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Is Huskies Coach Lorenzo Romar On The Hotseat?

By Steve Lee

Mar 6, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar yells at an official during second half against the UCLA Bruins at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 6, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar yells at an official during second half against the UCLA Bruins at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Starbucks.  Rain.  Space Needle.  SuperSonics. Lorenzo Romar.

Seattle is famous for many things, whether it be coffee, mother nature, architecture, unfairly moved NBA franchises or a long-tenured college basketball coach.  The unfortunate thing is, like the Sonics six years ago, there is a chance that if the 2014-15 edition of the Washington Huskies basketball team isn’t successful, then Lorenzo Romar could be on the hotseat.

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After taking over the Huskies program starting in the 2002 season from Bob Bender, Romar’s first recruiting class brought in what would become a steady streamline of soon to be NBA draft talent.  First up, Brandon Roy and Nate Robinson.  Next on tap, Jon Brockman in 2005, Quincy Pondexter and Spencer Hawes in 2006, Isaiah Thomas in 08, Terrence Ross and C.J. Wilcox in 2010 and most recently Tony Wroten in 2011.  Throw in undrafted players such as Will Conroy, Justin Dentmon and Justin Holiday and Romar’s list of sending players to the pros is very impressive.  The aforementioned list only counts players who moved on to the NBA ranks, Romar, however mentored many more over the past dozen years to overseas professional ranks.

Lorenzo Romar
Mar 6, 2014; Seattle, WA, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Lorenzo Romar yells at an official during second half against the UCLA Bruins at Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Edmundson Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports /

Throughout his tenure at the University of Washington, Romar has been the most successful coach the Huskies has ever had, when it comes to advancing to the March Madness classic.  After getting his feet wet in his first season, Romar’s Huskies made three straight trips to the NCAA Tournament, including one first round loss, followed by back to back Sweet 16 appearances.

Following a couple of “off” years in which the team stumbled through the Pac-10 standings, the Huskies once again made a three year run in the postseason tournament with a Sweet 16 appearance sandwiched between two second round exits.  Nine years on the scene, three sweet 16’s, a pair of second rounds and a opening game exit made Romar and the Huskies a constant on the NCAA list of elite teams.  Throw in a pair of Pac-10 and a Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards and Romar was among the top three coaches on the West Coast since he arrived at Hec Ed Pavillion.

Unfortunately, three years ago things started to fall apart for the Dawgs.  With three soon to be NBA’ers on the roster, the Huskies posted a 24-11 overall record, including going 14-4 in the Pac-12, good enough for the top seed heading into the conference tournament.  Expected by many to advance to the tournament championship and claim a spot in the big dance, the Huskies were outed in their first game of the event to the ninth seeded Oregon State Beavers.  Instead of shining among the top 68 teams of March, Washington participated in the NIT Tournament where they were knocked out in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the Semi-Finals.

The next season, the Romar and the Huskies found themselves treading water in the bottom half of the Pac-12 standings, finishing sixth overall with a 9-9 conference record and 18-16 overall.  This time, the season would be capped off with a first round NIT loss to BYU.

Last season was the third time in his tenure as the Huskies bench boss that Romar’s team did not participate in any post season tournament, finishing 17-15 overall with a 9-9 conference record.  With a slow downward spiral since their 2009-10 team appeared in the Sweet 16, the Huskies need to show some sign of improvement this season in order to help Romar keep his job.  Currently holding six years left on his contract, one might not think that the Washington bench boss is going anywhere.  While he has done a great job preparing his team for the future, with the 2015 recruiting class ranking in the top ten by many experts, the Huskies will need at least, if they are lucky, a NIT visit if Lorenzo Romar plans to be around to guide the next wave of talent.