Morrill honored as Jim Phelan national Coach of the Year
In a season where, despite history-making efforts, Utah State men’s basketball once again failed to advance in NCAA Tournament, anyone but head coach Stew Morrill could have received the 2011 Jim Phelan Coach of the Year award. However, Morrill was awarded the prestigious honor during the Final Four in Houston, Texas, the Jim Phelan Coach of the Year award is given each year by CollegeInsider.com. The award is voted on by a committee of media members, coaches and athletics administrators.
“The funny thing about it is I was honored to be nominated,” Morrill said. “When I looked at the guys nominated, I said to my wife we won’t have to worry about not being at the Final Four because I have no chance to win this award.”
Morrill was definitely qualified to win the award, however. The 13-year head coach lead USU to its fourth-straight regular season Western Athletic Conference (WAC) title with a 15-1 league mark to go along with its second WAC Tournament Championship in the last three years. USU finished the year with a school-record-tying 30 wins and played in its third-straight NCAA Tournament.
Even though Morrill was more than qualified to receive the honor, he wasn’t able to attend the Final Four to receive the award.
“It is certainly something you feel humbled by and not really sure you deserve, but it was an awfully nice honor by College Insider for sure,” Morrill said. “Then I felt bad that we weren’t going to be at the Final Four. We had family obligations in Colorado so we weren’t there to receive it. I offered to have them give it to somebody else where I wasn’t going to be there and they kind of laughed at me on that one.”
The coaching carousel of college basketball spins often, and coaches of successful teams seem to take a ride to find greener pastures. Morrill receives plenty of offers year after year, and the end of the 2011 season was no exception. Morrill’s named was tossed around as a possibility for many vacant head coach positions, but for the most part, they were only rumors.
“We have had some success and there is always things that pop up,” Morrill said. “When someone gets real serious with you, which is what happened this spring, then you have a decision to make. I have not pursued anything and really haven’t for a number of years, and I don’t plan on it. Every once in a while somebody pursues you and then you have to decide what you want to do, but it usually doesn’t take me very long. This is where I plan on finishing my career; I have said that for a long time.”
Aggie fans can breathe a sigh of relief as it seems there is no price for which Morrill can be bought and moved to a different school.
“I said 13 years ago when I came here that this would most likely be my last coaching job,” Morrill said. “Every year I feel more and more like that, of course I am getting older and older. It is flattering when someone shows serious interest and that was the case, but there was really no serious interest on my part. I am happy where I am at and feel fortunate to be here.”
– ty.d.hus@aggiemail.usu.edu