New Candidate Emerging To Replace Buzz Williams?

Before his time at Charleston, Mack had stints at Xavier and Louisville. With the Musketeers, Mack led the team to the NCAA Tournament all but one year. Mack’s success did not translate to Louisville, however. Mack finished only four years of his seven-year contract before he and the Cardinals mutually parted ways.

In his first season with the Charleston Cougars, Mack led the team to a respectable 24-9 record while missing the NCAA Tournament.

In his career, Mack has been named Big East Coach of the Year and Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. He has also received the Henry Iba Award and the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award.

A Mack-coached team tends to play hard-nosed, physical, man-to-man defense while emphasizing efficient shot selection and ball movement. While Mack’s philosophy on defense aligns with what Williams preached in his time at A&M, his offensive scheme is a stark change of pace.

A&M’s roster is wide open after it lost eight players to graduation and four to the transfer portal. If Mack ends up being the hire, he is free to bring in whoever he wants to fill out the dwindled roster. A player that could make an immediate impact is Charleston sophomore guard Deywilk Tavarez.

The Pennsauken, New Jersey native averaged 12.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists this past season. With the departure of senior guards Wade Taylor IV and Zhuric Phelps, Tavarez could follow his coach, should he choose the Aggies.

For Mack, making the jump to the stacked SEC and reassembling a blank-slate program can be exactly what he needs to rebuild his reputation.