Youngstown State University will name Jerrod Calhoun as the new Men's Basketball Coach as soon as tomorrow. I for one couldn't be happier. Let me put it to you folks this way. On a scale of 1-10, this hire is a 30.
I realize that some of you wanted the Penguins to hire Akron assistant coach Rick McFadden because he is a "local guy." Well, the Penguins actually hired a guy with local ties. Calhoun grew up in East Liverpool before his family moved to Cleveland. Unlike McFadden, who would've been a nice choice, Calhoun has head coaching experience.
Five years ago, after serving as an assistant coach with Walsh College and West Virginia under Bob Huggins, Calhoun took over as head basketball coach at Fairmont State in Fairmont, WV. The Falcons were 8-19 the year before Calhoun was hired. In five years, Calhoun led the Falcons to an overall record of 124-38. He won conference, region and national coach of the year honors, led his team to five consecutive 20+ win seasons and finished the 2016-2017 season with a 34-3 record, with an appearance in the D-2 National Title Game.
Calhoun is a winner. He was a winner at Cleveland St. Joseph HS, where he was a three year starter and named Lake County News Herald Player of the Year in his senior year. He was a winner when he served as a student assistant under Bob Huggins in 2003-2004 at Cincinnati. The Bearcats finished 25-7 that year. He was a winner when he served as an assistant coach at Walsh College. They were 82-21 during the three years that Calhoun was there, including a 2005 NAIA National Title. He was a winner when he reunited with coach Huggins at WVU in 2012-13 as Huggins bench coach. The Mountaineers went 19-14 that season. Calhoun won big at Fairmont State. He is a relentless recruiter and his trapping style D is going to be fun to watch at Beeghly next season.
YSU made the right choice...
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