CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Now the student has become the master.
On Thursday Dean Smith officially announced that he will be retiring as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heel's. In his place steps assistant coach Bill Guthridge, who has been an assistant at Carolina for the past 30 years. In a move to ensure a smooth continuity to the program, Smith recommended Guthridge's name to North Carolina Athletic Director Bill Baddeur. UNC's chancellor Michael Hooker approved and now Guthridge must be approved by the Board of Trustees.
"Coach Guthridge has been a part of the Tar Heel's staff for 30 years and he has been instrumental in all aspects of the programs success," UNC athletic director Richard Baddour said. "He has learned well from the master and he is ready and eager to do the job."
While details of the contract have not been finalized, Guthridge will definitely be around for more than just this season. Many high profile coaches such as Philadelphia 76er's coach Larry Brown, Kansas coach Roy Williams and South Carolina's Eddie Fogler have been rumored to succeed Smith, but it is Guthridge who will soon have the multi-year contract.
"Eddie Fogler, Roy Williams, Larry Brown, [UNC assistant] Phil Ford and myself all enthusiastically recommended Bill Guthridge to be the head basketball coach," Smith said. "Coach Guthridge is a real positive person, and I think that will help the team. He will maintain the stability and continuity of the program."
Guthridge played high school basketball for legendary coach Harold Johnson one of the innovators of the zone press. It was in high school where he first crossed paths with Dean Smith.
"The first time I met Dean Smith was when I was a sophomore in high school," Guthridge said. "My basketball coach took us to Kansas to see the University of Kansas play Colorado. That was the first college basketball game I saw. My sister was a student there at the time and had a few dates with Dean and I met him that night. Our paths continued to cross after that. By the way, I'm glad that they didn't get married. That wouldn't have worked out for either one of them."
Guthridge played for Kansas State and reached the Final Four in 1958. He became an assistant coach at Kansas State under Tex Winters and helped the Wildcats to the 1964 Final Four. Guthridge came to UNC in 1967 as a freshman coach and co-assistant varsity coach. Ending up with his first head coaching job after 30 years was not what Guthridge had in mind.
"I didn't stay around here for 30 years hoping Dean would leave so that I could be the head coach." Guthridge said. "This wasn't the way I envisioned it. I always imagined that Dean and I would go out together, ride into the sunset in five or six years, My goal was to go out when he did, but I'm not ready to go yet."
An important factor Guthridge will have to deal with is recruiting new players and trying to convince them to come to North Carolina, especially after the loss of Smith. Guthridge should have no problems in this area. For years, Guthridge has been instrumental in recruiting players for the Tar Heels.
"Coach Guthridge is the best I have ever seen in selecting potential in high school players" says Smith. "He has a keen sense of which ones will be very good players and which ones may be overrated. He has saved many scholarships when he has suggested backing off certain players, and of course, has selected some great ones who matriculated at Chapel Hill"
Guthridge inherits another talented Carolina team. He will try to continue the legacy that Dean Smith leaves behind. Guthridge is not worried about following in the footsteps of a legend and after working with Smith for years he doesn't plan to change much, so look for more of the same from Carolina.
"It is of course very difficult to follow the greatest coach of all time," Guthridge said. "My philosophy and style will be almost identical to his, which is only natural after coaching alongside him for so many years and having had some input into those things which have gone on. "
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