When Larry Eustachy formally accepted the basketball coaching job at Iowa State University earlier today, it officially completed the trifecta for Utah State.
In the past 10 months, the Aggies have had to replace their football coach, athletic director and now their basketball coach."Success can be a double-edged sword," said new USU AD Bruce Van De Velde, who started officially at USU 10 days ago. "It's great to win, but that also can mean other schools will come and try to recruit your coaches."
Football coach John L. Smith left after three years at USU for Louisville after winning the 1997 Big West Conference title. He was replaced by Weber State's Dave Arslanian. Van De Velde replaced Chuck Bell, who took the AD position at San Jose State after numerous bouts with some local critics. And Eustachy leaves after a 1997-98 season in which the Ags posted a school record for wins (25-8) and made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years after winning the Big West tournament.
Van De Velde, however, notes that six of the past seven Aggie basketball coaches have stayed at the school at least five years, including Eustachy.
"I would like to thank Larry Eustachy and his staff for the job they have done and the winning tradition they have established at Utah State University," said Van De Velde. "We strongly encouraged Eustachy to stay, but we couldn't come close to the financial package at Iowa State."
Van De Velde, attending the Big West Conference meetings in Boise, said USU "is moving with expediency and have started to put together a short list of candidates (for the coaching job)." USU expects to move swiftly in naming a coach.
Among early candidates are Eustachy's associate head coaches of the last three seasons, Kermit Davis, now an assistant with Louisiana State University, and Steve Barnes, who was on Eustachy's first USU staff and who came back for the associate job two seasons ago. University of Utah assistant Jeff Judkins also intrigues some Aggie boosters. Some USU administrators are said to favor current University of the Pacific coach Bob Thomason, whose Michael Olowokandi was the No. 1 pick in the recent NBA Draft. And it is said Van De Velde, who has worked at Kansas State and Missouri recently, has some personal choices.
Barnes is especially anxious to remain at USU and take over as head coach. He was head coach at Capistrano Valley Christian High School and assisted at USU, Idaho, Cal-Bakersfield, Saddleback (Calif.) and Azusa Pacific. Barnes and Eustachy were high school and junior-college teammates and college roommates. He and wife Judy, like the Eustachys, feel a strong attachment to the Cache Valley area and would like to make it their home, Barnes said.
Davis is also said to be eager to return to USU for family reasons.
USU players wish their coach well but are unhappy to see him leave. "He pretty much brought this program to where it is. He is a great coach," said sophomore Brandon Birch.
"I was expecting one more year (with him)," said senior Tyrone Allick.
"I feel real good for coach and his family," said senior Pharoah Davis. "He brought us a championship and a lot of success for our program."