Fansided

25 worst coaching hires in the history of college basketball

By Joey Loose

LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 21: Head coach Billy Gillispie of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts to the action during the SEC game against the Auburn Tigers at Rupp Arena on January 21, 2009 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 21: Head coach Billy Gillispie of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts to the action during the SEC game against the Auburn Tigers at Rupp Arena on January 21, 2009 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
9 of 25
Next
Worst college basketball coach hires
GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA – MARCH 10: Andrien White #13 of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons reacts following a play against the Pittsburgh Panthers during their game in the first round of the 2020 Men’s ACC Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 10, 2020 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

17. Bob Staak – Wake Forest (1985-1989)

  • 45-69 record (4 seasons)

Especially back in the day, it’s clear that Duke and North Carolina ran the ACC, with of course varying runs of success from programs like Maryland and Virginia along time. Wake Forest has been a solid program for much of that history, even if recent years haven’t exactly shown it. Long before Jeff Bzdelik and others were struggling with the Demon Deacons, the program was still relatively thriving, though it needed a new direction back in 1985.

Bob Staak may not be someone most people know today, but back in the day was quite the successful basketball coach. After playing and coaching at UConn (before Jim Calhoun arrived at the school), he assisted at a few other schools before taking over his first program at Xavier. While today a fantastic program in the Big East, it was Staak who truly built the beginning of the Musketeers, leading them to just their second NCAA Tournament back in 1983 and building the framework for the future success of the league.

This success would not follow him to Wake Forest. He would spend just four seasons with the Demon Deacons and finish below .500 each year, with a final mark of 45-69 seeming just as bad as it was. As bad as things were, it’s worse yet when you consider he was forced to resign with news of a potential NCAA violation related to a recruit, with other factors potentially at play. Staak never returned to collegiate coaching, spending more than a decade on NBA benches, mostly as an assistant coach, while Wake Forest would eventually bounce back.