The Miami Hurricanes head coaching opening compares favorably with Florida State and Virginia. With Indiana also announcing recently that Mike Woodson would not return in 2025-26, Miami has a lot of competition to hire a new head basketball coach. Each school has its advantages and disadvantages moving forward.
Miami has a more recent history of success than Florida State or Virginia. The Hurricanes last won the ACC regular season title in 2023, advanced to the only Final Four in program history that season and the Midwest Regional Final the season before that. Under Jim Larranaga, Miami also won the ACC and Tournament titles in 2013.
Miami earned six NCAA Tournament berths since Larranaga was hired in 2011. Larranaga made Miami a destination program in recruiting and transfers. The 2024 Miami class was seventh nationally in the 247Sports composite rankings. Guards Jalil Bethea, Austin Swartz and Divine Ugochukwu are still on the Miami roster.
Kyshawn George, who was in the 2023 Miami class, became a 2024 NBA first-round pick. During his Miami tenure, Larranaga signed four Top 25 classes, three in the Top 15 and the 2018 class that finished in the Top 10 in addition to 2024. Miami also signed classes that finished 26th and 27th nationally during the Larranaga era.
The Miami job will be extremely coveted this spring when vacancies are being filled.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) December 26, 2024
An incredible place to live, an attractive destination in the Transfer Portal/NIL era, and INCREDIBLE upward mobility in the current state of the ACC. https://t.co/ir9a34z5WA
Virginia had six Top 25 classes and one Top 10 while Larranaga was at Miami. Florida State also had six Top 25 classes and one Top 10 class since Miami hired Larranaga in 2011. Miami can compete with Florida State and Virginia for recruits. The transfer portal will also prove to be important in the future.
Florida State and Miami receive significantly less fan support than Virginia. During the 2023-24 season, Miami averaged 7,159 fans per game, Florida State drew 6,251 and Virginia was 17th nationally, posting 13,992 per game. Florida State and Miami are considered football schools, while basketball is the top interest for Virginia fans.
During Larranaga's tenure at Miami, Florida State has advanced to one Regional Final, three Regional Semifinals, had five trips to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, won one ACC Regular Season title in 2020 and one ACC Tournament Championship during Larranaga's first season in 2012.
Virginia won the 2019 National Championship, with that being their only title season in the 13 years since Miami hired Larranaga. The program went to the 2016 Elite Eight in addition to 2019, has been to three Sweet 16s and advanced to the second round five times, but have not made it out of the first round since 2019.
Miami has had far more recent success, particularly in the NCAA Tournament, than Florida State and Virginia. It is clear that Miami and Virginia are better head coaching jobs than Florida State. The size of the NILs for all three programs is another critical factor in determining future success.
Virginia has to modernize the way they play basketball. The system of former head coach Tony Bennett was antiquated. Jim Larranaga was a players' coach who allowed creativity. Candidates for each position will have to weigh what is important to them. Miami also has the advantage of a bigger city and more NIL opportunities.
Virginia will have the advantage of a bigger fanbase and a more traditional college experience. Florida State, Miami and Virginia will all be among the most sought after head coaching positions with Indiana. Miami has the potential to be a perennial contender in the ACC and turn the program around quickly with the right head coach.