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SAN FRANCISCO — Grant McCasland has only been a power-conference coach for the past two seasons, but the leader of the Texas Tech basketball teamcontinues to see his coaching tree grow.
Within the last 12 months, two of McCasland's standing assistant coaches received their first Division I head coaching jobs and another, who succeeded McCasland at North Texas, has now joined the Big 12 Conference.
Dave Smart spent one year under McCasland at Texas Tech and turned it into the head position at Pacific. Smart had a standing reputation before joining the Red Raiders staff but was able to quickly catapult his one year in Lubbock into a head coaching position.
Matt Braeuer has been with McCasland each of the last seven seasons, dating back to their time together at UNT. Earlier this month, Braeuer was named head coach at Stephen F. Austin. While Braeuer has started work for the Lumberjacks, he is remaining with Texas Tech until the team's NCAA Tournament run comes to an end.
More: Chance McMIllian injury update: What's Texas Tech basketball star's status for Sweet 16?
McCasland's successor at UNT, Ross Hodge, was named the head coach at West Virginia on Wednesday. Hodge has been in McCasland's orbit dating back to their junior college days. Hodge served as McCasland's associate head coach at both Arkansas State and UNT, but stuck around Denton to take over the program when McCasland left for Texas Tech.
Throughout his coaching career, McCasland has made many friends and had to square off with a number of them. The most recent example is having to face Ben McCollum when the Red Raiders took on Drake in the second round of March Madness last week.
When discussing his relationship with McCollum, McCasland said he cared more about the type of person he was than how well McCollum could coach basketball. He had a similar sentiment with Hodge.
"Ross Hodge is like a brother," McCasland said. "And just take basketball out of it. He's one of my best friends. I just love him because I think a lot of people want to be in college athletics because of these opportunities, playing in the Sweet 16 and what people think is really important.
"But Ross Hodge is a guy that loves his wife. He loves his daughter and his son. And he loves the guys that he gets to be around every day."
More: Texas Tech basketball's Kerwin Walton living in the moment in final March Madness run
McCasland already has to face off with former colleagues Scott Drew (Baylor) and Jerome Tang (Kansas State), who he served on staff with at Baylor before beginning his own Division I head-coaching career.
Now Hodge will be added to the mix with the Mountaineers.
"I just respect him because I believe that he cares about the right things," McCasland said of Hodge. "If there's anybody that I believe can win at West Virginia, it's Ross Hodge. I say that because we're going to have to play against him, too. But I honestly believe that."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Coaching tree grows for Texas Tech basketball's Grant McCasland
Continue reading...
Within the last 12 months, two of McCasland's standing assistant coaches received their first Division I head coaching jobs and another, who succeeded McCasland at North Texas, has now joined the Big 12 Conference.
Dave Smart spent one year under McCasland at Texas Tech and turned it into the head position at Pacific. Smart had a standing reputation before joining the Red Raiders staff but was able to quickly catapult his one year in Lubbock into a head coaching position.
Matt Braeuer has been with McCasland each of the last seven seasons, dating back to their time together at UNT. Earlier this month, Braeuer was named head coach at Stephen F. Austin. While Braeuer has started work for the Lumberjacks, he is remaining with Texas Tech until the team's NCAA Tournament run comes to an end.
More: Chance McMIllian injury update: What's Texas Tech basketball star's status for Sweet 16?
McCasland's successor at UNT, Ross Hodge, was named the head coach at West Virginia on Wednesday. Hodge has been in McCasland's orbit dating back to their junior college days. Hodge served as McCasland's associate head coach at both Arkansas State and UNT, but stuck around Denton to take over the program when McCasland left for Texas Tech.
Throughout his coaching career, McCasland has made many friends and had to square off with a number of them. The most recent example is having to face Ben McCollum when the Red Raiders took on Drake in the second round of March Madness last week.
When discussing his relationship with McCollum, McCasland said he cared more about the type of person he was than how well McCollum could coach basketball. He had a similar sentiment with Hodge.
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"Ross Hodge is like a brother," McCasland said. "And just take basketball out of it. He's one of my best friends. I just love him because I think a lot of people want to be in college athletics because of these opportunities, playing in the Sweet 16 and what people think is really important.
"But Ross Hodge is a guy that loves his wife. He loves his daughter and his son. And he loves the guys that he gets to be around every day."
More: Texas Tech basketball's Kerwin Walton living in the moment in final March Madness run
McCasland already has to face off with former colleagues Scott Drew (Baylor) and Jerome Tang (Kansas State), who he served on staff with at Baylor before beginning his own Division I head-coaching career.
Now Hodge will be added to the mix with the Mountaineers.
"I just respect him because I believe that he cares about the right things," McCasland said of Hodge. "If there's anybody that I believe can win at West Virginia, it's Ross Hodge. I say that because we're going to have to play against him, too. But I honestly believe that."
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Coaching tree grows for Texas Tech basketball's Grant McCasland
Continue reading...
