Second honeymoon over for Billy Donovan

Never have I seen a college basketball game in which one team thoroughly outcoached, outplayed, and outmanaged the other so totally– and lost. Never.

Despite the fact that Florida seemingly had the game locked up with 35 seconds to go, up by nine; despite the fact that Kentucky had started only 1 out of 19 from three-point range, tying the worst start to a game in school history; despite the fact that Florida led the entire way, including by as much as 16 during the first half; despite the fact that Ramel Bradley, who entered the game hitting better than 86% of his free throws, went 3-8 from the line, Kentucky had a shot at the buzzer to force overtime. And it comes down to coaching.Out of every single time out in the second half, whether television or team, with one exception, Kentucky came out stronger. Almost every time Florida coach Billy Donovan and Kentucky coach Tubby Smith had that chance to draw up a play, Kentucky came out ahead.

Whether it was Ramel Bradley stealing the inbounds pass with 20 seconds to go after Smith called a time out to hit a second consecutive three or it was the bad pass turnover on the inbounds seconds later, Kentucky was a step ahead of Florida at all times.

Yet somehow, by the grace of missing nine unguarded three-pointers and countless other free throws and layups, Kentucky lost 64-61 despite completely outplaying Florida for almost the entire game. And it all comes down to the coaching.

Billy Donovan is inept. Inept. Never was he otherwise.

In the five years between losing to Michigan State in the title game and beating UCLA in the title game, Billy Donovan never got passed the second round and never lost to a team that wasn’t seeded lower than his team.

In 2001, 11-seed Temple defeated his third-seeded Gators in the second round. In 2002, 12-seed Creighton knocked off Florida in the first round. In 2003, Florida lost as a two seed in the second round to seventh-seeded Michigan State, the same team that beat him in the title game just three years earlier. Then in 2004, Florida again went out in the first round, again against a 12 seed, this time to Manhattan. And in 2005, the fourth-seeded Gators lost in the second round to fifth-seeded Villanova.

And so you know, in 2000, when they made the title game, the Gators won with a driving layup in overtime in the first round against 12-seed Butler as time expired when there should have been an offensive foul called.

Yet Billy Donovan still had his job.

Additionally, each of those teams was filled with McDonalds All-Americans, having had a total of nine commit before winning the title. And most of those didn’t develop at all, flopping and bringing the Gators down with them.

And that is Billy Donovan’s fault.

Yes, he is a great recruiter. Yes, he knows how to scout and find the top talent. But that isn’t the only job of a coach.

Bobby Knight lost Larry Bird and won two national titles since then. Bobby Knight never had the best recruiting class. Bobby Knight has the most wins ever because he can coach.

All Billy Donovan can do is recruit.

And last night showed it perfectly: the most talented team in the country with the worst coach looked lost, giving its opponent open look after open look, turning the ball over when there was nobody around, and never making that extra pass to find the open man, and still won because the other team missed every shot it took.

Kentucky manhandled Florida, controlling the game almost from start to finish, and never led, not at any point, and lost.

You can’t get luckier than that if you’re Florida.

Unless, of course, Kentucky fires Tubby Smith and hires away Billy Donovan.

But the honeymoon is over for Billy Donovan. He is fair game again.

Especially if he coaches like he did Saturday. Especially if this team loses again in the second round.