Assistant Coach Added – Jeff Kidder

Late last week Billy Gillispie expanded his coaching staff with the announcement that Jeff Kidder would be coming aboard.  Kidder resigned from his most recent post at Indian Hills around the same time Gillispie was taking the reins in Lubbock, so this hire might have been in the works for some time.   Kidder has spent the majority of his coaching career at the junior college ranks but does have some D1 experience on his resume and has ties (albeit distant) to the great state of Texas. 

Kidder got his first coaching job in 1990 as an assistant at West Texas A&M.  After assisting the Buffalos to the Division 2 NCAA tournament championship, Kidder accepted the head coaching job at Howard Junior College.  Following back to back 20 win seasons at Howard, Kidder left the Lone Star State to accept an assistant coaching job at Nevada-Reno under Pat Foster.  After the Wolf Pack finished below .500 in his first season in Reno, Kidder helped the Nevada to winning records the next three years, culminating in a 21 win season in 1996-97.  Following the 96-97 campaign, Kidder left Reno to accept the head coach position at Dixie State, a junior college in Utah.  After 8 consecutive winning seasons at Dixie State, highlighted by three 30 win seasons and the 2002 National Championship and National JC Coach of the Year award, Kidder left to take over at Indian Hills Community College in Iowa.  Indian Hills is one of the premier junior college basketball programs in the country and during his tenure, Kidder did nothing to change that.  During his time at Indian Hills, which lasted from 2005-2011, Kidder compiled a 165-39 record.

Overall, that is a damn impressive resume.  Amassing a 432-109 record and a national title in 16 seasons as a head coach speaks for itself.  Throw in a Division Two national championship and a successful run at Nevada as an assistant, and it is clear that Coach Kidder can coach and recruit.  Although he has not coached in Texas since leaving Howard College in 1993, he has undoubtedly recruited and coached players from the greatest state.  And with his impressive track record as a junior college head coach in Texas, Utah and Iowa, there is no doubting that his contacts are far and wide.  Successful coaches at junior college programs probably have a more expansive network of basketball contacts than Division 1 coaches.  JC coaches are reliant of finding under the radar and between the cracks kids; kids without the grades to play D1 ball or late bloomers who are off the beaten path.  The ability to continually field successful teams with the 2 year turnover rate takes remarkable coaching skills and an extensive network of recruiting contacts to continually replenish your roster. 

I think it is safe to declare this a great hire.  Chris Walker was hired prior to my starting this blog, but I consider that to be home-run hire as well.  Gillispie has built the foundation of something special in Lubbock and it will be fun to watch the program grow in the coming years. 

"He is a total professional, who has experienced a great deal of success at all levels. He is an outstanding coach, who can recruit and most importantly, he makes a difference in the lives of young people."  - Gillispie on Kidder

"He is a total professional, who has experienced a great deal of success at all levels. He is an outstanding coach, who can recruit and most importantly, he makes a difference in the lives of young people." – Kidder on Gillispie

2012 Small Forward Offer

Another 2012 northeast prospect is the recipient of a Tech offer and is listing the Red Raiders among his leaders.  Another Chris Walker special, you could say.  According to Adam Zagoria, New York Gauchos small forward Arthur Edwards’ list currently consists of George Mason, Texas Tech, Miami, Towson, Florida, Texas and SMU.  That is a pretty wide variety of universities with few, if any, common denominators.   Well, they all have Division 1 basketball programs.  Presumably Texas and Florida have not offered.  But Billy Gililspie and Tech have.

Edwards is a 6’6, 190lb small forward.  He is a strong kid who shows a nice touch around the basket.  Although not a lost cause, his jump shot reportedly is not much a high major weapon at this point.  The same could be said of his handle:  it is OK but he won't be taking Big 12 defenders off the bounce his freshman year.  Most of Edwards’ buckets come in transition and second chance opportunities, not that there is anything wrong with that.  Arthur is a good defender with the ability to turn into a very good defensive player.  I see no reason why Arthur couldn’t develop into a plus rebounder during his college career.  He processes a desirable frame and good athleticism for a Big 12 small forward.  Four years of college ball ahead, plus size and plus athleticism are characteristics that Red Raider fans will gladly accept in a potential basketball player.

I think that it is becoming obvious that size, athleticism and the potential to be a plus defender are valued traits in the prospects that Coach Gillipsie and his staff will chase during their tenure in Lubbock.  Gillispie is willing to overlook offensive shortcomings if the ability and willingness to get after it on the defensive end is evident.  If his style of play during his stay in College Station is any indication, he will not have a problem keeping games in the 40’s if it gives his team a chance to win.  Lack of size and lack of heart and cohesion on the defensive end of the floor were two common complaints from fans during the Pat Knight era.  These will be two strengths of the Gillispie era.  Gillispie will demand effort and focus on the defensive end and will not be afraid to use the bench as a motivating force.  Basketball will look much different in Lubbock in the coming seasons, and for Red Raider fans, it is a welcomed change.

Here is a two and half minute youtube highlight video of Edwards: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PvhOAKWgrQ

Here is a (free) article published today by Maurice Wingate on NYChoops.net (yahoo) on the matchup between Edwards’ Gauchos and Team Philly, featuring Tech targets Brandon Phillips and Maurice Watson:  http://rivalshoops.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1246004

2012 Tech Offer - Brandon Taylor

According to Raphielle Johnson of NBEbasketball.com, Billy Gillispie has offered Trenton Catholic Academy and Team Philly power forward Brandon Taylor.  Taylor’s Team Philly point guard Maurice Watson also holds a Tech offer.  Taylor is a class of 2012 power forward who is listed at 6’6 by Yahoo and 6’8 by Team Philly and ESPN.  Taylor has recently picked up an offer from Miami to go along with offers from Drexel, Penn State, Maryland, and Siena.  And obviously the Red Raiders.

Taylor patterns his game after Dirk Nowitzki and his hair style after Terran Petteway and pre-buzz Jordan Goodman.  He is a physical and mobile player who is a mismatch for most bigs because of his ability to shoot from the outside.  However, Taylor is not your typical jump shooting high school big man.  He is listed at 235lbs and described as physically developed.  So unlike many high school bigs who develop a jumper because they are not strong enough to bang inside, Taylor has the ability to throw his weight around inside as well.

 

An obvious and predictable trend that is developing in the early stages of the Gillispie era:  heavily recruiting the northeast.  Although Coach Walker has many contacts throughout Texas, it is obvious that he has developed contacts throughout the northeast in his time at Villanova.  Until the staff is rounded out (preferably with someone with deep Texas connections) and even after it is, I would look for Walker and Gillispie to continue to put an emphasis on the northeast, particularly Philadelphia.  And I also suspect that, despite their abnormally large 2011 class, Gillispie and Co have about as many offers extended for the class of 2012 as any staff in the country.

Here is a youtube video of Team Philly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crgSSWNUZiE

I suggest skipping to 1:25 to avoid a whole lot of nothing and then you can see Watson and Taylor executing a pick and pop culminating with a Taylor game winning 3 pointer.  Taylor is number 34 with the hair and Watson is the little guy, number 4. 

Photo courtesy of Team Philly