Looking for Hot Coaches: Midwest Bracket

Every year in the NCAA Tournament, there are coaches of mid-major teams who suddenly make everyone -- especially athletic directors making a change -- sit-up and take notice of the job they are doing. Maybe they get the first round upset or even the Sweet 16. Sometimes it is simply playing a top team a lot closer then expected. These become the hot coaches other programs are looking to accomplish similar things for them.

Teams like Minnesota, Colorado, USF, Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Northern Illinois and Indiana State among others are all looking for new coaches. You can be sure that there will be many others added to that list.

Here are the potential hot coaching names out of the Midwest



Todd Lickliter, Butler. This is Lickliter's sixth season at Butler. Four of his six years, he's gotten the Bulldogs to 20 wins or more. This is actually Butler's second at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament under Lickliter. They got in that way in 2003 and went to the Sweet 16. He was an assistant under now Ohio State Head Coach Thad Matta at Butler, before Matta left for Xavier. Lickliter, though, is also an alum of Butler and now in his 50s. It is unlikely he would leave for even a middle-level power conference team unless he was bowled over financially.

Chances of leaving: Highly unlikely.

Blaine Taylor, Old Dominion. His sixth season at ODU. Taylor has had success at his alma mater, Montana (2 NCAA appearances in 7 years), before quitting to become an assistant at Stanford under his old boss Mike Montgomery. A few years later he took over the ODU job. He's got plenty of coaching experience and success at difficult places to succeed. He's been a top assistant on a major conference team that won. Taylor is only 49, and has been speculated as a potential hire by others. Plus he has a spectacular mustache.

Chances of leaving: Make an offer.

Gregg Marshall, Winthrop. That Gregg Marshall is still the coach at Winthrop is something of a shock. As far back as 2001, Marshall was being discussed as one of the hot young coaches with 3 NCAA Tournament appearances in 3 years. That it is now his ninth year at Winthrop and he has had Winthrop in the NCAA Tournament 7 times. On paper, it is stunning that he is still at Winthrop. He's only in his 40s, he's had great success with a true mid-major, this is not his alma mater (though he is a South Carolina native). Strangely there is no heavy buzz about him, despite this team being very good. It may have something to do with his leaving then returning to Winthrop after nearly taking the College of Charleston job (where he had been an assistant for 8 years). There might be a hesitancy by programs to risk embarrassment.

Chances of leaving: Very unlikely. Teams are going to be wary, though if he gets Winthrop into the Sweet 16 someone might decide he is the best guy to get and take a run at him.

Lon Kruger, UNLV. You know Kruger will listen. He had runs at Florida and Illinois before the ill-fated move to the NBA and the Atlanta Hawks. It's hard not to believe he wouldn't want to get back to a top-tier conference and team. His son graduates this season, so the incentives to stay are even less.

Chances of leaving: Will listen if you are a BCS conference team.

Also on Fanhouse: Looking for Hot Coaches: South Bracket
Looking for Hot Coaches:East Bracket
Looking for Hot Coaches: West Bracket