For years, Scott Drew has been viewed as a monster on the recruiting trail that is unable to effectively coach his team. But for those that closely follow Baylor, that is a ridiculous statement.

Since the 2009-10 season, Drew has led the Baylor Bears to five NCAA tournaments, with a Sweet Sixteen appearance, and two trips to the Elite Eight.

The job Drew has done at Baylor cannot be understated. He took over the team in 2003 after former head coach David Bliss resigned following a scandal in which a player was murdered by his teammate. The Bears were hit with significant sanctions by the NCAA, including reduced scholarships and recruiting visits, a suspension of postseason play, and probation until 2010.

Drew took a program that received one of the harshest punishments in NCAA Div. I history, and turned it in to a competitive team in just four years, despite the heavy sanctions against the program. In his fifth year as head coach, he brought the Bears their first winning season in seven years, leading them to a 21-11 record, and their first NCAA tournament berth since the 1987-88 season. Since his first winning season at Baylor in 2007-08, Drew is 194-91 as head coach.

Scott Drew’s Baylor Bears are now in the midst of one of the best starts in program history. After beginning the season 15-0, the Bears earned their first No. 1 ranking in program history, and appear primed to challenge Kansas for the Big 12 title.

This is a Baylor team that didn’t receive a single preseason top-25 vote, and has managed to climb the rankings all the way up to No. 1 by Jan. 9. So far the Bears are tied for the most top-25 wins in the nation with five, and the No. 1 ranking was just one of the goals this team set out to accomplish.

“The goal was always to go to Final Fours, win national championships, reach No. 1,” Drew said. “But you don’t always achieve what you set out to do.”

“I think this team is capable of beating anybody. From the standpoint of leadership, chemistry, and depth – it doesn’t guarantee that we’ll finish in the Elite Eight or the Final Four, but we have the potential if we keep getting better each and every day, to do that.”

From unranked to No. 1 in the nation, Scott Drew has done an incredible job with a group of overlooked high school players. The ability to develop young players, and have them buy in to the system and play has a team has lead them to an incredible start to the season, and arguably the best resume in the nation.

The jury is still out on the best coach in the country, but one thing is certain, Scott Drew has earned the right this season the be in the conversation as Coach of the Year.