Not many coaches in college basketball can say that they have started their career with five straight 20-win seasons. But University of Pittsburgh coach Jamie Dixon can. The Panthers finished this past season with a 27-10 mark, as they were defeated by Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA tournament just over a week ago.
After taking over Pitt’s program from Ben Howland in 2003, Dixon has shown that he can coach a team that wins in the Big East, which has become one of the toughest conferences in the nation. But does he deserve consideration from the IU coaching search committee? Let’s take a look.
Coaching History
At 42 years old, Dixon is still a very young coach, but that doesn’t mean he lacks experience. After playing at Texas Christian University from 1984-1987, Dixon spent two years away from the college game before starting his coaching career.
In 1989, Dixon took over as the head coach at Los Angeles Valley Community College. After two years there, he moved to UC Santa Barbara for a year as an assistant, then to Hawaii from 1992-1994, where he was also an assistant. Following his second season at Hawaii, however, Dixon made the move that has benefitted him the most.
In 1994, he joined the staff of Northern Arizona University, where he worked under Ben Howland. Dixon worked there under Howland until 1998. That year, when Howland received the job at Pittsburgh, Dixon went back to Hawaii as an assistant for a year before returning to coach under Howland at Pitt in 1999.
In 2003, Howland accepted a job offer to be the head coach at UCLA. When he left, Dixon took over as head coach at Pittsburgh and wasted little time making a name for himself. In his first season, Dixon led the Panthers to a 31-5 record and took them all the way to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament. He was named the Big East Coach of the Year in 2004.
In his five year tenure, Dixon has taken the Panthers to the Big East tournament finals four times. His team has never missed the NCAA tournament and lost in the first round only one time, 2004-2005. He is one of only nine coaches in history to win 100 games in his first four seasons. His winning percentage, 76.7 percent, ranks fourth among active Division I coaches.
Fit for Indiana University?
There is no doubt the Dixon’s credentials speak volumes about his abilities as a coach and a recruiter. He is a hot name on the coaching circuit for several reasons—his success and the fact that he is a Ben Howland protégé.
Dixon’s teams have a style that mirrors that of Howland’s: physical tough play and hard-nosed defense. Both coaches know how to win games, and the fact that Dixon was brought up by Howland, who is essentially the first coach since John Wooden to experience long-term success at UCLA, scores him major points.
He is also known for his community involvement, something the Indiana program wants from a new coach.
But Dixon may not want to move. Some thought that he may not consider IU because of his West Coast ties, but on March 28, Dixon turned down a job offer from the University of California. While Cal certainly doesn’t have the history of a program like the Hoosiers’, it does suggest that Dixon is comfortable in Pittsburgh and isn’t too concerned about money.
Cal was likely able to offer a salary similar to what IU would be able to offer the coach. In 2006, Dixon signed a contract extension with Pitt through the 2012-2013 season that pays him $900,000 a year. Either school could easily add to this amount, but turning down Cal suggests that Dixon wants more than just money.
The fact is, Pittsburgh is already a high-level job where Dixon is experiencing success. Reports have suggested that he is on the short-list of names being considered for the IU job, but he may be comfortable right where he is. ESPN.com reported yesterday that Indiana wants a coach by Final Four time, so it won’t be long until we know if Dixon is truly interested in the job.
For more of IUplanet's IU coaching search coverage:
Road to Replacement - IUplanet: Indiana Hoosier forums, sports, photos, and Bloomington life
For more on Jamie Dixon:
University of Pittsburgh Official Athletic Site
Jamie Dixon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pitt's Jamie Dixon Dismisses Cal - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog
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