Tony Bennett Leaves Washington State For Virginia

Have to admit that this was a move on the coaching carousel that was not expected. Tony Bennett turned down opportunities at Indiana and Marquette last year to stay in Pullman, Wash.

He did that, despite knowing he was heading for a rebuilding year at Washington State. A year later, after his Cougars steadily improved and he showed once more why he is considered a rising star in the coaching ranks, Bennett chose to move across the country to take the Virginia head coaching job.This is not to knock Virginia (though I'm sure some will take it as such). The Hoos hit at least a triple in their coaching hire, but Virginia is not on the same level as Indiana is or even what Marquette had become, following the job by Tom Crean to build that program.

Virginia has to compete in the ACC, and must recruit not only against North Carolina and Duke, but Maryland, Wake Forest, NC State and even in-state rival Virginia Tech. That's to say nothing of competition from Georgetown and the Big East. The Cavaliers are in a fertile recruiting area, but also a highly competitive area. Add in the stricter academic standards at Virginia, along with the need to win quickly because of a shiny new arena, and this is not an easy job or anywhere like a laid-back situation without pressure.