Nine candidates to replace Jamie Dixon as Pittsburgh head coach

Jamie Dixon announced on Monday afternoon he was leaving Pittsburgh after 13 seasons at the helm to return to TCU — his alma mater — in hopes of resuscitating the Horned Frogs basketball program.

Under Dixon, the Panthers were one of the most dominant programs in college basketball, but a failure to parlay regular season success — two Big East regular season championships and a Big East tournament championship — soured on the fan base. When the Panthers joined the ACC in 2013, the program continued to slide toward mediocrity, and following a first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Wisconsin this season, the two sides decided to part ways before it got really ugly.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Where do the Panthers go from here? Pittsburgh is still a top-flight job in one of the best conferences in the country. That being said, Pittsburgh's lack of history and the Panthers sub-par run in the ACC doesn't make it the best place for a quick and painless rebuild.

The ideal candidate is Pittsburgh native and former Panther guard Sean Miller. He would be the home run hire. Unfortunately for Panther fans, it is highly unlikely he leaves his post at Arizona to return east.

MORE: For Pitt and Dixon, the breakup was necessary

But that doesn't mean the Panthers can't go out and get their guy.

 

Age: 37

Current Job: Dayton (5th season)

Head Coaching Record: 115-55

Why He's Next: Sean Miller isn't returning home to Pittsburgh, but his younger brother Archie could. While the Pittsburgh athletic department made it clear that local ties are not a priority, Miller offers far more than just the local flair.

The coaching job Miller has done at Dayton has been nothing short of sensational. He was hired away from his brother's staff at Arizona in 2011, and in his third season, led the Flyers to improbable Elite Eight run.

He followed that with an even greater coaching victory. Despite not having a single player above 6-7 on his roster last season, Miller led the Flyers to a second-place conference finish and a second-consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

If given the resources and support that a high-major program like Pittsburgh can provide, Miller's ceiling will be virtually limitless.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 46

Current Job: Xavier (7th season)

Head Coaching Record: 162-77

Why He's Next: For the past handful of seasons, the Xavier head coach has been on the shortlist for every major job search in the mid-Atlantic and Midwest.

Since taking over the Musketeers' program in 2009, Mack has never lost more than 14 games in a single season and has missed out on the NCAA Tournament just once.  

Mack is a tremendous coach and a standout recruiter, having had success even when Xavier was a member of the Atlantic 10. If Pittsburgh wants a big-time coach who can recruit and coach circles around the competition, the Cincinnati, Ohio native would be a perfect choice.

But here's the issue: Why would Mack want to leave Xavier for Pittsburgh? Sure the ACC is a bigger brand of conference than the Big East, but is Pitt actually a better job than Xavier? Mack has turned down other high-major jobs before. Expect him to do the same.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 46

Current Job: Southern Cal (3rd season)

Head Coaching Record: 85-81 (44-53 USC)

Why He's Next: Enfield is another example of a coach with regional ties who also has a resume to back it up. The Shippensburg, Penn. native made a name for himself in the 2013 NCAA Tournament when his Florida Gulf Coast Eagles took the country by storm thanks to their "Dunk City" run to the Sweet Sixteen.

Enfield used his success at FGCU to earn the head coaching job at Southern Cal, and after two horrific seasons, completely turned the program around and led the Trojans to the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

Pulling anyone from Los Angeles is difficult, especially with the wealth of talent to recruit from, but taking the Pitt job would be a solid upgrade from USC, which will always be a football school with a basketball team.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 40

Current Job: Seton Hall (6th season)

Head Coaching Record: 152-138 (107-89 SHU)

Why He's Next: While we've already established that local ties may not be a major factor in Pitt's search, the former Panther point guard would still make for a solid candidate. Willard has strong ties to the New York area, a region that has served Pitt well in the past with players like Ronald Ramon, Levance Fields, Ashton Gibbs, and Travon Woodall.

Willard may not have the best resume — just one NCAA appearance in nine seasons as a head coach — but considering he's fresh off leading the Pirates to their first Big East Tournament championship since 1993 and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2006, Willard would have to be considered "in the right place at the right time."

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 50

Current Job: Harvard (9th season)

Head Coaching Record: 351-234 (175-95 Harvard)

Why He's Next: Big name? Check. Big-time recruiter? Check. Experience? Check. 

Over the past five years, Amaker has turned Harvard into the face of Ivy League basketball, winning five consecutive league titles from 2010 until 2015 and notching two NCAA Tournament victories along the way.

The former Duke guard has strong ties on the east coast and runs his program very similar to how Dixon did: No nonsense, no frills, just good, solid basketball. Whether or not that is what Pittsburgh is looking for may be the ultimate decider.

The other knock against Amaker is that he didn't exactly have stellar runs at his two previous high-major spots. In ten season at the helm of Seton Hall and Michigan, his teams appeared in just one NCAA Tournament.

But the job Amaker has done at Harvard put him back on the map, one that may lead to Pittsburgh.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 44

Current Job: Butler (2nd season)

Head Coaching Record: 89-76 (45-22 BU)

Why He's Next: Holtmann was put in a difficult position in 2014 when then-head coach Brandon Miller took a leave of absence due to health issues. Holtmann did more than just stabilize the program, he kept the Bulldogs moving forward, and has guided the program to back-to-back 20-win seasons and trips to the NCAA Tournament.

But it's not just Holtmann's resume that does the talking, it's the people he has interacted with. He is one of the most well-liked coaches in college basketball, and has been lauded for his understanding of technical coaching, player development and recruiting.

He would not be the flashiest hire, but he would be a very smart one.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 34

Current Job: Pittsburgh assistant coach

Head Coaching Record: None

Why He's Next: Knight is one of the best players to ever suit up for the Panthers, earning Big East co-Player of the Year and All-America honors in 2002. On top of that, this is a job he has been groomed for, having served as an assistant coach since 2008, when he was promoted from the role as Director of Basketball Operations.

However, with the Pitt athletic department maintaining their stance that this is an elite job and that they want a big-time hire, it may be unlikely that they hand the reins over to Knight, regardless of how revered he is in the Steel City. 

Not only could Knight not get the job, but he may be out of a job as well, considering that Panther officials have stated the possibility that a new coach could clean out the entire staff and start from scratch.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 43

Current Job: UNC Wilmington (2nd season)

Head Coaching Record: 43-22

Why He's Next: Now this is an interesting one. In two seasons at UNC Wilmington, Keatts has lead the Seahawks to back-to-back CAA regular season titles, and in 2016, a CAA Tournament title as well. Prior to taking the job at UNCW, he spent three seasons at Louisville, where he established himself as a workhorse recruiter, one whose efforts played a role in the Cardinals' 2013 national championship.

But his relative lack of head coaching experience, couple with the fact that his former employers are currently involved in an NCAA investigation may too much for Pittsburgh to look past.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat

Age: 35

Current Job: Robert Morris (6th season)

Head Coaching Record: 120-88

Why He's Next: The Panthers would not have to look far to find a hotshot coaching prospect. As head coach at Robert Morris, Toole led the Colonials to back-to-back NEC regular-season championships in 2013 and 2014, the former featuring a program-defining victory over Kentucky in the N.I.T.

In 2015 Toole guided Robert Morris to the NCAA Tournament, and despite and lackluster 2015-16 season, Toole would make for an interesting candidate. 

The Pittsburgh athletic department has made it no secret that the head coaching gig is one of the best in the country, and whether or not this is true, Toole may not be ready for that step up just yet.

MORE: Sweet Sixteen coach rankings | Getting off the hot seat