A History of Arkansas Basketball Coaches

A comprehensive history of every Head Coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball team from the program’s inception in 1906.

Arkansas has a long and storied history in college basketball with some of the game’s most legendary coaches leading its programs. From Nolan Richardson to Eddie Sutton, the Razorbacks have had some of the game’s best minds at the helm, and they’ve had plenty of success on the court as a result. Here’s a look at some of the most notable Kansas Basketball coaches of all time.

Nolan Richardson: One of the game’s most innovative and successful coaches, Richardson led Arkansas to a National Championship in 1994 and is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in program history. He was known for his “40 Minutes of Hell” style of play, which was an uptempo, aggressive style that put pressure on opponents on both ends of the court. Richardson won more than 500 games in his coaching career, and his impact on Arkansas basketball is still felt today.

Eddie Sutton: Another legendary Arkansas coach, Sutton led the Razorbacks to eight NCAA tournament appearances in his 11 seasons at the helm. He is one of only four coaches to take four different schools to the NCAA tournament and he is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Sutton helped put Arkansas Basketball on the map, and his teams were always tough to beat come tournament time.

Mike Anderson: The current Head Coach of the Razorbacks, Anderson has continued the tradition of success established by Richardson and Sutton. He has led Arkansas to four NCAA Tournament appearances in his seven seasons at the helm, including a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2015. Anderson is a native Arkansan and played for Richardson during his time at Tulsa, so he understands what it takes to be successful as a Head coach in this state.

Arkansas has had a rich tradition of success in basketball, dating back to the early years of the sport. The first coach at Arkansas was W.R. Johnson, who led the team to a 15-3 record in the inaugural season. Johnson would go on to coach for two more seasons before leaving for Texas A&M in 1904.

InJohnson’s absence, Arkansas hired John McDonnell, who would become the winningest coach in school history. McDonnell coached for 24 seasons, winning 4 NCAA Championships and 12 conference titles. McDonnell retired in 1986 and was succeeded by Nolan Richardson, who would win 3 NCAA championships in his 17 seasons at Arkansas.

Richardson was succeeded by Stan Heath, who coached for 5 seasons before being replaced by John Pelphrey. Pelphrey coached for 4 seasons before being replaced by Mike Anderson Anderson is the current head coach of the Arkansas men’s Basketball team

Kansas Basketball has been coached by some of the biggest names in the sport. In the early years, Arkansas was coached by legends like Adolph Rupp and Frank McGuire. Rupp led the team to four NCAA tournaments, while McGuire led the team to two Final Fours.

In the 1970s, Arkansas was coached by Lanny Van Arkel, who led the team to four NCAA tournaments. Van Arkel was replaced by Eddie Sutton in 1974, who would go on to lead the team to six NCAA tournaments.

In the 1980s, Sutton was replaced by Nolan Richardson, who would go on to have great success at Arkansas. Richardson led the team to five NCAA tournaments, including a Final Four appearance in 1995.

In 2002, Richardson was replaced by Stan Heath, who led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances. Heath was replaced by John Pelphrey in 2007, who would lead the team to two more NCAA tournament appearances.

Pelphrey was replaced by Mike Anderson in 2011, and Anderson has led the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances in his eight years as head coach

Arkansas has a rich Basketball History with some of the game’s most iconic coaches leading its programs. From Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers to National Championship winners, the state of Arkansas has produced some of college basketball’s most successful coaches.

In this guide, we’ll take a look at some of the most successful Kansas basketball coaches of all time. We’ll start with one of the game’s pioneers, then move on to one of the most successful modern-day coaches. We’ll also take a look at some of the other notable coaches who have led Arkansas programs over the years.

Arkansas has a long and storied history when it comes to Basketball Coaches Some of the most successful and well-known coaches in the country have been at the helm of the Razorbacks basketball team

Here is a brief history of some of the most notable Kansas Basketball coaches:

Nolan Richardson – coached at Arkansas from 1985 to 2002. He led the Razorbacks to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, 3 Final Fours, and 1 National Championship He is considered one of the greatest coaches in Arkansas history.
Eddie Sutton – coached at Arkansas from 1974 to 1985. He led the Razorbacks to 8 NCAA tournament appearances, 1 Final Four, and 2 Sweet Sixteens. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Mike Anderson – current coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks He has been coaching at Arkansas since 2011.

