College Basketball Coaching Carousel 2025: Who Replaces Coaches on the Hot Seat?

Hubert Davis, North Carolina

There is still plenty left to be decided in the 2024-25 college basketball season as we count down the few remaining weeks until the start of the NCAA Tournament. Bubble teams are still working to earn their way into the field, others are jockeying for position on the seed lines, and conference titles and awards add additional layers of intrigue. Even with so much to be decided, several programs are already looking ahead to 2025-26 after disappointing seasons, including the likes of Indiana, Florida State, and Miami, all of whom will be looking for new head coaches this offseason. Add in the possibility that North Carolina, who is on the outside looking in when it comes to their NCAA Tournament hopes, could also move on from head man Hubert Davis, this could be among the most fascinating coaching carousels in recent memory. Predicting who takes over at each job post is increasingly difficult in the context of modern college basketball, but keep your eye on these names as we inch towards the offseason.

Florida State Seminoles

Florida State and Leonard Hamilton are officially parting ways following the conclusion of this season, ending a two-decade run of Hamilton leading the program. It doesn't come as much of a shock, considering the Seminoles are heading to their fourth straight season without a postseason berth, but it does open a significant job in the ACC. It's easy to forget that FSU under Hamilton was one of the league's most consistent programs in the 2010s, going to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament three times in four years from 2018-2021, with their lone miss being the COVID year that they finished top overall in the ACC. Whoever takes this job gets an opportunity at a major program with ample resources, albeit a somewhat uncertain future. It seems a near certainty Florida State will be joining another conference in a matter of years, but where and when remains unclear.

Projected Replacement: Dennis Gates, Missouri Head Coach

Dennis Gates is going to be a name on plenty of shortlists after engineering a remarkable turnaround at Missouri this winter. After going 0-18 inside the SEC with the Tigers last year, Gates has them in the thick of things in the top conference in college basketball, with a likely Top 5 seed locked in. At just 45 years of age, he's a rising name in the coaching world and despite a hefty buyout, programs like Florida State could certainly come calling. It's not just the resume of Gates that will have the Seminoles interested - he's a former assist with the program under Hamilton who was on the staff in Tallahassee for nearly a decade. He was around during a highly successful period in the program and knows what it takes to build and sustain a winner here. It won't be easy wrestling him away from Missouri, and FSU is going to have to spend big to make it happen. But, the program has the resources to do it, and it feels like a logical direction for the program to go in after such a long and fruitful time with Hamilton in charge.

Other Names to Watch: Sam Cassell (Boston Celtics assistant); Luke Loucks (Sacramento Kings assistant); Bucky McMillan (Samford Head Coach); Andy Enfield (SMU Head Coach)

Indiana Hoosiers

Big Ten Basketball Power Rankings 2024-25: Edition 2

Jaden Akins, Michigan State

* = Records updated through 2/10/25

1. Purdue Boilermakers

18-5 overall, 11-2 Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 2

There were some understandable growing pains for Purdue in the first few months post-Edey, but the Boilermakers have grown into the league favorite as things stand in early February. Trey Kaufman-Renn has grown into the premier post presence that has become commonplace on Matt Painter teams, but the pairing of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer in the backcourt has helped Purdue separate from the pack in the league. The junior guard duo play with a pace and selflessness that makes defending the Boilermakers on any given night incredibly difficult, and the depth on the roster has shown itself to be crucial the deeper we get into Big Ten play. A difficult slate lies directly ahead, with three ranked teams in a row on the schedule, two of them being road games, but Purdue still appears to be not just be the comfortable league favorite, but its best chance to earn a No. 1 seed come Selection Sunday.

2. Michigan State Spartans

19-4 overall, 10-2 Big Ten

Previous Ranking: 1

Following a 9-0 start to Big Ten action, the Spartans stumbled recently, with a pair of losses to the LA schools, before recovering taking down Oregon over the weekend. In a way, it shouldn't come as a surprise Michigan State has run into turbulence during their West Coast tour, but it does show Tom Izzo still has work to do as March nears. This is a remarkably balanced Spartan team that plays true team basketball, ranking in the Top 10 nationally in assists per contest. They don't have to rely on just one piece offensively, but they have enough ways to beat opponents that defenses have had a difficult time figuring out how to contain them over the course of 40 minutes. But, what has been an advantage for much of the season has shown to be a potential concern over their last two games, as the lack of a true go-to scorer has left the Spartans struggling to find any rhythm offensively. In the USC game in particular, Michigan State's leading scorer, Jeremy Fears Jr., managed just 12 points and was one of just two Spartans to finish with double-digits. In a league like this, with elite offenses, that type of offensive production simply is not going to cut it, particularly when you go on the road into the hostile environments the Big Ten has to offer. The win over Oregon did show the Spartans are still a formidable foe in East Lansing, but we will learn a lot about what the ceiling of this team is with their remaining road schedule. 

NFL Mock Draft 2025: Edition 2 (Super Bowl Edition)

Shedeur Sanders, No. 3 to New York

 1. Tennessee Titans

Cam Ward, QB, Miami (FL)

At this point in early February, it doesn't feel like there's an overwhelming favorite to go off the board first overall to Tennessee. There's been rumors the Titans could consider an edge rusher, such as Abdul Carter, or a do-it-all prospect like Travis Hunter in this spot. But at the end of the day, it's hard to imagine them trotting out the likes of Mason Rudolph and Will Levis again in 2025. Cam Ward is the type of prospect who should have a strong pre-Draft process, making him the quarterback of the future here in Nashville.

2. Cleveland Browns

Abdul Carter, DE/LB, Penn State

Cleveland is in a position similar to that of Tennessee - a team that certainly needs a quarterback, but could also choose to go best player available in this spot. Abdul Carter would offer a clear difference-maker off the edge, forming a terrifying 1-2 punch with Myles Garrett on the opposite end. He just feels like a safer selection at this point in the process rather than a swing at a Shedeur Sanders, who would likely be the other direction they'd go here.

3. New York Giants

Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

This feels like the most likely scenario for the New York Giants and Shedeur Sanders - and a win for both sides. The Giants finally get their franchise signal-caller after cutting their losses with Daniel Jones, and it's a player used to be the big stage and bright lights. Meanwhile, Shedeur will get an opportunity to start right away in an offense with some nice pieces, notably rising star Malik Nabers on the perimeter.