks until a new college basketball season officially tips off, it’s worth looking at some names to know in the coaching profession beyond Coach K, Juwan Howard and Penny Hardaway. After seeing the early success of people like Eric Musselman and Nate Oats in building elite programs after leaving the mid-major world, it’s obvious that some of the top coaches in the sport often reside at lower levels. Here are some who could be the next Oats or Musselman.

Mark Pope, BYU

Just nine teams have finished in the top 20 of KenPom each of the last two years. The fact that one of those nine is BYU, in Pope’s first two years as coach, speaks volumes about how elite at the job he is. That stat becomes even more impressive when you consider that BYU lost its top three scorers from the 2019–20 team heading into 2020–21. Pope is a skilled tactician (especially on offense) and a savvy recruiter who has brought in some highly regarded talent to Provo. After getting a look for the Arizona job this spring, expect some of the bigger brands in the sport to have Pope on their wish list should their jobs open … though Pope’s Mormon faith might keep him in Provo for the long haul.