U.S.U. fires mens basketball coach.

[50 yr fan]

This is how a real sports department handles a losing coach, even if it costs 3OOK+. You do it and go looking for a winner, not continue to destroy the fan and donor base of a once proud athletic department and school. GO BENGALS

 

[otis campbell]

Rahe?

 

[SLCBengal]

Brad Rock of the Deseret News wrote an interesting column after the firing...

Every school has its issues, but recruiting high-level players to USU is daunting. It’s a fine university with a wonderful vibe, both on campus and in the arena. But recruiting against warm-weather UNLV and San Diego State on most years is a chore. New Mexico and Fresno State have strong basketball reputations. Boise State — thanks to its football program — is a bigger national brand.

This year SDSU and Nevada are going to the NCAA Tournament, BSU to the NIT.

USU is going looking for a coach.

Whether USU can do better than middle of the MWC is dubious. The Aggies say they’re conducting a national search. While they’re at it, they should conduct a search for their mojo. That went out the window once the competition went up.

Read more: Deseret News: Mountain West was too big a leap for Aggies, Duryea

 

[SLCBengal]

Speaking of the Mountain West, Rodney Terry of Fresno State left to become the head coach at UTEP. Seems like a lateral move, at best, but Marek Warszawski of the Fresno Bee explains what UTEP has that Fresno State doesn't...

In other words, it would be a lateral move at best and maybe a step down. So why would Terry, 126-108 overall and the third-winningest coach in Fresno State history, even take UTEP's phone call?

Fan support is just one ingredient in this stew. Bulldogs basketball doesn't get much administrative support, either. Terry's budget ranks in the bottom third of the MW, which means less money for recruiting, scheduling and travel. Also, his team lacks a dedicated practice facility. When SMC isn't available due to concerts or events, men's basketball shares the North Gym with other teams. The Bulldogs don't even have a locker room at the North Gym. Another project that didn't get done.

Other MW programs have their own dedicated hardwood space, as does UTEP. No sharing necessary. And by the way, UTEP spends about $800,000 more per year on men's basketball than Fresno State, and attendance was slightly higher (6,155) even in a season when the Miners finished 11-20.

Fresno Bee: UTEP?! Why Fresno State coach Rodney Terry could be looking for the exit door

 

[otis campbell]

Just read mwwire article, seems the new coach will have to equal or surpass Stew Morrill to keep his job.

 

[Skippy]

Just read mwwire article, seems the new coach will have to equal or surpass Stew Morrill to keep his job.

Morrill succeeded largely by being the big fish in the little WAC pond. The MWC is a different challenge. Whoever they hire, USU is going to have to up the pay. According to the Brad Rock article linked above, Duryea was making a base salary of $227 K -- that's less than Don Verlin makes at Idaho -- and about $150 K less than Randy Rahe makes at Weber State.

 

[otis campbell]

Tall order any way you look at it. Will be interesting to see who they choose, how much he gets, and the changes USU will have to come up with in order to get a coach who can win 3/4 of all games. Duryea's record was 48-49.

 

[JJB]

Those articles illustrate that ISU isn't alone with problems we sometimes think are only ours. They might be on a different scale, but they exist.

I understand the Brad Rock column is strictly opinion, but he also conveniently leaves out Wyoming as an example. They have 4 winning seasons out of the last 5, 3 of them 20+ win seasons, and 1 19 win season. They're not a power, but I know it's not easy to recruit to Laramie either.

Stew had the right formula when he was in the Big West, and then the WAC. It didn't translate to a bigger and better conference, but I think somebody can make it work there.