UCLA Bruins Basketball: Is It Too Early to Put Ben Howland on the Hot Seat?

At most colleges, winning 70 percent of your games wouldn't put you on the proverbial hot seat.

Ben Howland doesn't coach at most colleges. He is the head basketball coach at UCLA.

While full bodies of work count for something in Westwood, the Bruins fans may be asking of Howland, "What have you done for me lately?"

In the last three years, Howland has posted a 63-40 record, taking the Bruins to the NCAA Tournament twice, both times advancing to the Round of 32. Those aren't horrible numbers at most colleges. But Howland leads the program at a university that has 11 NCAA Championship banners hanging from the rafters, none of which have been hoisted since the mid-90s...and Howland arrived in 2003.

Borrowed Time?

Ben Howland is entering his ninth season running the show at UCLA. No coach in the post-John Wooden era has lasted longer than eight seasons.

Coaching Tenures (Records)

• Gene Bartow: Two years (52-9)
• Gary Cunningham: Two years (50-8)
• Larry Brown: Two years (42-17)
• Larry Farmer: Three years (61-23)
• Walt Hazzard: Four years (77-47)
• Jim Harrick: Eight years (192-62)
• Steve Lavin: Seven years (145-78)  

What about that exceptional three-year run that the Bruins had from 2005-08, where UCLA was the NCAA runner-up once and made it to the Final Four the other two years? That stretch may be what has preserved the 17-year head coaching veteran's current position.

Howland's coaching philosophy is based on rough-edged man-to-man defense that isn't always pretty to watch. Many fans think that's all fine and good when you're winning 97 games in three Pac-10 Championship years (2005-08 combined record). They aren't nearly as drawn to that gritty style when you haven't finished higher than second in league play since Obama moved into the White House. 

Homeless for a Season

The renovation of Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins's once-charming home, is displacing the team for the entire 2011-12 season. This is, on the positive side, an inconvenience for everyone.

ESPN's Peter Yoon reports that UCLA will be playing their "home games" at three different off-campus sites (14 games at the Sports Arena, four at the Honda Center in Anaheim and one at Citizen's Business Bank Arena in Ontario). Starting center Joshua Smith has already stated that he is not that impressed with the Sports Arena.

Also, the team has to practice at the men's gym at the campus's Student Activities Center. The floor there is a "high school-length court with walls directly behind the baskets." 

High Expectations

The Bruins are picked to win the Pac-12 in the expanded conference's first season. Most coaches would rather someone else be chosen in such preseason predictions. 

UCLA's pre-Pac 12 schedule has a few challenges. The Bruins open the Maui Invitational against Michigan. If they win that game, they most likely will face Duke in the second round. They also face Texas on December 3rd.

If Howland works through all of this and has a mildly successful 2011-12, he will be safe.

But if this season wobbles in Westwood, and the Bruins disappoint, will we see a new coach to go with the new Pauley Pavillion?

It is more than possible.