Andy Kennedy has Ole Miss where he planned for Cincinnati

Two and a half years ago something happened to one of the greatest people in the world of college basketball. 

Bob Huggins' latest DUI was a blessing in disguise for the University of Cincinnati.

Not only would they have a perfectly okay reason to get rid of the coach who had graduated less than five percent of his basketball players, but also the guy that would replace him was primed and ready to coach in big-time college basketball.

Enter Andy Kennedy.

Kennedy, the former UAB shooting guard would lead his former team’s rival on the court as head basketball coach of the University of Cincinnati.  Kennedy was an assistant under Huggins from 2001 to 2005 and was his recruiting coordinator so-to-speak.

Finally, Kennedy's coaching career had reached a pinnacle. The guy who started at the University of South Alabama twelve years prior had finally gotten his dream job.

That season as interim coach for the Bearcats, his team went 21-13, 8-8 in the Big East and made an appearance in the NIT quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden.  

However, at the end of the season, despite strong student and alumni support, UC President Nancy Zimpher and Athletics Director Mike Thomas opted to not give Kennedy the permanent head coaching position.

His dream job was no longer his job. What could Kennedy do? 

With his success at Cincinnati, Kennedy didn’t have to look for jobs. Jobs began looking for him. And when the Ole Miss Rebels came calling, Kennedy answered.

Last season, the Rebels made vast improvements in their basketball program.  Kennedy took a team that had previously won 14 games to the SEC tournament and a berth in the NIT, where the Rebels made a second round appearance before falling to Clemson.

This season, the Rebels are sitting at 14-1, losing only to seventh ranked Tennessee on the road at the buzzer. 

Kennedy has matured into a great coach to go along with his great personality.

He was named the 2007 SEC Coach of the Year, and it couldn't have happened to a better guy.