NCAA Tournament: Ranking the Final Four coaches

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Mar 25, 2017; San Jose, CA, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs head coach Mark Few calls out against the Xavier Musketeers during the first half in the finals of the West Regional of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at SAP Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

The Loyalist

Born: December 27th, 1962 in Creswell, Oregona

College: Graduated from the University of Oregon in 1987 with a degree in Physical Education

Coaching Record: 502-112 in 18 seasons.

Coaching Career: Few started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Gonzaga under Dan Fitzgerald, after coaching some at the high school level in Oregon. The following season he was promoted to assistant head coach.

In 1999, when then head coach Dan Monson left for Minnesota, Few was offered the head coaching position. He has been there ever since.

Coaching Honors: In his 18 seasons as a college head coach, Few has won at least 20 games 18 times and has made the NCAA tournament 18 times. Few is the only one of the four coaches who has won 20 games and been to the NCAA tournament every season he has been a head coach.

He has been named conference Coach of the Year 11 times and National Coach of the Year once by the USBWA. Few has won 16 regular season championships, 14 conference tournament championships, and one NCAA Regional Championship.

Strength: Familiarity. Of the four remaining coaches, Few is the only one to have coached at the same school his entire career. That’s 28 seasons of knowing a program inside and out.

Few has had very few players leave early since he has been there. He recruits well and develops the best. He has also done a great job on the transfer trail. A team does not stay this hot this long without some real coaching acumen.

Few has had opportunities to leave, but has remained at Gonzaga. It is this loyalty that his players see and buy into. It’s what makes him successful and is easily one of his biggest strengths as a head coach.

Weakness: National Expectations. Despite all the experience and success, Few is going to his first ever Final Four. He has only been to the Elite Eight twice and the Sweet Sixteen seven times, despite making the tournament every season he has been a Head Coach.

He has failed to make it past the first weekend 11 times. The fact that he finally reached the Final Four could also pose as a weakness. It is like getting a monkey off one’s back and in that relief, disaster can come.

In 2008, the North Carolina Tar Heels had one mission to make it to the Final Four after missing it the year before. After winning their first four games by an average of 25 points per game, they made the Final Four in San Antonio.

The Tar Heels, having reached their goal, forgot to show up for their next game and promptly lost by 18 points to Kansas. Roy Williams had been there before, Mark Few has not. The danger is nonetheless real.

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