Randy Bennett hire grades for Arizona State basketball coach revealed

How did Arizona State fare in its hiring of Randy Bennett as men's basketball coach? USA TODAY Sports is grading all of the men's college basketball head coaching hires for this cycle, and it is high on the Sun Devils' hiring of Bennett, who was previously at Saint Mary's. The site gave ASU an A- for the hire, the highest grade so far for any recent coach hire.

Craig Meyer wrote: "For all of their inherent advantages — an enormous and famously fun school in one of the country’s biggest cities — the Sun Devils have been a basketball afterthought for much of their recent history, having not earned better than a No. 10 seed in the NCAA tournament since 2009 when James Harden was suiting up for them. With Bennett, there’s reason to believe better days should be ahead.

Bennett completely transformed Saint Mary’s, leading a program with three all-time NCAA tournament appearances at the time of his hiring in 2001 to the Big Dance 12 times in his final 22 seasons there. He did so with a distinct and consistent identity, with plodding, tough-minded teams built around strong defenses and international players. The question becomes how transferable is that blueprint from the West Coast Conference to the Big 12, especially at a school with so little historical success, but Bennett’s fully capable of doing what so many haven’t in Tempe.

" Cincinnati's hire of Utah State's Jerrod Calhoun also earned an A- in USA TODAY Sports' coaching hire grades. What to know: Arizona State names new men's basketball coach Arizona State basketball gets 'proven winner' in Randy Bennett USA TODAY Sports isn't the only site high on ASU's hire of Bennett. Clutch Points wrote that ASU "landed a proven winner" in Bennett, while giving the hire an A.