When picking Butler head coach, Barry Collier rarely needs mulligan

For Barry Collier, hiring a successful basketball coach is like Steph Curry taking an open jump shot. Chances are, Collier won’t miss.

“Barry laid the foundation for the current system that has been so successful,” said Todd Lickliter, who was Butler’s coach when Collier became athletic director in 2006, after Collier's previous stint (1989-2000) as Butler’s coach. “Directly, or indirectly, he has trained every coach that has come along since he became AD.”

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Expectations for Butler basketball remain high, with LaVall Jordan introduced Wednesday as the program’s newest coach. He is Butler’s fourth coach since 2013, but in Collier, Butler trusts. The Bulldogs have made the NCAA tournament nine of the past 10 years, and they don’t need a high-priced consulting firm or search committee when a coach departs. They simply give the ball to Collier, who steadfastly follows the "Butler Way” to recognize the DNA for the right coach.

Collier has picked two of the best coaches in school history — Brad Stevens, who guided Butler to back-to-back NCAA championship games and was 166-49 over six seasons, and Chris Holtmann, who was 70-31 over three seasons before departing for Ohio State earlier this month.

Not even Collier hits every shot. His one misfire was Brandon Miller, who lasted just one season (2013-14) as head coach before taking medical leave after a 14-17 campaign and didn't return.

Collier reloaded with Holtmann and believes Jordan will be another winner. Stevens, Holtmann, Collier and Jordan all either played at Butler or were assistants there before becoming the head coach. While some programs would have been left reeling by the frequent changes, Collier’s steady presence and the Butler coaching tree he has plucked from have been crucial constants.

“When you hire talent, you’re going to lose talent,” said Dr. Geoffrey Bannister, former Butler president who hired Collier as Butler’s coach in 1989. “But then Barry hires more talent.”

As a 38-year-old coach getting his dream opportunity at his alma mater, Jordan loves the opportunity to join an established system.

“Here, you don’t have to worry about the culture,” Jordan said. “And we’ve got a great group of talented young guys.”

Collier’s hiring pattern runs counter to the way most college programs operate. As of Friday, 46 Division I schools had hired a new men’s basketball coach in 2017. Only 11 of those 46 openings were filled by someone with a previous connection to the school.

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Take Holtmann, who went from Butler to Ohio State, a school where he had never before worked. Or Indiana, which filled its vacancy after firing Tom Crean by hiring Archie Miller, a successful coach at Dayton, but not a former Hoosier coach or player.

For most schools, the hot coach trumps the familiar coach. Not at Butler. Even though its coaching job is now highly coveted nationwide, Collier seeks a coach who already knows what Butler is all about.

“When you have success in a program, it makes a lot of sense to try to determine if there’s a leader within that organization to continue that same success,” Collier said. “Why break the formula when the formula is working?”

Bannister was not surprised that Collier made a successful transition from coach to athletic director. His organizational skill became evident when he interviewed to become Butler’s coach almost 30 years ago. He brought a 45-page proposal to that meeting, an example of Collier’s attention to detail. After Collier’s interview, Bannister was so impressed that he called a friend, former Pacers President of Basketball Operations Donnie Walsh.

“Barry just had a very detailed business plan, as well as a plan for coaching,” said Bannister, now retired and living in Scottsdale, Ariz. “Donnie’s response was, ‘If you can get a basketball coach with business sense, grab him with both hands.’’’

During nine winning seasons in 11 years as Butler’s coach, Collier earned praise for being a positive influence on a generation of players. When Jordan played at Butler, his entire family learned how committed Collier was to his principles. Sometimes Jordan didn’t like it. But his father did.

“They had what they called five-at-five,” said Jordan’s father, Nate Mitchell. “That meant if you missed class, you had to run five miles at five in the morning. I liked that. I liked the accountability. Butler was no-nonsense, and Barry was always a straight shooter.

“One time they were in Hawaii, and LaVall played the first game of the tournament, but in the second game he didn’t play. He was on the end of the bench, nowhere near the coaches. My mom was hot, like why aren’t they playing LaVall?  My guess was, LaVall did something. They’re not even looking his way. Finally, when I talked to LaVall, he told me, ‘Dad, I was a minute late for curfew.’

 “I see the same things now. The kids have changed, but they operate the program the same.  Ever since I’ve known Barry, he’s been a guy who did exactly what he said he was going to do.”

One of Collier’s few moments of uncertainty came in 2006, when he was Nebraska’s coach and Butler wanted him to return as athletic director. Collier still viewed himself as a coach, not an administrator. But his love for Butler could not be denied. He felt at home from almost the moment he stepped on campus as a student and basketball player from 1974-76, after spending two years at Miami Dade Community College.

“I was really torn about leaving coaching,” said Collier, who will turn 63 in July. “But, it felt like I was supposed to come back here and do what I could to help Butler.”

Now Collier cannot imagine doing anything else. He was asked if he thought Butler would be his last job.

“Well, I’m only a 50 percent owner in that decision,” said, alluding to his boss, Butler President James Danko. “But I can say without hesitation that my 50 percent is on Butler.”

With another coaching search over, Collier was planning a weekend trip to the U.S. Open in Wisconsin to watch the world’s best golfers in action.

In golf, choosing the right club is critical, just as choosing the right coach is critical for an athletic director. In Collier, Butler has someone who rarely needs a mulligan.

Most DI coaching hires are made outside the family 

As of June 16, 46 Division I basketball programs had changed coaches this year, and only 11 had chosen a coach who was a former player or assistant at the school.

New coaches with previous ties to the school:

Mike Boynton Jr., Oklahoma St., former assistant

Brian Dutcher, San Diego St., former assistant

Patrick Ewing, Georgetown, former player

Anthony Grant, Dayton, former player  

Wyking Jones, Cal, former assistant

Maurice Joseph, George Washington, former assistant

LaVall Jordan, Butler, former player

Scott Pera, Rice, former assistant

Mike Rhoades, VCU, former assistant

Bob Richey, Furman, former assistant

Preston Spradlin, Morehead St, former assistant

New coaches with no previous ties to the school

Mike Balado, Arkansas St.

Jerrod Calhoun, Youngstown St.

Keith Dambrot, Duquesne

Juan Dixon, Coppin St.

Baker Dunleavy, Quinnipiac

Dennis Felton, Cleveland St.

Matt Figger, Austin Peay

Brian Gregory, South Florida

John Groce, Akron

Jim Hayford, Seattle

Chris Holtmann, Ohio St.

Mike Hopkins, Washington

Donte Jackson, Grambling

Chris Jans, New Mexico St.

Kevin Keatts, North Carolina St.

Derek Kellogg, LIU

Dustin Kerns, Presbyterian

Donnie Marsh, Alabama A&M

Cuonzo Martin, Missouri

Niko Medved, Drake

Matt McCall, Massachusetts

Robert McCullum, Florida A&M

Grant McCasland, North Texas

C. B. McGrath, UNC Wilmington

Archie Miller, Indiana

Paul Mills, Oral Roberts

Jack Owens, Miami (Ohio)

Lamont Paris, Chattanooga

Joe Pasternack, UC Santa Barbara

Barret Perry, Portland St.

Bob Richey, Furman

Ryan Ridder, Bethune-Cookman

Brian Underwood, Illinois

Will Wade, LSU

Paul Weir, New Mexico