Oregon Ducks' Dana Altman Nearing Retirement? 3 Potential Replacements

An up-and-comer in the coaching business, Ross Hodge is in his second season in the lead chair for the North Texas Mean Green. Hodge picked up where former UNT coach Grant McCasland left off and has the Mean Green currently sitting second in the American Athletic Conference, one game back of Memphis.

UNT is 21-6 this year and was 19-15 last season in Hodge's first year at the helm. Only 44 year old, Hodge has all the makings of a special coach with his ability to win and win often. Hodge doesn't have much in terms of connections with Oregon, but in this day and age of college basketball, ties to a university or region isn't as important as it once was.

2. Niko Medved; Colorado State

Niko Medved is the most experienced coach on the list and has also been one of the more interesting names of the past few coaching carousels. Medved has led Colorado State over the last seven seasons and has been fairly successful in Fort Collins. He has won 20 games or more four times and with the Rams currently holding a 19-9 record, it seems likely he will make it five times.

Medved has plenty of time left on his clock as he is only 51 years old and would be considered to be a safe hire. One big knock on Medved is his lack of tournament appearances. He's racked up only two NCAA tournament appearances in his 12 seasons of coaching at the Division I level.

3. Chris Gerlufsen; San Francisco

If Altman does decide to hang up the clipboard at the season's conclusion, one name that Ducks fans should be clamroing for is San Francisco's Chris Gerlufsen. Relatively young in his head coaching career, Gerlufsen enters his third season as San Francisco's head coach and is only 48 years old.

Gerlufsen has won 20 games in each of the three seasons he's been in the Bay, and is one of the most exciting coaches rising up. USF stands with a 23-7 record and is tied with Gonzaga for second place in the WCC. The Pennsylvania native has spent the last 10 years coaching on the West Coast with stops at Hawai'i, San Diego, and USF and holds strong ties to the region.

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