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Kentucky basketball: 10 potential replacements for John Calipari

By Brad Berreman

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 12: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Arena on January 12, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY - JANUARY 12: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rupp Arena on January 12, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images /

6. Nate Oats, Alabama head coach

In his second season, Oats has the Crimson Tide atop the SEC right now with a 6-0 record (11-3 overall after a 90-59 demolishing of Arkansas on Saturday. Alabama has won seven in a row, with five of those wins by at least 16 points (and four in conference play).

Oats is probably not necessarily looking to leave Tuscaloosa. But it’s worth noting he signed a contract extension to remain at Buffalo coming off a 32-4 season in 2018-19, only to take the Alabama job about two weeks later. So if a pasture is greener elsewhere, he would not be unique among coaches open to other opportunities.

Alabama beat Kentucky 85-65 in Lexington less than a week ago, and a rematch is scheduled for Jan. 26. Might the athletic department brass at Kentucky be watching the opposing coach closely?

5. Mike Young, Virginia Tech head coach

After a 17-season run at Wofford (2002-2019), capped by a 30-win campaign in 2018-19, Young is 10-2 in his second season (entering Sunday’s game against Wake Forest) as the Hokies’ coach with wins over Villanova, Duke, Clemson and Notre Dame. After posting a 16-16 mark in his first season, Young appears to quickly have things on the right track in Blacksburg. The Hokies were picked to finish 11th in the 15-team ACC in preseason voting.

Young might already be advancing himself as a candidate for bigger jobs than Virginia Tech. It’s probably only a matter of if (or when?) he’d entertain the possibility, and Kentucky could very well have him on their radar if they replace Calipari.