Texas Basketball: 3 early HC candidates that would be home run hires

Nate Oats, Alabama head coach

Among the active college hoops head coaches outside of the Big 12, an option that both seems pretty realistic for the Longhorns as a potential coaching candidate and a home run hire all wrapped in one is fourth-year Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nate Oats.

While Oats might not have the same name recognition that the likes of Wright and Drew bring to the table, he is likely going to be a more attainable coaching candidate for CDC and the Longhorns to pursue next offseason. Texas could offer Oats more resources and money (not to mention a better home stadium) than Alabama.

But what does fourth-year Alabama and former Buffalo Bulls bench boss bring to the table in terms of his resume in college hoops that would appeal to the Longhorns?

The 2020-21 SEC Coach of the Year looks to be one of the rising stars around the college hoops coaching landscape. Oats checks a lot of boxes for the Longhorns in terms of what the administration and fan base are looking for in the next men’s hoops head coach.

Oats has done a nice job building up the Alabama program in a positive direction after the departure of former head coach Avery Johnson a few years ago. Alabama is on track to make the NCAA Tournament in all three seasons that it was possible under Oats’ direction.

And if the season were to end today, Alabama would have its second top-five finish in the last three years. That’s not to mention the fact that Alabama is on pace to win the SEC regular season title for the second time in the last three years.

Oats’ on-court success with the Tide in the last few years in the SEC would also bode well for Texas upon the move to the SEC by 2025.

Moreover, a lot of the success that Oats had on the court at Alabama has translated into some serious results on the recruiting trail in the last few cycles. Alabama finished up with top-15 ranked recruiting classes in each of the last three full cycles with Oats at the helm.

These three factors that include Oats’ high-level success in terms of recruiting, on-court results, and the potential for a smooth transition to the SEC with him at the helm hypothetically makes for a really appealing coaching candidate for the Longhorns here.