Tony Bennett, who described himself as a “square peg in a round hole,” tearfully said Friday that he abruptly retired as the University of Virginia’s coach because he was not suited to navigate the school’s current situation. spoke. college basketball.
Dressed in his signature suit and tie look, Bennett told those gathered at his farewell press conference that name, image, likeness and the transfer portal brought “uncomfortable” elements to his job. He said he is doing so.
“I looked at myself and realized I was no longer the best coach to lead this program,” Bennett said with athletic director Kara Williams sitting next to him. “If you’re going to do it, you have to give it your all. You have to have everything. And if you do it half-heartedly, it’s unfair to universities and young people. That’s why.” I get off. ”
bennett is virginia 2019 National Championship One year after the Cavaliers lost their No. 1 seed for the first time up to 16 seeds in the NCAA tournament.
He is the latest, and at 55 years old, the youngest high-profile coach to step down, citing burnout from the modern, real world profession. That list also includes former Villanova coach Jay Wright. I retired 2 years ago At 60 years old.
“The game and college athletics are not in a healthy place,” Bennett said. “And change is needed. I think I had the ability to work here the old-fashioned way. That’s who I am, that’s what it was. The staff encouraged me to get this far. But change is needed.” ”
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Former assistant Ron Sanchez, who returned to the program last season, will serve as interim coach. Williams said a national search for Bennett’s replacement will begin soon, but Bennett expects Sanchez to perform well enough to earn the full-time post. he said.
Williams said Bennett told her about his decision Wednesday morning, but said the two have talked about the possibility numerous times over the past three years.
“I believe he’s capable of doing the job, but like he told everyone, he’s going to have to put his heart and soul into it,” Williams said, tearing up during Bennett’s remarks. He said while blushing. “He’s the embodiment of humility because he could keep doing this and he could keep doing it wholeheartedly, but it takes more courage to say, ‘I’m not that kind of person.’ ”
The surprising timing of his retirement, less than three weeks before the season opener against Campbell on Nov. 6, is that Bennett retired just after this past season ended with a First Four loss to Colorado State in Dayton, Ohio. He said he seriously thought about it.
The Cavaliers struggled offensively in that game and have not won an NCAA Tournament game since the 2019 title game.
However, Bennett said he did not have enough time to fully consider his situation because the current recruitment calendar required him to get to work quickly to consider a potential move.
He said he’s excited about the players the program has signed, the new offense it’s implementing and the outlook for next season. As such, he felt energized enough to sign a long-term contract extension with the University of Virginia, although he admitted that it was never likely he would continue the full term of the deal, which expires in six years.
Finally, there was a break in his busy schedule. He and his wife, Laurel, traveled during fall break from the University of Virginia, giving the couple a chance to think and reflect on the future.
“That’s when I realized I couldn’t do this,” Bennett said, overcome with emotion. “It’s unfair to them and to this organization that I love so much to continue working when I know I’m not the right person for the job.”
On Friday, Bennett’s current players and staff stood in the back of the room, listening to Bennett speak.
“I’m happy with how he’s doing,” said former player and current assistant coach Isaiah Wilkins. “He seems calm. I think he knows himself well and it’s obviously a family decision.”
As former Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage, who hired Bennett, looked on, Bennett spoke of his pride in the way he and his staff built the Cavaliers into one of the most successful programs in the nation. Littlepage hired Bennett in 2009 after three strong seasons at Washington State.
After posting a 15-16 record in his first season at the University of Virginia, Bennett went on to record 14 consecutive winning seasons.
He compiled a 364-136 record at the school and led the program to two Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championships, six ACC Regular Season Championships and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances. Bennett was named ACC Coach of the Year in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019.
“I had no idea what it would be like in 15 years,” Littlepage said. “I was thinking short-term. ‘We’ve got to get this going, but I knew it was going to take a few years.’ … He understands the college game, and right away he I understood that it would be successful.”
Bennett’s unusually slow play tempo and defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense first, then defense three. The second mentality has long been ridiculed in much of the national media, but a loss to UMBC in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Tournament gave Bennett’s detractors enough fuel to question his criticisms. It created a chorus of people to throw. His puck line defense was built to win championships.
In his signature way, Bennett handled the loss with grace, promising his heartbroken players that “this is your ticket to a place you can’t go without.”
The following season, after a dramatic showing in the NCAA Tournament, Bennett and the Cavaliers found the back of the net in Minneapolis, defeating Texas Tech and winning the school’s first national title.
“I’ve been here 15 years as a head coach and I thought it would be a little longer to be honest, but it was a rental,” Bennett said. “It wasn’t mine. This position was on loan and now it’s time for me to give it back.”
Associated Press reported.
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