Arkansas has a long and storied tradition of Basketball coaches Some of the most successful and well-known coaches in the game have called Arkansas home, including:

Eddie Sutton: One of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, Sutton led the Arkansas Razorbacks to the NCAA National Championship game in 1978. He also coached at the University of Kentucky and Oklahoma State University

Nolan Richardson: A coaching legend, Richardson led the Arkansas Razorbacks to an NCAA National Championship in 1994. He is also a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Moses Malone: A star player in the NBA, Malone began his coaching career as an assistant with the Arkansas Razorbacks He would go on to coach several NBA teams including the Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets

Arkansas has a long and storied history when it comes to basketball coaches Some of the most successful and well-known coaches in the country have called Arkansas home at one point or another. Here is a brief rundown of some of the most notable Kansas basketball coaches over the years.

Eddie Sutton: One of the most successful coaches in Arkansas history, Sutton led the Razorbacks to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, four Sweet Sixteen appearances, and two Elite Eight appearances during his time with the team. He was also named National Coach of the Year in 1978.

Nolan Richardson: Richardson took over as head coach of the Razorbacks in 1985 and quickly turned the team into a national power. During his 17 seasons with Arkansas, Richardson led the team to nine NCAA tournament appearances, four Sweet Sixteen appearances, three Elite Eight appearances, and one Final Four appearance. He was also named National Coach of the Year in 1994.

Mike Anderson: Anderson became head coach of the Razorbacks in 2011 and has led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure.

Arkansas has a rich history when it comes to basketball coaches Some of the most successful coaches in the game have called Arkansas home, including Nolan Richardson, Eddie Sutton, and Mike Anderson.

Nolan Richardson is one of the most successful coaches in Arkansas history, leading the Razorbacks to an NCAA championship in 1994. He is also one of only a handful of African American head coaches to win an NCAA title.

Eddie Sutton is another legendary figure in Kansas Basketball He coached at Arkansas for 11 seasons, from 1974 to 1985, and led the team to six NCAA tournament appearances. He is one of only four coaches to have taken four different teams to the NCAA Tournament

Mike Anderson is the current head coach of the Razorbacks. He has been at Arkansas since 2011 and has led the team to two NCAA tournament appearances.

Arkansas has a long and storied history in basketball, with some of the most iconic coaches in the game having led the Razorbacks to greatness. Below is a brief overview of some of the most noteworthy coaches in Kansas Basketball history.

Nolan Richardson: Arguably one of the most successful coaches in Arkansas history, Richardson led the Razorbacks to an impressive Faulkner County Basketball titles. He also won an NCAA Championship with Arkansas in 1994.

Mike Anderson: Anderson replaced Richardson as Head Coach of the Razorbacks in 2011 and has since led the team to two NCAA tournament appearances.

Eddie Sutton: One of the most successful coaches in Arkansas history, Sutton coached the Razorbacks to 15 NCAA Tournament appearances and four Final Fours.

The Early Years

Arkansas’ Basketball Program began in 1906 under head coach John McLendon. The team struggled in its early years, posting a record of just 3-13 in its first season. McLendon was replaced the following year by E.E. Foster, who led the team to a 5-11 record in his only season at the helm.

In 1908, Arkansas hired W.A. Alexander as its new head coach Alexander would go on to have great success at Arkansas, leading the team to a 13-3 record in his first season and an 18-2 record in his second season. His 18 wins in 1910 is still the second-most in a single season in school history.

The Sonny Smith Era

Sonny Smith was the head basketball coach at the University of Arkansas from 1971 to 1976. During his time at Arkansas, Coach Smith led the Razorbacks to a record of 94-41. This included three trips to the NCAA Tournament and one trip to the NIT tournament. Coach Smith’s teams were known for their high-scoring offense and tough defense.

After leaving Arkansas, Coach Smith went on to have a successful coaching career at Auburn University He led Auburn to six NCAA Tournament appearances and two SEC championships. Coach Smith was inducted into theArkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1993.

The Nolan Richardson Era

Nolan Richardson began his tenure as Arkansas’s head basketball coach in 1985. Richardson, a native of El Paso, Texas, had previously coached at the University of Tulsa and the University of Alabama He was known for his “40 Minutes of Hell” defensive strategy, which he used to great effect at Arkansas. In his 17 seasons with the Razorbacks, Richardson compiled a record of 389-169 (.698), won seven conference championships and made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, including five Sweet Sixteen appearances and three trips to the Elite Eight. His crowning achievement came in 1994, when he led Arkansas to its first and only NCAA National Championship Richardson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

The Stan Heath Era

On April 1, 2007, Stan Heath was hired as the head men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas. Heath had previously coached at Kent State and the University of South Florida He led the Razorbacks to a 21-13 record in his first season, which was good enough for an NCAA Tournament berth. The Razorbacks lost to Indiana in the first round.

In his second season, Heath led the Razorbacks to a 27-8 record and an appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet Sixteen. The Razorbacks lost to North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen.

