Herb Sendek's tenure at Arizona State has been one filled with many highs and lows.
Under his leadership, ASU made the second round of the NCAA tournament in 2008-2009. The program earned a high seed in the NIT tournament in 2007-2008 and 2009-2010, though the team does not have much to show for it. And perhaps his Sendek's greatest accomplishment was sweeping the Arizona Wildcats in '08.
There have been faults as well. His first season with the program saw the Sun Devils go 2-16 in Pac-10 play. Last year, with multiple starters returning and a run at a conference championship expected by some, the team fell flat on its face and finished in last place once again.
Now, in 2011, the team is projected for the bottom half of the conference and their best incoming player, point guard Jahii Carson, may not be cleared for the regular season.
Is Herb Sendek on the hot seat? Could this really be his final season in Tempe? Doug Gottlieb of ESPN.com thinks it could happen:
ASU had a good three-year run of postseason tournaments going before last season. Jahii Cason is ASU's top recruit, but he has yet to be cleared to play. If he is not, ASU might be the worst team in the Pac-12.
Even with Cason, the Sun Devils have limitations, as much of their offense requires better shooters than they have. Don't get me wrong: Sendek has done a tremendous job at times with subpar talent, even at Arizona State. Turning Eric Boateng into a solid low-post player may be his best work ever, but the bottom has fallen out and Sendek has quietly looked at other jobs the past two offseasons. Meanwhile, his protege Sean Miller is crushing it in recruiting in Tucson, and with that in mind it seems like the end is near for Sendek in Tempe.
While no one in Tempe should realistically expect the Sun Devils to compete yearly with their in-state rivals in Tucson, the fan base certainly expects the program to be competitive within the conference. The attendance at Wells Fargo Arena was miserable last season and the athletic department certainly notices something like that. If Carson cannot play, it could be an ugly season for the program.
All of this being said, Sendek has done a lot for this program and deserves a second chance.