Bill Self: If He Left, Who Could Replace Him?

Danny Manning – Wake Forest

Probably the first name on most lists will be Manning’s. If not first, probably top 3. The sentiment of bringing Manning home to Lawrence would be strong, and if that move were made it would have the backing of many in Kansas.

Pros

Manning runs a similar system at Wake Forest to what Bill Self runs in Lawrence. Given the number of wins Self is amassing, finding a coach that will want to continue right where Self leaves off could see huge benefits. The roster would likely already be built for that coach to run the same post-oriented offense.

In his time at Kansas, Manning was lauded for his work with big men, and the Kansas roster would certainly have its fair share of big guys to work with. Manning has shown the ability to recruit already at Wake Forest, having pulled two Top 100 (Top 247Composite) centers in his last two classes at Wake.

Cons

Manning’s head coaching experience is limited to just his two stints so far – 2 years with Tulsa and 2 with Wake Forest. His record as a coach is 62-67 overall, with only 7 total wins in two years playing in the ACC. That kind of record would be a tough pill to swallow for most Jayhawks fans, despite the name and presence behind it.

While Manning has recruited a few good players to Wake and Tulsa, there’s no real track record of elite recruiting – something any Jayhawks coach is going to need. His recruiting would be heavily reliant on his staff choices. Kansas is the hardest blue-blood school to recruit to, as it lacks any real regional base to pull from – something Self has alluded to before.

Verdict

If Self were to leave soon, it might be a bit too early to go after Manning. His lack of wins at the higher levels, and a lack of elite recruiting track record would make it tough for him to follow in Self’s footsteps.

Next: Mark Turgeon