Did the Florida Gators Make the Right Choice in Hiring Michael White?

Without much fanfare, the Florida Gators hired a new basketball coach. Michael White, the former Louisiana Tech coach, takes over for Billy Donovan who left for the NBA.

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White has been in the mix before for head coaching positions in the SEC. According to past reports, he was up for the Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama jobs. White has been very successful as a head coach compiling a 101-40 record and winning three consecutive Conference USA titles, but he has never made it to the NCAA Tournament.

This is the SEC which is a whole different animal. White will be going into a situation where the last head coach was its most successful one.

Under Donovan, the Gators won six SEC titles, went to the Final Four four times and won two national championships. White, hasn’t done any of those things and you have to wonder how will Gator fans and recruits react to this new hire.

I’m sure most Gator fans wanted and expected a big name head coach and it’s not like White hasn’t been successful, but he’s not a name most expected. Gator fans were probably were expecting AD Jeremy Foley to go after a Greg Marshall like Alabama did during their coaching search or an Archie Miller of Dayton.

But Foley obviously already had White in mind for the head coaching gig and didn’t waste any time with this hire.

“Michael White is someone who came to the top of our list very quickly and he checks all of the boxes we were looking for,” Foley said in his press release.

“He is a winner who has a high level of integrity, plays an up-tempo style of play and has the respect of his peers and the basketball community. He has experience in coaching, recruiting and playing in the Southeastern Conference and has a strong pedigree. He has a certain authenticity with people and is not afraid of challenges.”

It’s a good thing that White isn’t afraid of a challenge because he has one replacing a legendary coach like Billy Donovan.

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