Who’s Next @ Missouri State?

Update # 2 – Is It Powell’s Job?

We have not been able to confirm that Powell has been interviewed, nor can we confirm that he has been offered the Missouri State head coaching position. What we do know is a mid major assistant coach is in the process of considering joining Powell in Springfield, Missouri. That could merely be an optimistic Powell offering a ‘what if’ scenario to a friend. We do not know.

Vanderbilt head coach Bryce Drew describes Powell in glowing terms.

“Coach Powell is a former NBA player who brings great energy to the program,” said Drew.  “He is fantastic on the floor with the players and does a tremendous job on the road recruiting with players being drawn to his positive personality.”

While Powell has never been a head coach at the collegiate level, he has spent two summers as the head coach for Athletes In Action teams that have toured Eastern Europe. When Drew and Powell were together at Valparaiso, the Crusaders won 122 games in five seasons.

During the two year stint at Vanderbilt, the Commodores have been a pedestrian 31-36.

Breaking News – Powell Has Interviewed!

In the last few moments, we have been told that Roger Powell has already interviewed for the Missouri State Bears’ head coaching position. We haven’t confirmed with more than one source, but someone we would call ‘a very good’ source, brings us this breaking information. 

(St. Louis, MO) – While over 100 Division 1 college basketball teams are preparing for postseason basketball, Missouri State is preparing for the future. President Clif Smart and Athletic Director Kyle Moats are looking for a new head basketball coach.

Many of us are speculating as to the type of coach they are pursuing and suggestions are coming from all quarters, so why shouldn’t we at ValleyHoopsInsider.com weigh in? There have been humorous and serious approaches by our friend Wyatt Wheeler at the Springfield News Leader (you should read this!) and other less tethered to reality on-line provocateurs that will spout about anything on line. Well, like this tweet.

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There is a perfect place to rehab his image. No threat of bribing players to come… @MSUBearsHoops baby! Hey Rick, you love to coach and want to prove you’re not in it for the ‘dirty underbelly’. Springfield, MO Sir is the place for you!

— Harry Schroeder (@FatherHarry1) March 10, 2018

 

Oh wait that was my post.

So, what kind of coach are Smart and Moats looking for? Is it the Dan Muller (2012) ‘young, up and coming assistant’ from a power 5 conference? Is it the Niko Medved (2017) established winner at a lower major conference, that is looking to move up? Are they looking for a Porter Moser (2011) a former head coach that struggled his first time around, but has picked up tips from a hall-of-fame type mentor?

There are other models and here are some of the top names we’ve been hearing.

Steve Woodberry – Wake Forest Assistant Coach

The 46-year-old Woodberry spent six seasons as an assistant at Missouri State, serving under Barry Hinson, Cuonzo Martin and Paul Lusk. Since 2012 he has worked with Danny Manning, first at Tulsa and now at Wake. Woodberry was a part of two, Final Fours as a player at Kansas (where he met Manning). While working with Martin, the Bears were the 2011 MVC regular season champions.

Steve Lutz – Purdue Assistant Coach

After spending seven seasons at Creighton, the 44-year-old Lutz was hired by Purdue’s Matt Painter. Widely regarded as a superior recruiter, he held previous postitions at SMU and Stephen F. Austin. He has worked primarily with forwards at both Creighton and Purdue. His time at Creighton included four seasons in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Steve Forbes – Head Coach East Tennessee State – (74-28)

Forbes has traveled the country coaching basketball. He has been at junior colleges (130-34 as a junior college head coach), assisted at high majors like Texas A&M and Tennessee, twice he was an assistant in the Missouri Valley Conference (Illinois State and Wichita State) and he now leads an ETSU team that is 42-12 in three conference seasons. He is the top choice on this list, however a recent contract extension to a salary of $650,000 and a buyout believed to be $500,000 seems to be a disqualifier for the Bears.

Richie Riley – Nicholls State Head Coach – (35-27)

Riley just wrapped up the Southland Conference regular season and Tournament titles and received the conference’s ‘Coach of the Year’ award. The 35-year-old Riley has been an assistant at both UAB and Clemson before nabbing the Nicholls State job. He played in the Ohio Valley Conference at Eastern Kentucky.

Greg Heiar – LSU Assistant Coach

The long time Wichita State assistant is serving his first season under Will Wade at LSU. Bears fans know how good the Shockers have been and Heiar has been a major part of Gregg Marshall’s coaching staff. He won over 160 games in five seasons as a head coach at Chipola (Florida) Junior College. Five times he was named Panhandle Conference Coach of the Year. Haier is 41.

Scott Sutton – Oklahoma State Assistant Coach

The youngest of the ‘Sutton Boys’ (father, Eddie Sutton was the long time Oklahoma State coach) owns an impressive head coaching record at Oral Roberts of 328-247. However, during his last two seasons in Tulsa, the Golden Eagles stumbled to 22-39. In 18 seasons, he led ORU to three NCAA Tournaments and took them to postseason on five other occasions. Prior to becoming the head coach at ORU, he was an assistant under both Bill Self and former Bears’ coach Barry Hinson. Sutton will be 48 in June.

Dana Ford – Tennessee State Head Coach – (57-64)

Don’t let his winning percentage scare you. He took over a bad Tigers team and since his first season (5-26) this former Illinois State and Wichita State assistant is 52 and 38. Still not gawdy, but Ford can recruit. His teams play with passion and they know how to defend. He played collegiately at Illinois State. The 37-year-old Ford is one of the profession’s rising stars.

Roger Powell – Vanderbilt Assistant Coach

A player at Illinois, Powell is working in his seventh season under Bryce Drew. He labored with Drew at Valparaiso and then joined his staff at Vandy. There seems to be a lot of momentum behind this selection, though there is very little to go on. He is listed as Drew’s ‘Associate Head Coach’ which typically leads you to believe he is being groomed for a head coaching position and was given that title and pay raise to drive away potential suitors. Powell is 35. The Commodores were 12-20 this season.

Earl Grant – Head Coach – College of Charleston – (77-55)

Yet another coach with ties to Wichita State and the Valley. Grant worked with WSU head coach Gregg Marshall at both Winthrop and in Wichita. When he left Marshall’s staff in 2010 he became an assistant at Clemson. The 41-year-old Grant has led the Cougars to increased win totals every season. Last year CofC participated in the National Invitation Tournament, and this year the Cougars have already qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

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