Former Louisiana Tech coaches Mike White and Joni (Crenshaw) Taylor have both found new places to call home.
And they both went from SEC schools to … well … SEC schools
In fact, the two were like ships passing in the night.
Just a week after the announcement came that White was leaving Florida to become the head coach at the University of Georgia, more news came out yesterday that Taylor was leaving Athens to take the head job at Texas A&M.
White was the head coach at Louisiana Tech for four seasons, recording a mark of 101-40, including three straight conference championships.
Under White’s leadership, the Bulldogs advanced to the NIT in each of his final three seasons in Ruston, including quarterfinals appearances in 2014 and 2015. In all three NIT appearances, Louisiana Tech posted a road victory over a major-conference opponent, toppling Florida State in 2013, Georgia in 2014 and Texas A&M in 2015 on their home floors.
Gene Frenette, who covers Florida for the Florida Times-Union, wrote last week:
“For reasons partly connected to the Gators’ struggles on offense, as well as a UF fan base that suffers from too much entitlement, White was increasingly the subject of social media wrath the past couple years. He didn’t like how it started to impact his wife and kids, so the 45-year-old coach stunned the college basketball world Sunday by bolting for an inferior program within his own league.
“Seriously, when do you ever see a basketball coach not being fired ever leave a Power 5 program for another one in the same conference, one that has been to just three NCAA tournaments in the last 20 years? When do you see a coach resign to go to a rival school that he’s beaten in the last six meetings, holding an 11-3 record against them?
“It’s a testimony to how untenable the situation had gotten at Florida from White’s vantage point. He was 142-88 overall and 72-52 in seven seasons with the Gators, but clearly didn’t like the direction things were going. So he made the unheard-of decision to take one of the worst jobs in the SEC, leading a program that was 41-85 in league play during his time at Florida.”
Tech fans, who were enamored with White and his success in Ruston, can all hope that he has plenty of success in Georgia.
Meanwhile, Taylor – who served as an assistant coach for the Lady Techsters from 2005 through 2008 – leaves a storied program in Georgia for one that might not have as long of a history of success, but has more recent history of success in Texas A&M. Taylor replaces another coach with former LA Tech ties in Gary Blair, who retired following this season. Blair led the Aggies to the national title in 2011.
“I am extremely excited and humbled to have the opportunity to lead the Texas A&M women’s basketball program,” Taylor said in a statement. “You are talking about a program that is rich with tradition and an institution that leads not only in the SEC, but in the country. I am excited to get there and meet the team and immerse myself and our family into Aggieland.”
In seven seasons at Georgia, Taylor was 140-75 (62-48 SEC). She took the Lady Bulldogs to four NCAA tournaments but never reached the Sweet 16. This season, Georgia fell to 3-seed Iowa State 67-44 in the second round.
