Second-year head coaches generally fly under the radar entering the season. They're not rookies anymore, they're not dealing with a new job and they're nowhere near hot seat chatter yet. That is especially the case this offseason.
First-year head coaches are in a difficult position entering the college basketball season, as there is a good chance they didn't get to meet their players in person until the summer and might not have seen their players with a basketball until four or five months after they got the job.
That is not the case for second-year coaches. They have a year in the program under their belts and a full recruiting class with which to work. But we can already begin to gauge the progress of some Year 2 head coaches entering the season -- and the potential problems each one might face.
Nate Oats, Alabama Crimson Tide
Things are looking up in Tuscaloosa entering Year 2. The Crimson Tide struggled down the stretch last season and would have been on the outside looking in for an NCAA tournament appearance, but they bring in a talented recruiting class featuring potential first-round pick Josh Primo, and they have transfers Jahvon Quinerly and Jordan Bruner eligible. Kira Lewis, who left early for the NBA, developed into a lottery pick last season for Alabama under Oats.
And we're not done yet. Alabama already landed five-star guard J.D. Davison and highly touted junior college transfer Langston Wilson as part of a three-man 2021 class. An NCAA tournament bid should be the expectation this year.