As the annual college basketball coaching carousel gets spinning faster and faster, a Division I men’s head coaching job in Utah just opened up.
On Thursday, Weber State announced that head coach Eric Duft will be moving into a new role as president of basketball operations and development for the men’s hoops program.
In the role, Duft will work closely with the program’s general manager, Weber State legend and nine-time NBA All-Star Damian Lillard.
The move makes a lot of sense. Duft compiled just a 66-65 record in four seasons as the Wildcats’ head coach, but Lillard has remained a big fan of his after Duft was key in Lillard’s development while he was an assistant coach.
In all, Duft was an assistant at Weber from 2006-2022 before replacing longtime Wildcats head coach Randy Rahe four years ago. Lillard played at Weber State from 2008-2012.
“A big part of me coming on as general manager was getting to work closely with coach Duft in building the basketball program back to the top of the Big Sky,” Lillard said in a statement. “I’m excited to still be able to do that with him going forward.”
Said Weber athletic director Tim Crompton in a statement: “Eric Duft has been a cornerstone of Weber State basketball for two decades. His loyalty to this university and his deep understanding of our program’s culture are unique.
“As the landscape of college athletics continues to shift, having Eric’s experience in this capacity is important to our success. We are thrilled to keep him in the Wildcat family.”
Weber State said in its announcement that it will immediately begin a national search for Duft’s replacement.