Fansided

5 candidates to replace Steve Alford at UCLA

By Brad Berreman

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 22: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins looks on in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the CBS Sports Classic at the United Center on December 22, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - DECEMBER 22: Head coach Steve Alford of the UCLA Bruins looks on in the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the CBS Sports Classic at the United Center on December 22, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Layton/Getty Images /

4. Brian Dutcher

Dutcher worked as an assistant under Steve Fisher at Michigan and San Diego State from 1989 until Fisher retired in 2017. He’s now in his second season as Aztecs head coach, with a 22-win campaign and a Mountain West Tournament title last year. Rather than leave for any opportunities that may have been out there, Dutcher stayed at Fisher’s side as lead assistant and “head coach in-waiting” for six years.

Dutcher carries a reputation as a stout recruiter, dating back to the role he had in bringing the “Fab Five” to Ann Arbor in the ’90s and Kawhi Leonard to San Diego State more recently. Leonard is a Los Angeles native, so Dutcher has experience tapping into that local recruiting base and that stands to matter to UCLA as they begin to vet candidates.

Dutcher may have no desire to leave San Diego State so early in his first chance to be a head coach. The pressure is definitely lower there, as 20-win seasons have become the norm and stand as an accepted level of success regardless of NCAA Tournament runs. (SD State have had 20 or more wins 12 of the last 13 seasons heading into this year.) But UCLA should have some interest.