Jamie Dixon, Coach Howland's protege (his first assistant when he was a coach at Pitt) is thriving as the head coach for the Panthers. He just got a contract extension:

Pittsburgh basketball coach Jamie Dixon's contract was extended three seasons through the 2015-16 season Thursday, a deal that came two years following his last extension.

Dixon will receive a raise from his $1.3 million salary of last season, when he was the university's highest-paid employee.

Pitt may have felt an urgency to extend Dixon's contract so soon after giving him an extension through the 2012-13 season in March 2006 because other Big East coaches were beginning to sign more lucrative contracts.

West Virginia coach Bob Huggins' contract, for example, guarantees him at least $20 million over 10 years, including $1.5 million this year.

Dixon has had his salary more than doubled the last three years. Pitt substantially upgraded his salary after Arizona State and Missouri made overtures about hiring him following the 2005-06 season.

Before that, Dixon -- who had no major college head coaching experience before being hired by Pitt in 2003 -- was making about $600,000 per season.

Lot of times you can tell a lot about a great head coach judging by the assistants coming out of his program. Coach had Danny Crum doing well at Louisiville. Even Harrick (an assistant for the Coach) won banner number 11. Dean Smith had assistants like Larry Brown and Roy Williams.

Coach Howland's assistant has already proven himself at Pitt. Kerry Keating is a good bet to successful at a mid major like Santa Clara?

Coach K's Ratface's coaching tree? So far it has only produced flameouts like Tommy Amaker (fired from Michigan) and Quinn Snyder (fired from Missouri). No one knows whether Johnny Dawkins will be successful at Stanford.

Something to consider when comparing Howland to the most over-rated and celebrated college head coach by DSPN's hype machine. It might happen if UCLA-Duke gets matched up against each other in the 2K Sports Classic.

Go Bruins!!!!