Ben Johnson has had a rough go in his four years as Minnesota Golden Gophers basketball coach. With brutal home losses to North Texas, Washington, Penn State, and Northwestern, it’s been an up-and-down season, to say the least. The Ohio State end-of-game debacle at home, Johnson has compiled a 22-54 (28.9%) Big Ten record in four seasons. While some things haven’t gone right this season, there have also been some good moments.
Following wins over ranked Oregon and Michigan, the Gophers further demonstrated their progress by breaking a long-standing drought, defeating Iowa in Iowa City for the first time since the 2014-15 season. They also went on their California road trip and beat both USC and UCLA, the only other Big Ten team to do that is Michigan. Dawson Garcia has established himself as one of the Big Ten’s elite players and deserves postseason recognition.
“Something Special”: Seth Davis’s Big Endorsement of Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson’s future with the Gophers is yet to be determined. Still, national college basketball analyst Seth Davis seems to have a strong opinion on the job that he has done at Minnesota this season.
“Ben Johnson has done an incredible job with this team. One of the elite coaches in one of the toughest jobs in America,” he posted on X following Minnesota’s win over Nebraska on Saturday.
Johnson has faced a boatload of adversity throughout his four seasons as head coach of the Gophers. Elijah Hawkins and Pharrel Payne went to the transfer portal and Cam Christie left for the NBA last off-season, which forced him to replace three of his top four players. After being picked to finish last in the Big Ten conference, a 7-11 record is pretty impressive and deserves some praise.
Based on coaching a school with one of the lowest NIL totals in the Big Ten and some unfortunate injury luck, you could call him underrated, but calling him “elite” seems to be a bit far-fetched, as he has never coached a team to the NCAA Tournament.
Davis is a well-respected voice in the college basketball media landscape with more than 300,000 followers on X, so his opinion does hold some weight.
Though Ben Johnson has demonstrated undeniable recruiting prowess, securing talents like Cam Christie, Dawson Garcia, and Elijah Hawkins (before transfer), his future will be determined by game results. Coupled with rumored increases in Gopher NIL funding, the pivotal question remains: is it enough? A strong showing in the Big Ten Tournament would significantly bolster his position.
If the Gophers do part ways with Ben Johnson there should be a long list of coaches interested in this unique position. While the position faces hurdles, including an outdated arena, NIL limitations, and a crowded sports market, it also presents significant opportunities.
Now the Gophers find themselves on a four-game road winning streak with a home game vs #12 Wisconsin and a road game vs Rutgers. They currently sit in 11th place with a chance to move up to 9th depending on what Ohio State and Indiana do in their next games. To secure an NCAA Tournament bid, the Gophers must make a deep run in the Big Ten Tournament, likely requiring a championship or semifinal appearance with their current 15-win record. It’s a daunting task, but this team’s demonstrated ability to overcome adversity offers a glimmer of hope.
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