Somewhere, next coach is developing

Wearing subdued neckties and three-piece suits with flare-bottom slacks, then-seniors Randy Wiel, Dudley Bradley and Ged Doughton graced the cover of the 1978-79 North Carolina basketball media guide.

Inside, on page 26, there's a small photograph of a 28-year-old coaching staff rookie. The Carolina sports publicity department, to its credit, was able to put together four paragraphs of information on Roy Williams.

That biographical sketch was half the size of the adjacent photo. It's mentioned that Williams, a 1972 UNC grad, had been a member of the 1968-69 freshman team, had coached at Owen High near Asheville for five seasons and that he and wife Wanda were parents of a son, Scott.

A few years later, in the 1981-82 media guide, Williams had worked his way up to six paragraphs and a bigger, more flattering mug shot. With the arrival of daughter Kimberly, the family had grown, too. There also was a quote from the boss.

"Roy is a highly organized person who has all the characteristics of a great coach," Dean Smith said.

Who knew, huh?

Maybe Smith did. Where personnel were concerned, Smith's record was every bit as impressive as his courtside winning percentage.

But six years later, when Smith convinced Kansas, his alma mater, to hire Williams, with no collegiate head coaching experience beyond the junior varsity team, lots of folks thought the Jayhawks were taking a big risk.

I certainly did.

Williams, then 38, was taking over a national championship team that was about to go on probation for violations committed by another former Carolina aide, Larry Brown. Williams was confronting a challenge with enough pressure to eat veteran coaches alive.

And he was no veteran.

He was the No. 3 man on a Carolina staff that was up to five. Most Carolina fans knew Williams only as the lost-looking guy who got to sit next to Bill Guthridge and was a good partner to draw in a captain's choice golf tournament.

Smith never wavered. He applauded Kansas' decision, predicted big things for the coach and said he'd like to some day see Williams at a Final Four.

It took Williams only three years to arrange that. On March 30, 1991, in Indianapolis, his team whipped the Tar Heels in the semifinals before losing to Duke in the national championship game.

That was a weekend of emotional extremes for Williams. Smith lost his temper near the end of the game and was ejected with a few seconds remaining. But before leaving the playing area, Smith went to the Kansas bench, embraced Williams and congratulated each Jayhawk.

An hour after the game, Williams was still visibly distraught. He thought his lifelong hero had been treated badly by official Pete Pavia and repeatedly vowed his everlasting allegiance to Smith.

I couldn't help but think back to the ironic nature of that 1991 Final Four when Carolina announced Thursday that Williams, now 56, had agreed to a contract extension that probably means that he, like Smith, will coach at Carolina until his retirement.

Both parties are winners with this agreement.

Already a coaching icon, Williams will be a living legend by the time the contract expires in 2015.

He'll probably never match Smith's 879 wins, but chances are he'll win at least one more NCAA title and keep the Tar Heels among the nation's elite programs.

Pete Brennan, a star on Carolina's 1957 undefeated title team, was in Raleigh on Thursday for induction into the state's Sports Hall of Fame. He made an interesting observation about the Tar Heels' coaching lineage.

"Good coaches somehow know a way to find other good coaches," Brennan said. "Frank McGuire found Dean Smith, and then Dean found Bill Guthridge and Roy. I don't think you write that sort of thing off to blind luck."

Which makes you wonder: As Williams piles up wins and chases championships, are he and Smith quietly keeping an eye out for someone to recommend as the next in line?

My guess is yes, and it probably will turn out to be a person with what is now about a four-paragraph resume.