Coaches on the rise; Steve Pikiell, Scott Drew lead a promising group

The old guard of the coaching fraternity -Coach K, Jim Calhoun, Tom Izzo, Roy Williams- is still going strong. But who's going to take over when the aforementioned group is finally ready to step down? Who are the coaches of the next generation? 

Scott Drew, Baylor: Drew, 40, son of Valparasio coach Homer Drew, took over a Baylor program in August of 2003 that had hit rock bottom. Dave Bliss resigned amid a scandal that included the murder of Patrick Dennehy by teammate Carlton Dotson. It's seven years later and Baylor is on an historic run. The Bears have made the NCAA Tournament two of the last three seasons, including a trip to the Elite Eight last season. The Bears, led by All-American Candidate LaceDarius Dunn are 6-0 and ranked 10th in the country. So how long will Drew stay at Baylor? Every year he stays is a bonus for Baylor.

Steve Pikiell, Stony Brook: You have to admire Pikiell. Like Drew, Pikiell, 42, took over a program that was at the bottom. Stony Brook wasn't in the type of trouble with the NCAA Baylor was, but the Seawolves certainly had an uphill climb. So far so good for the Jim Calhoun disciple. After a 4-24 season his first year at the helm in 2005, Pikiell led the Seawolves to a 22-10 mark and the NIT last season. With a solid core back from that team, the Seawolves have as good a chance of any team to win the America East. Can Pikiell sustain this run? He's shown the ability to bring in talented players from all around the globe. Just check out freshman guard Dave Coley (Brooklyn) and fifth-year senior Chris Martin (Queens). How about junior forward Danny Carter (England) or poing guard Bryan Dougher (New Jersey). Pikiell wasn't the only two-time captain at UConn for nothing. He's always on the job.

Danny Hurley, Wagner: Hurley, 37, has barely gotten his feet wet and has already begun to turn heads at Wagner. He has an impressive group of freshmen with massive potential. Freshman guard Latif Rivers can flat out light it up. He's averaging 15.7 points per game and is shooting an eye-popping 44 percent from three-point range. Fellow freshman Naofall Folahan, a raw 6-11 jumping jack, has shown flashes of brilliant. This duo has the potential to take Wagner far. The Hurley name holds a lot of water in college basketball. And Danny is smart enough to know this. So much so that he has his brother and former Duke star Bobby on his staff. It won't be long before he starts moving up the coaching ladder.

Shaka Smart, VCU: Smart, 33, is only in his second season at VCU, but you have to be impressed. The Rams (4-2) already have wins over UCLA and Wake Forest this season. Smart led the Rams to a 22-8 mark last season. They missed the NCAA and the NIT, but the potential is there. Due to his age, Smart relates to today's player. These days the relationship between a player and a coach is what drives the ship. He has recruited an impressive group of frontcourt players (Heath Houston, D.J. Haley) that should bring the Rams flying into the next decade. 

Tony Barbee, Auburn: Barbee, 39, transformed UTEP into a force in Conference USA. The Miners ran through the conference last year (26-7, 15-1) and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. It was a short stay, but the Miners showed signs of becoming a perennial power thanks to Barbee's hard work. Barbee took his act to Auburn. The Tigers have a long way to go before they become relevant, but Barbee has the drive and smarts to make it a quick transition. Word of caution, it's going to get worse before it gets better for Auburn. Even money says Barbee gets Auburn to .500 in the SEC by next season.

Other coaches to keep an eye on:

Tim Cluess, Iona: Cluess has been a winner on every level. It won't be long before he has the Gaels back on track. Cluess has a nose for talent and can recruit the NY Tri-state area as well as any coach.

Mo Cassara, Hofstra: The jury is still out on Cassara. But after a rough start to the season in Puerto Rico, Cassara rallied the team back to .500. If he can get the Pride through a tough CAA schedule and close to 20 wins, his stock will shoot up.