Stanford fired Johnny Dawkins on Monday after he spent eight seasons on the job. Under Dawkins, the Cardinal went just 15-15 this season and missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. He did win the NIT in 2012 and 2015, but that’s not good enough for Cardinal fans.
With Dawkins out, Stanford will begin a search for a new head coach. Some of the names being mentioned as ones the school should consider include Jarron Collins, Randy Bennett and Russell Turner.
Just spoke to Stanford Alum @cjacobsen23 his short list for the Cardinal includes:
Randy Bennett, Russell Turner and Jarron Collins— Bill Riley (@espn700bill) March 14, 2016
No clue who will be considered for the HC job now. Russell Turner a popular pick among the fanbase.
— Andy Drukarev (@StanfordRivals) March 14, 2016
One name that #Stanford would be wise to interview is Jarron Collins. Coaches for Kerr, played at #Stanford. Makes sense
— John Middlekauff (@JohnMiddlekauff) March 14, 2016
Jarron Collins played for Stanford from 1997-2001 and was a two-time All-American along with his twin brother, Jason. Jarron played in the NBA from 2001-2011. He worked as a scout for the Clippers in 2013, served as a player development coach for the Warriors last season, and was promoted to assistant coach in 2015.
In a recent interview with 97.5 The Game, Collins expressed his interest in eventually becoming a head coach.
“Eventually, down the road. I’m not in a rush to part such a special environment. But that’s the goal.”
Given that information, the 37-year-old may want more seasoning before taking on such a big job. He would most certainly need a very experienced and competent staff especially since he’s not as familiar with the recruiting world.
Russell Turner is the head coach at UC Irvine. The 45-year-old has helped the Anteaters seemingly improve every season. They reached the CIT in 2013, the NIT in 2014, and they reached the NCAA Tournament last year. This year they tied for first in the Big West but Hawaii won the conference tournament.
Turner also has history in the Bay Area as a former Stanford assistant from 2000-2004 and then a Golden Warriors assistant from 2004-2010. Between his youth, deep coaching experience, head coaching experience, and Bay Area ties, he seems like he has all the boxes checked for being a legit contender for the job.
Randy Bennett has coached at nearby Saint Mary’s for the past 14 seasons. An Arizona native and former college point guard at UC San Diego, Bennett has led the Gaels to a conference title twice and the NCAA Tournament five times, including a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2010.
Bennett, 53, is signed with Saint Mary’s through 2021. His name has popped up regarding other Pac-12 jobs multiple times over the past few years, making one wonder whether he will ever leave Moraga, Calif. Could this be the job that gets him to leave?
