The Oklahoma Sooners aren't searching for a new men's basketball coach yet, but Sooner Nation is certainly already looking elsewhere.
In his fourth season, Porter Moser has never led the Sooners to the NCAA Tournament and has the worst conference winning percentage in over a century among OU head coaches. Even though the Sooners are still fighting as a bubble team, OU fans have been ready to move on from Moser for a bit now.
OU found Moser from the mid-major ranks at Loyola Chicago, which he led to the Final Four in 2018 and the Sweet 16 in 2021. The fact Moser didn't work out might have some OU fans hesitant to go that route again, but don't let Moser make you believe all mid-major coaches are busts. In fact, nearly every successful major college basketball coach started at the mid-major level.
The Sooners might also need to look at cheaper options after paying the $7.5 million buyout to move on from Moser.
March Madness is the perfect time to see what mid-major coaches are made of, and also when many, like Moser, make a name for themselves. Here are five coaches worth watching throughout March Madness that could be on OU's radar by the end of March.
Chris Mack
College of Charleston
Although coaching at a mid-major now, Chris Mack certainly isn't an up-and-coming head coach.
In his second season there, Mack has Charleston at 23-8 and as the 3 seed in the CAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The Cougars will play in the CAA quarterfinals on Sunday.
Before Charleston and a two-year hiatus from coaching, Mack was extremely successful at Xavier and Louisville. Mack led Xavier to eight NCAA Tournament appearances in nine seasons, including a run to the Elite Eight in 2017 and two trips to the Sweet 16.
Mack then left for Louisville, where he was for almost four seasons before he was fired during the 2021-22 season after Louisville claimed he violated university guidelines when dealing with a former assistant coach and secretly recorded a conversation.
The Cardinals went to the NCAA Tournament only the first season under Mack, but the tournament was canceled because of COVID his second year and he didn't finish his fourth season. Louisville would had made the NCAA Tournament if there was one in 2020.
Bucky McMillan
Samford
Even if you don't care for Bucky McMillan to be OU's next coach, his Samford team is still fun to watch because of his famous "Bucky Ball."
McMillan was a top Power 4 coaching candidate last year after he led Samford to a 29-6 record and the NCAA Tournament in his fourth season there. His style of play, deemed "Bucky Ball," took college basketball by storm because of its up-tempo and aggressive style.
This season, Samford is at it again with a 22-9 record and the 4 seed in the Southern Conference Men's Basketball Championship. The Bulldogs will play Furman in the second round of the tournament at 7:30 p.m. CT Sunday on ESPN+.
Ryan Odom
VCU
Ryan Odom is probably the top mid-major coaching candidate this cycle, already being mentioned as an option for Virgina.
Odom taking over Virginia would be ironic since he's most known for leading UMBC to a win over Virginia to become the first 16 seed to ever upset a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Odom eventually left for Utah State, which he also led to the NCAA Tournament once in two seasons.
Odom is now in his second season at VCU, and has the Rams at 25-5 and even ranked at No. 25 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Atlantic 10 Conference Championship will be March 12-16.
Richard Pitino
New Mexico
New Mexico might not be considered mid-major in the Mountain West, but New Mexico to Oklahoma would still be a leap for Richard Pitino. He's been at that level before, though, as the head coach at Minnesota in 2013-21.
Pitino led the Gophers to two NCAA Tournaments. It's also looking like he's about to get New Mexico to its second-straight NCAA Tournament.
Will Wade
McNeese
Will Wade wouldn't be a stranger to the SEC.
Wade's time at LSU from 2017 to 2022 was impressive, but also why some programs are hesitant to hire him. He was fired from LSU after getting in trouble for recruiting violations.
In five seasons at LSU, Wade led the Tigers to three NCAA Tournaments, including to the Sweet 16 in 2019. The only two seasons he didn't get the Tigers dancing was his first season, during which LSU made the NIT, and in 2020 when the NCAA Tournament was canceled.
Wade went to McNeese after LSU and is 47-8 in his second season there. Last season, McNeese was 22-2 and got to the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys are likely headed there again at 25-6. Other than a pandemic, Wade has gotten his team to the NCAA Tournament five seasons in a row if he does it again this year.
McNeese will compete in the Southland Conference Tournament on March 9-13.