GoldenBearReport.com reached out to a few National Rivals analysts to share their perspective on what new Cal head coach Mark Fox will bring to the program. Each analyst that contributed is coming from a different angle, which makes this all the more exciting and interesting:
Corey Evans brings a true national perspective to the table, covering college hoops and the recruiting scene from all across the country. Evans is a relatively recent addition to the national Rivals staff and has done a great job of giving the network a real boost since his arrival.
Dan McDonald brings more of a regional perspective, having spent a lot of his time covering the Georgia Bulldogs, where Fox spent nine seasons. McDonald also knows the recruiting scene in Georgia and the entire SEC like the back of his hand. If there’s anyone that would have good insight into Fox, it would be him.
David Sisk also brings a regional perspective having covered Vanderbilt, Kentucky, and Minnesota for the Rivals network. Sisk is an SEC guy at heart and has a great feel for what type of coach Fox will be from an X’s and O’s standpoint.
“I’m actually a big fan of Mark. He is one of the more respected figures in the business which is why his firing last year came with somewhat of an uproar by those within the industry. He found great success at Nevada and created a strong culture and foundation at Georgia. His guys are going to play hard and the right way. He is a player’s coach and one that works hard at the various dimensions that make up his job. Good luck finding someone that will say anything negative about him, too. He’s going to be someone that doesn’t favor the quick fix but rather someone that will be about building for the long haul, a task that I believe he will find great success in doing.”-Corey Evans
“Coach Fox is a really good guy and a good basketball coach. He'll bring stability and quality student-athletes to Cal's basketball program. I think he'll do a good job out there. He knows the West Coast from his time at Nevada and other stops before that, so I'm sure he'll hire a good staff to help him get players and compete at a high level in the Pac-12.”-Dan McDonald
“Mark Fox was a really solid hire for California. For starters, he could be more comfortable there than at Georgia, because of his West Coast ties from his previous stints, particularly Nevada. I live in the Nashville area, so I got to see him coach a ton in the SEC. I thought he was one of the top three tacticians in the league. His teams were also on the bubble, but it seemed they played uphill a lot due to a disparity in talent and injuries. He recruited well, but his teams just didn't have the depth. He runs some great stuff out of the flex and stresses defense. I look for his Cal teams in the future to be sound and play hard every time out and eventually get to the NCAA Tournament.”-David Sisk
The main takeaway from their comments is that Fox brings a lot of stability and experience to Berkeley. He’s a well-respected coach in the basketball industry that is committed to doing things the right way. He knows how to put together a real game plan and get his teams to play hard every night. It projects to be a long rebuild for Fox, but given his resume and experience, he definitely deserves the time and patience to turn things around.
