It has become almost commonplace that successful head coaches can have their sons take over for them upon retirement. Some might think it is deal made with the devil, but in a couple of recent instances it has worked out well. Last night Tony Bennet and Keno Davis got huge wins for their teams and made their father’s proud.
Tony Bennet led his Washington State Cougars to a win over Gonzaga, 51-47. He has picked up where he left off last year and has the Cougars undefeated after eight games. This could be a team that slips into the Final Four, much like his father’s Wisconsin team.
Another big win was Drake over Iowa State, 79-44. The Bulldogs were moribound until Dr. Tom Davis took over and led them to their first winning season last year. Some questioned his son’s inexperience, but he has quickly silenced the critics after a 6-1 start.
Watching both teams there is no question that both Tony and Keno paid close attention to how their father’s ran programs. Time will tell if they have the same type of legacies as Dr. Tom and Dick Bennett. They’re off to a good start.
One son who has struggled is Sean Sutton at Oklahoma State. Since taking over for his father he has been beset by players with off court problems as well as injuries. The flip side of following your father into the profession is that they are usually big shoes to fill. The Cowboys need a quick turnaround to get Coach Sutton off the hot seat.
