As Danny White was going through the search process for a new coach, one name did keep coming up. The UCF athletic director said on numerous occasions during Thursday’s press conference he was not going to focus in on one candidate, but it became very clear who the Knights needed to bring in and at least interview.
When White conducted the interview with Johnny Dawkins it became clear he ticked off all the boxes White — and as part of his preparation process his discussion with the team — wanted from a new head coach. He said the players wanted someone who would bring an emphasis on the defensive side of the floor, someone who would bring accountability and someone who has played at a high level and won championships.
Dawkins emerged as the man for that job for all those reasons. And maybe a little bit more as Dawkins was one of the most sought-after coaching free agents in the country after his dismissal from Stanford less than two weeks ago.
“Just his level of experience and who he is in basketball,” White said. “The brand that he has built for himself. Before we even started the interview, everyone I talked to said if you can get Johnny Dawkins to come to UCF it’s an absolute no brainer. And that’s what I thought. I got that confirmed from people who, in my opinion, are running basketball programs the right way and having a lot of success. In the interview, what I thought rang true. He’s so genuine and there is so much substance to who he is as a coach and as a person.”
Dawkins has a pedigree that is not comparable to a lot of people.
Dawkins was one of Mike Krzyzewski’s first big players in his tenure at Duke, the team’s MVP for all four years including the team’s first Final Four appearance with Krzyzewski in Dawkins’ senior year of 1986. He helped lay the foundations for what that program would become and eventually found himself as an assistant coach after his playing career in the NBA concluded.
That is pedigree in itself. Dawkins has a connection with some of the elite in college basketball along with an established reputation as a recruiter.
White said Dawkins is a competitor first. That is his reputation as a leader. From a recruiting standpoint his “brand” elevates the program nationally. Having a head coach with his background should be a boost to the Knights and make them instantly relevant.
With UCF also hiring a former Nebraska quarterback in Scott Frost to lead the football team, that winning pedigree carried weight as the team builds up its two major revenue programs.
“Credibility in their sport is really important,” White said. “Having he level of success that they have had has given them that credibility. And being around winning program.s There is a lot of intangibles that result in winning that unless you have been exposed to that, it’s hard to lead that effort. We want to be a winning program so that’s an important part.”
Dawkins had success at Stanford even beyond his win-loss record. His team won two NITs in 2012 and 2015 in addition to a Sweet Sixteen appearance in his lone NCAA Tournament trip in 2014. Dawkins’ eight years at Stanford did not see much tournament success but the team won 20 games four times and hit 19 on one.
His reputation as a leader who helps student athletes grow on and off the court came before him and was a benefit as White made his decision.
When former players and teammates like Jay Bilas, Grant Hill and Christian Laettner come out in support — Grant Hill even telling the Orlando Sentinel he may buy season tickets for UCF — it speaks to the raised profile Dawkins brings.
There will be a lot of work ahead to build some measure of success.
“You never know what is going to happen,” Dawkins said. “I get a lot of credit for what our team accomplished. I’m a big believer in team. No one player can do it by himself. You can be a part of a terrific organization, but that team is why you are successful. For us the same thing applies. We are going to try to find terrific student athletes that can come in and impact what we do. But ultimately it is team success.”
The question of whether the Knights would schedule a home and home with those Duke Blue Devils came up on this first day at work. Both Dawkins and White seemed to demur to each other on that potential. Dawkins has never been afraid to create difficult schedules for his teams to help them prepare for conference season and build a resume. But that question may be best saved for down the road.
Those opportunities have certainly opened up with Dawkins in the lead chair now. He is a person with a very good reputation in college basketball. That was not something that may have been imagined before. The Knights have a coach who will push his team and have the clout to go out and get those kinds of games.
And that was important in bringing in a coach.
Credibility, White said, was a big concern for UCF. The student athletes wanted someone who had been to the apex of their game and share that experience as a college athlete. Duke is the standard bearer for college basketball in many ways and Dawkins’ connection to the program stand out among the crowd.
It was clear the Knights pursued Dawkins diligently once he became available to fill the position. The pedigree was undeniable and UCF now has some strong legitimacy.
None of that will matter once the ball is tipped. The job to make the Knights a mainstay atop the American falls on Dawkins cashing in on the reputation he has already built and the connections that have buttressed his career.
“I think the possibility with this job is unlimited potential,” Dawkins said. “It’s a meaningful opportunity for someone in my position to grow and build something special. I have been a part of it as a player and a part of it as a coach. I want to be a part of that here. I see so much potential for this program. I would like to be the person from my position to help move it in that direction. It’s not going to be just me, it’s going to be our student athletes, our alumni, our fans, our students. We need everyone to accomplish this.”
The work is just beginning.
