The school’s all-time winningest coach will step down after this season. Barring a near-miracle, he will never have reached a Final Four in 23 years.
In an increasingly complicated and compromised profession, Mike Brey kept his coaching philosophy simple and unwavering. “Go to class and don’t turn the ball over, and we’ll get along fine,” went the mantra. He ran a clean program and preferred clean basketball, and Notre Dame has benefitted greatly from his 23-year tenure.
Thursday afternoon, the school announced that Brey will step aside at season’s end. When that time time comes, Notre Dame’s all-time winningest men’s basketball coach will have nearly 500 victories at the school, about 100 victories more than runner-up Digger Phelps.