UCLA/Minnesota Fire Coaches; Shaka Smart To LA?

Ben Howland is out as UCLA's head coach. Who will replace him in LA? (espn.com)

UCLA and Minnesota have more in common than just meeting in the round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins and Gophers fired their respective head coaches, Ben Howland and Tubby Smith, within 24 hours of each other Sunday and Monday.

Howland was with the program for 10 years, reaching three straight Final Fours from 2006-2008, but the final five years have been filled with disappointment and scandal. Smith finished his sixth season and while he won his first NCAA Tournament game with the Gophers (against the Bruins), Smith had a 124-81 overall record and a 46-62 record in the Big 10.

Neither of these moves caught people by total surprise. Questions around Howland and Smith's future have been floating around for a while now, and the biggest question now is who will take their place, and more specifically, can UCLA land a young, established coach like Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens?

Smart seems more likely to head to LA than Stevens as Butler will be heading to a BCS conference in the Big East. And when people are talking about Stevens replacing Coach K at Duke, it would be hard for him to hurt his potential by failing out west.

UCLA would have to shell out a decent about of money for Smart, who's salary was broken down by USA Today at the end of last season, but after seeing what Smart has done at Virginia Commonwealth, it's hard to say he's not worth it. If Smart wants the job, it would seem realistic it is his for the taking. The question is if UCLA could lure Smart away. Illinois couldn't do it last year, but it also doesn't have the history and tradition of UCLA.

Other coaches that national analysts are talking about as possible candidates include Buzz Williams from Marquette, Jay Wright from Villanova and Lorenzo Romar from Washington.

With everything that has gone on in Southern California the past five years, what UCLA needs is stability. A young, but established, coach who can bring a reputable resumé and discipline to a former powerhouse that has lost its way is exactly what the Bruins need.

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UCLA's Youth Could Contend in Pac-12

The long wait will soon be over when the first official NCAA basketball game of the 2012-13 season will tip-off on Nov. 15. Some of our favorite players have moved on the ranks of professional athletes, new recruits have been polishing their games in gyms with recognizable logos on the court, and schools have switched conference allegiances. Through a series of conference previews, the BDD crew will do its best to prepare you for the next 4.5 months of collegiate hoops.

Ben Howland gives two (stern) thumbs up to his recruiting class. (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Favorite: California Golden Bears

The Pac-12 offered a dogfight for the top position, as only four games separated first and seventh place in the conference. However, this coming season belongs to the California Golden Bears. The Bears are returning their top scorer in Allen Crabtree, who averaged 15 points per game last season. Crabtree also grabbed nearly six rebounds a game. The Bears will also have good size on the interior with David Kravish (6'9") and Richard Solomon (6'10").

Dark Horse: UCLA Bruins

The Bruins had the second-best recruiting class in the country according to Rivals.com. With young talent like Shabazz Muhammad, Kyle Anderson and Tony Parker, the Bruins will have the talent to be a challenger in the Pac-12. It’s up to head coach Ben Howland to bring it all together.

POY: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA

Muhammad averaged 29 points and five rebounds per game during his time at Bishop Gorman (NV) High School. A guard with great size (6'6"), Muhammad’s talent should take over in a conference with little to show at elite levels in recent years. If Howland can harness Muhammad’s ability, the freshman will run away with this award.

Coach of the Year: Ben Howland, UCLA

With an incredibly talented recruiting class, Howland has all the tools to bring UCLA back to the prominence it’s been used to in past years. Howland is a good coach, who has brought out the best in players like Kevin Love, Aaron Afflalo, and Darren Collison. With a team infused with new talent, Howland should be the frontrunner for this award.

Newcomer of the Year: Shabazz Muhammad, UCLA

If Muhammed takes the POY award, he will easily take this one as well.


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