For our purposes, and to serve you, we're rolling out an extensive analysis of all the power conference coaches using this social media service. We also dab our eyes knowing that some of the game's best coaches, including Mike Krzyzewski, Jim Boeheim, Roy Williams, Tom Izzo, Thad Matta, and Rick Pitino are noticeably absent from Twitter. They're all too good for us, or maybe, too smart.
COACHES’ TWITTER RANKING BY CONFERENCE: AAC | ACC | Big East | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
The data we've gathered is fantastic to ponder. Most everyone knows that Kentucky's John Calipari is college basketball's Twitter king, but did you know St. John's coach Steve Lavin follows over 5,000 people, nearly five times as many as the next most coach? And how in the world can the ACC tout itself as the best basketball league in the country, yet their coaches (save for NC State's Mark Gottfried) combine to collectively rank as the second-worst conference of tweeters?
And did you know that Mississippi State's Rick Ray is one of the 10 best coaches to follow?
Oh, yes, we found that all out. Enjoy as we discover the best and worst of Twitter, college coaches style.
TWITTER VIRGINS
AAC: James Dickey, Houston; Fran Dunphy, Temple; Rick Pitino, LouisvilleACC: Tony Bennett, Virginia; Jim Boeheim, Syracuse; Brad Brownell, Clemson; Mike Krzyzewski, Duke; Roy Williams; North CarolinaBig East: John Thompson III, GeorgetownBig Ten: Tom Izzo, Michigan State; Thad Matta, Ohio State; Fran McCaffery, Iowa; Bo Ryan, WisconsinBig 12: Rick Barnes, Texas; Trent Johnson, TCUPac-12: Dana Altman, Oregon; Tad Boyle, Colorado; Mike Montgomery, CalSEC: Anthony Grant, Alabama; Andy Kennedy, Mississippi; Kevin Stallings, Vanderbilt
CONFERENCE POWER RANKINGS
- SEC. With the exception of Johnny Jones and the three other non-participants, the smallest following of any coach is 8,000. Four coaches have more than 20K, and then there’s Calipari at over 1.2 million.2. Big Ten. Tom Crean may have over 120,000 followers, but if you are not following Nebraska’s Tim Miles, you need to be.3. Big East. These coaches don’t have the collective base of followers that the Big 12 has, but we still think they’re better overall.4. Big 12. The individual coaches in this league were incredibly tough to rank. A lot of solid, but not spectacular, guys.5. Pac-12. Beyond Arizona’s Sean Miller, there’s just not much to see.6. ACC. Five coaches absent? Come on, men.7. AAC. A diamond in the rough is UCF’s Donnie Jones.
- MORE: Sporting News’ Top 25 teams for 2013-14 | Top 25 recruits for 2014
MOST PROLIFIC TWEETERS
John Calipari, Kentucky: 7,600 Tom Crean, Indiana: 6,700 Donnie Jones, UCF: 3,800 Chris Mack, Xavier: 3,400 Frank Martin, South Carolina: 3,300
LEAST PROLIFIC
Johnny Jones, LSU: 6
Matt Painter, Purdue: 7 Brandon Miller, Butler: 14 Steve Alford, UCLA: 35 Jamie Dixon, Pitt: 37
At least Miller and Jordan have excuses. They're new enough to being college head coaches that they haven't yet had a chance to ramp up their skills. Steve Alford is just getting up to speed in Westwood. Matt Painter and Jamie Dixon are largely dead to us.
MOST ENGAGED USERS (FOLLOWING)
Steve Lavin, St. John's: 5,351 Donnie Jones, UCF: 1,277 Pat Chambers, Penn State: 826 Tony Barbee, Auburn: 397 Travis Ford, Oklahoma State: 377 Kevin Ollie, Connecticut: 341 Tom Crean, Indiana: 332 Brandon Miller, Butler: 325 Rick Ray, Mississippi State: 318 Mark Gottfried, NC State: 299
LEAST ENGAGED USERS (FOLLOWING)
Herb Sendek, Arizona State: 0 Jamie Dixon, Pitt: 0 Tubby Smith, Texas Tech: 0 Bill Self, Kansas: 4 Mike Brey, Notre Dame: 5
LARGEST FOLLOWINGS
John Calipari, Kentucky: 1.2 million Tom Crean, Indiana: 122,000 Billy Donovan, Florida: 95,000 Bill Self, Kansas: 79,000 Tim Miles, Nebraska: 47,000 Cuonzo Martin, Tennessee: 36,000 Frank Martin, South Carolina: 34,000 Bob Huggins, West Virginia: 26,000 Mark Gottfried, NC State: 26,000 Chris Collins, Northwestern: 25,000
SMALLEST FOLLOWINGS
Johnny Jones, LSU: 617 (We go exact with him because the number is so miniscule.) Brian Gregory, Georgia Tech: 1,400 Jeff Bzdelik, Wake Forest: 1,460 Eddie Jordan, Rutgers: 2,000 Larry Krystkowiak, Utah: 2,200 Kevin Willard, Seton Hall: 2,250 Ed Cooley, Providence: 2,500 Johnny Dawkins, Stanford: 2,550 Donnie Jones, UCF: 3,000 Steve Alford, UCLA: 3,600