In his third season, Heath again led the Razorbacks to an NCAA tournament berth. The Razorbacks lost to Louisville in the first round.

Heath was fired after five seasons at Arkansas, compiling a 98-108 overall record and a 34-62 record in SEC play.

The John Pelphrey Era

John Pelphrey became the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks Basketball team in 2007. He led the team to a 21-13 record in his first season, and was named the SEC Coach of the Year. The following year, the Razorbacks won the SEC regular season and tournament championships, and made it to the second round of the NCAA tournament In 2009-10, Arkansas again won the SEC regular season championship, and made it to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen. Pelphrey was fired after four seasons, with a record of 86-62.

The Mike Anderson Era

Mike Anderson was hired as the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks men’s basketball team in 2011. He was coming off a successful stint as the Head Coach of the University of Missouri where he had led the Tigers to five NCAA Tournament appearances in six seasons.

Anderson had a difficult start to his tenure at Arkansas, as the team went just 21-13 in his first season and missed out on the NCAA Tournament Things improved somewhat in his second season, as the Razorbacks made it to the NIT semifinals before losing to eventual champion Baylor.

The 2013-14 season was a breakthrough for Anderson and Arkansas, as the team won 27 games and made it to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008. The Razorbacks made it all the way to the third round before losing to eventual National Champions Connecticut.

After a down year in 2014-15, Anderson and the Razorbacks bounced back in a big way in 2015-16, winning 29 games and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year. Unfortunately, Arkansas would once again fall in the third round, this time to North Carolina

The 2016-17 season was another solid one for Anderson and Arkansas, as they won 26 games and reached the NCAA tournament for the third time in four years. This time, however, they were able to make it one step further, reaching the Sweet Sixteen before losing to eventual national runners-up Gonzaga.

Anderson has continued to have success at Arkansas, leading them to 24 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2017-18 and 21 wins and an NIT appearance in 2018-19. He has proven himself to be one of the best coaches in program history, and has helped return Arkansas to prominence on the national stage.

The Current Era

The current era of Kansas Basketball coaches began in 2008, when John Pelphrey was hired to replace Stan Heath. Pelphrey had previously coached at South Alabama and Kentucky, and he brought a wealth of experience to the Razorbacks.

Pelphrey’s tenure at Arkansas was marked by some success, but ultimately he was unable to bring the team to the NCAA Tournament In 2011, he was replaced by Mike Anderson, who had previously coached at UAB and Missouri.

Anderson has led the Razorbacks to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2014 and 2015. The team has yet to make it past the Round of 32 under Anderson, but there is hope that he can continue to build on the success of the program in the years to come.

The Future of Arkansas Basketball

Arkansas has a long and storied history when it comes to basketball. The Razorbacks have been coached by some of the game’s greats, including Nolan Richardson, Eddie Sutton, and Mike Anderson. But what does the future hold for Arkansas basketball?

It is no secret that the Razorbacks have struggled in recent years The team has missed the NCAA Tournament four out of the last five years, and they have not made it past the second round since 2008. This has led to many fans calling for a change in coaching.

However, it is important to remember that Arkansas has one of the best facilities in all of college basketball and they are still able to attract top talent. So while the future may be uncertain, there is still reason to be optimistic about Arkansas Basketball

10 Greatest Arkansas Basketball Coaches of All Time

Throughout its history, the University of Arkansas has been home to some of the greatest basketball coaches in the country. Here are 10 of the best, who have made a lasting impact on the program and the game itself.

1. Nolan Richardson – coached from 1985-2002, led the team to 14 NCAA Tournament appearances and one National Championship
2. Eddie Sutton – coached from 1974-1985, led the team to eight NCAA tournament appearances
3. Sidney Moncrief – coached from 1986-1988, led the team to two NCAA tournament appearances and one Sweet Sixteen appearance
4. Mike Anderson – coached from 2011-present, led the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances and one Sweet Sixteen appearance
5. Lenny Wilkens – coached from 1968-1972, led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances
6. Jimmy Dykes – coached from 2003-2007, led the team to one NCAA tournament appearance
7. Stan Heath – coached from 2007-2012, led the team to two NCAA Tournament appearances
8. Mike Neighbors – coached from 2013-present, led the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances and one Sweet Sixteen appearance
9. John Pelphrey – coached from 2008-2011, led the team to one NCAA tournament appearance
10. Eric Musselman – coached from 2019-present

5 Worst Arkansas Basketball Coaches of All Time

5 Worst Kansas basketball Coaches of All Time
1. Mike Anderson
2. John Pelphrey
3. Stan Heath
4. Nolan Richardson
5. Eric Musselman