The guy after ‘the guy’: Mitch Johnson joins ranks of
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Joe DeMartinoMay 2, 2025, 01:29 PM ET Close General Editor Signed Up With
- ESPN in 2006
- Massachusetts native, Northwestern graduate
On Friday, famous San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich transitioned from head coach of the team to a front office role. While he was making great progress in his recovery from a November 2024 stroke, the everyday grind of coaching an NBA franchise ended up being excessive for him.He’ll be succeeded by Mitch Johnson, who led the team to a 31-45 record after taking over for Popovich for the remainder of last season. Johnson has his work cut out for him– Popovich won 5 NBA titles with the team and his 1,422 wins are an NBA record. Thankfully, it’s not extraordinary for someone following a famous coach to have success– however it’s not easy.Here’s a cross sport take a look at other coaches who followed legendary names.Calipari’s resume with the Wildcats was incredible
— 410-122, a national title in the 2011-12 season, and seven looks in the Sweet 16. After he left last season, Mark Pope took over ably, leading the group to a 24-12 record and another Sugary food 16. Harbaugh left the Wolverines on the top, having actually led his alma mater to its very first national championship given that 1997. Moore’s promotion to co-offensive coordinator(later taking sole control of the position) coincided with Michigan’s best run under Harbaugh, with the Wolverines beating the Ohio State Buckeyes and making the College Football Playoff in 3 straight years. Moore led the Wolverines’offending line to Joe Moore Award triumphes in 2021 and 2022. Moore has actually currently been Michigan’s game-day coach on 5 different events, leading the Wolverines to victories over the Bowling Green Falcons, Penn State Nittany Lions, Maryland Terrapins and Ohio State in 2023 with Harbaugh suspended. He led the Wolverines to an 8-5 record in his very first season, had a 13-10 upset victor over Ohio State, and beat No. 11 Alabama in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Jerod Mayo just had a single season as Bill Belichick’s follower. Getty Images At 37 years old, the promo made Mayo the youngest head coach in the NFL– a title previously held by the Los Angeles Rams ‘Sean McVay (one month older than Mayo). W He joined Belichick’s coaching personnel in 2019, serving as linebackers coach. Before that, he played linebacker for New England from 2008 to 2015 after being selected in the preliminary. Mayo recognized with the franchise and had kept in mind assistance from players. His debut was a catastrophe, nevertheless, with the team going 4-13. The team fired him at the conclusion of the 2024-25 season.Mike Krzyzewski to Jon Scheyer(Duke Blue Devils) After a 47-year coaching career and 5 national titles, Krzyzewski retired and Scheyer took control of with some huge shoes to fill. Scheyer showed to be up for the difficulty. He led heaven Devils to a 27-9 mark in his first season,
winning the ACC tournament and going undefeated at home. Scheyer was the very first coach in conference history to publish an undefeated home record in a debut season. He led heaven Devils to the Last 4 in his third year. Hubert Davis accomplished the rare feat of completing in the Final 4 as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach. AP Photo/Gerry Broome Davis made a splash in his very first season as North Carolina Tar Heels coach. Williams’successor brought his squad on a legendary gone through the NCAA tournament, culminating in a journey to the championship game game. Davis joined the elite club of those who have gone to a Last Four as
a player(1991 ), an assistant coach (2016 and 2017)and as a head coach( 2022). In his 3rd season, he led the group to the Sugary food 16, but fell in the Round of 64 in his fourth.Phil Jackson to Tim Floyd(Chicago Bulls)This is extremely unreasonable to Floyd– not only did he have to follow up Jackson’s 545-193 record and six NBA titles, he had to do it without Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman or Steve Kerr. Floyd went 49-190 throughout his time with the Bulls and resigned in December 2001. Hard to replace the guy for whom they called the champion prize. And not surprising that– Lombardi won five titles, two of which were Super Bowls, to go along with an 89-29-4 record. Bengtson prospered him after the 1967 season however handled only a 20-21-1 mark with a single winning season. He resigned before the 1971 season. Following an icon like Pat Summitt was a nearly impossible task, however Holly Warlick carried out very well. Marvin Gentry/USA TODAY Sports Few other people in history represent ladies’s college basketball like Pat Summitt. She coached Tennessee from 1974 to her retirement in 2012, acquiring a 1,098-208 record with 8 NCAA competition titles. Warlick coached the team up until 2019, and while she didn’t win a title, she was adept– Tennessee went 172-67 with three Sweet 16 and two Elite 8 looks during her tenure.John Wood to Gene Bartow(UCLA Bruins men’s basketball )Envision following a college basketball icon who won 10 NCAA champions, 7 of them consecutively. That was the job dealing with Gene Bartow when he was successful John Wooden after the latter won his final title during the 1974-75 season. Oddly enough, Bartow really had a general better winning portion (.836 compared to Wooden’s.808) with UCLA, however was there for only 2 seasons and made the Final Four once.Tom Landry to Jimmy Johnson (Dallas Cowboys)
Tom Landry didn’t have a winning record till his seventh season as Cowboys head coach– that makes his last record of 250-162 with 2 Super Bowl titles all the more impressive. Johnson, formerly the coach of the Miami Hurricanes, started his Cowboys tenure in similar style, going 8-24 in his very first 2 seasons, before turning it around and winning a pair of Super Bowls with America’s group. Speaking of following an icon … Don Shula to Jimmy Johnson