Paul Hewitt is gonna up and r-u-n-n-o-f-t

If ever there’s been a hoops coach at a power conference school who could use a fresh start, it’s Paul Hewitt. Since taking Georgia Tech on that Final Four run back in 2004, he’s done…nothing.

Mark Bradley of the AJC summed it up nicely:

I’ve said it before, but here it is again: I don’t know if any other coach could have taken Tech further than Hewitt did in 2004, but I can think of three dozen who could have done better since. Tech hasn’t finished above .500 in its conference or reached the Sweet Sixteen over the past six seasons. His record over his first five seasons was 96-66; his record over the past five is 81-78.

It appears that St. John’s is the school willing to allow Hewitt to press the reset button.  According to the New York Post, the switch could come pretty quickly if some of the financials involving Hewitt’s current deal with Tech can be worked out.

Following 26 combined wins over the previous two seasons, you’d think a 23-13 record and a first round win in the NCAA Tournament (his first since 2005) this season would give the Tech fan base cause for hope.

But with Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal primed to jump early to the NBA and Iman Shumpert thinking about doing the same (Draft Express has him projected at the 26th pick if he comes out), Georgia Tech’s roster will pretty much be gutted next season.

That implosion that Ben Howland experienced at UCLA this season when the early departures caught up with him? Multiply that times ten for whoever’s coaching Tech next season.

I say it that way because it sure ain’t gonna be Hewitt.   The guy grew up in New York, was an assistant at Villanova and coached at Siena.  When things are imploding down south, why not get back to your roots?

While St. John’s is most definitely a lower tier Big East program right now, things aren’t all doom and gloom there. The team finished a game above .500 and there’s only one senior on the current roster.

Most coaches don’t get this kind of chance, to flame out at one power conference school and land at another. And since nobody realizes that more than Hewitt, I say he’s already looking for moving boxes.