Patton replacement endorsement

For the time being, only Ricardo Patton can coach the CU basketball program to victories so supporting him and his cause is the thing to do.

However, there is no doubt he is a goner at the end of the season. Talking about his replacement, when Patton himself announced he is stepping down, is not in poor taste.

There will be many names mentioned, some well known, some not.

Here's one for today.

Mark Turgeon.

Head coach, Wichita State.

The resume shows he played at Kansas, worked as an assistant under Larry Brown and Roy Williams in Lawrence, coached as an assistant with the Philadelphia 76ers, head coach at both Jacksonville State and Wichita State. Led the Shockers to the Sweet 16 last season and just upset sixth-ranked Lousiana State. Equally amazing is Turgeon has his team ranked in the top-25.

Wichita State.

Ranked.

How does he do it?

On the defensive end. Accepts no excuses. Recruits players who buy into being coachable. 21 and 26 victories the last two seasons. All this and I still haven't seen an NBA player come from the program, yet he has done something that should make your eyes pop.

Ready?

Let the Wichita State media guide take it from here.

"In 2005-06, Mark Turgeon became the first Wichita State head coach to improve the Shockers in the win column five-straight seasons with 15, 18, 21, 22 and 26 wins. His three 20-win seasons tie him for the lead with Gene Smithson, who had three from 1979-86."

Color me impressed and as one who thinks he could do special things in Boulder, if you could pry him away from the long-term contract he just signed.

Seems to me he has success written all over him and should be one of the very few names at the top of CU athletic director Mike Bohn's list.