Doherty, who led Notre Dame to the finals of the NIT in his first season as a head coach, knows he wasn't North Carolina's first choice. I don't think Matt would have gotten the job if he were still an assistant at Kansas. It is hard to know exactly how you're going to react as a head coach when you're an assistant. I found that true. The program was in a bind when Williams took a week in July before deciding to remain at Kansas, and NBA coaches Larry Brown and George Karl were not viable options.
Family is a big thing here.
Well, I was creating my family there. The departure of assistants Phil Ford, Dave Hanners and Pat Sullivan created some friction at first. You have to see what that person is all about first. He'll sit in the chair Friday against Winthrop that was occupied by either Smith or Guthridge the past 39 seasons. His personality is different, but that's good.