The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/790572
MARCH 2017 ■ 27 even the ACC Tournament doesn't take place until the second week in March. "You go from the planning process to some back-channel communications with the search firm we select and the agents. Then an in-person interview has to happen. That will be a flurry of activity because it has to happen quickly. It is an exhausting time, but that is the way searches are." What traits do you want to see in the next coach? "We want that edge, recruiting and a solid X-and-O coach, who is fundamentally sound and willing to do what it takes to make our team follow the fundamentals. I have no problem with a coach that removes a player from a game because that individual player refuses to play good defense or isn't in the right spot offensively in a set they are running. "They need to do what they need to do to get the attention of the players, but always love on them. For lack of a better term, I call it tough love. "I say this as a former head coach in col- lege, you can care very deeply and have tre- mendous demands on their performance and their execution of the offense and defense. "I would not be sympathetic to a player or a parent who came to me complaining about that — as long as I feel like the coach is not abusive to the players and genuinely cares about them, but plans to require them to execute in an extraordinary way. "I really love our fan base, and I want a successful search for them more than any other reason. I care about the players and obviously want them to have a tremendous head coach. "On balance, it's all about Wolfpack Na- tion and their longtime loyalty and dedica- tion to the program through thick and thin. They deserve to have a terrific period of time to enjoy." ■ Finding A New Leader NC State has hired seven head coaches since the legendary Everett Case, with two going on to win NCAA titles. Finding the next Norm Sloan or Jim Valvano is never easy, but athletics director Deb- bie Yow is tasked to find a new coach after she fired Mark Gottfried Feb. 16. The Wolf- pack hope the next coach can follow the path of his predecessors and one day lead the program to a third national title, joining the legendary teams from 1974 and 1983. Below is a preliminary list of coaching candidates, in alphabetical order: Chris Holtmann, head coach at Butler Portfolio: Holtmann first became a head coach at Gardner-Webb in 2010 and was there through 2013. In his last year, he was named the Big South Coach of the Year after guiding the Bulldogs to a 21-13 overall record and 11-5 conference mark. He left after that season to become an assistant at Butler. In 2014, Holtmann assumed the head coaching job at Butler under tricky circum - stances. Last year, he led the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament's round of 32. This season, Butler was 21-6 overall and 10-5 in the Big East, and was ranked No. 20 in both the media and coaches polls as of Feb. 20. Kevin Keatts, head coach at UNC Wilmington Portfolio: Keatts inherited a mess of a program from former coach Buzz Peterson and quickly rebuilt the Seahawks. He overachieved his first year by going 18-14 overall and 12-6 in the Colonial Athletic Association, earning a spot in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. The Seahawks finished 25-8 overall and 14-4 in the league last year, and gave Duke a battle in the NCAA Tournament before falling 93-85. Prior to UNCW, he served as an assistant coach at Louisville from 2011-14 and was at Marshall from 2001-03. In between, he was the head coach at prep school pow - erhouse Chatham (Va.) Hargrave Military Academy from 2003-11, after serving as an assistant there from 1999-2001. Gregg Marshall, head coach at Wichita State Portfolio: Marshall is simply a high-level winner. He won 70 percent of his games in nine seasons at Winthrop while leading the school to seven NCAA Tournament appearances. For the past 10 years, Marshall has coached at Wichita State, with his 2013 team making an improbable run to the Final Four and the 2015 squad reached the Sweet 16. Archie Miller, head coach at Dayton Portfolio: Miller, a former NCSU player (1997-2002), is in his sixth season as the head coach at Dayton. In his first five years, he has led the Flyers to three NCAA Tour- nament appearances, including a Cinderella run to the Elite Eight in 2014. Prior to being a head coach at Dayton, Miller worked as an assistant at West- ern Kentucky (2003-04), NC State (2004-06), Arizona State (2006-07), Ohio State (2007-09) and Arizona (2009-11). Will Wade, head coach at Virginia Commonwealth Portfolio: Wade is in his second season at Virginia Commonwealth as head coach, but also served as an assistant coach there under previous head coach Shaka Smart from 2009-13. He left VCU after 2013 to become the head coach at Tennessee- Chattanooga, where he went 40-25 overall and 27-7 in the Southern Conference. In his first year in charge at VCU, he guided the Rams to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. — Matt Carter and Jacey Zembal Archie Miller, who played at NC State from 1997-2002 and then served as an assistant coach from 2004-06, is in the midst of a successful six-year run as the head coach at Dayton. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS