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Danny White: Ranking Tennessee Vols AD’s 10 best coaching hires at UCF, Buffalo

By Caleb Calhoun

Mar 24, 2019; Storrs, CT, USA; Buffalo Bulls head coach Felisha Legette-Jack watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies during the first inning in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 24, 2019; Storrs, CT, USA; Buffalo Bulls head coach Felisha Legette-Jack watches from the sideline as they take on the UConn Huskies during the first inning in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Tournament at Gampel Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Bobby Hurley of the Buffalo Bulls reacts against the Manhattan Jaspers during the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational at Barclays Center on December 21, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 21: Head coach Bobby Hurley of the Buffalo Bulls reacts against the Manhattan Jaspers during the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational at Barclays Center on December 21, 2013 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) /

Record with Buffalo Bulls: 42-20

  • 1 MAC Championship (2015)
  • 1 NCAA Tournament (2015 Round of 64)
  • 2 MAC East Division Championships

This was another risky move by Danny White. Reggie Witherspoon had been head coach of the program for 14 years, won the MAC regular season title in 2009 and had four winning seasons the previous five years when White fired him. However, that losing season was his final year, and he never made the NCAA Tournament.

White turned to Rhode Island Rams assistant Bobby Hurley to lead the program. By taking a chance, he launched Hurley’s career. In just his first year, Hurley went 19-10 and won the MAC East Division Championship. That was one of the best seasons in years for the program.

One year later, though, Hurley shocked the world and took Buffalo to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. The Bulls went 23-10 that year and won the MAC regular season and tournament championship, achieving heights they had never reached in just two years.

Simply put, White pretty quickly proved he made the right decision by hiring Hurley. Now, Hurley was gone after just two years on the job, but those two years were worth the move, and White’s subsequent move, which we’ll get to later, still validated him.

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