State Your Case: Who should be the next USU men’s basketball coach?

Jaden Johnson – @jadenjohns0n

T.J. Otzelberger

This is a name I’ve heard thrown around quite a bit by USU fans as a potential hire for the Aggies, and of all the candidates I’ve heard about, Otzelberger may be the most intriguing to me. He is the current head coach of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits, and at just 40 years old he’s already made stops as an assistant coach at both Iowa State and Washington before heading up the SDSU program. In two seasons, he’s coached the Jackrabbits to an overall record of 46-24, including a 28-7 record this season and NCAA Tournament appearances both years. This hire would have some risk for the Aggies, as Otzelberger has limited head coaching experience and he inherited a good program which took very little building. But he’s a young, enthusiastic coach who I think could bring some excitement to the program.

Jason Walker – @thejwalk67

Tommy Connor

While my first thought for a hire was former UConn coach and national title winner Kevin Ollie, big-name hires almost never end well. Instead, Connor (who was a finalist for the USU job last time there was an opening) would be a great hire with the only question being whether or not they could pry him away from the University of Utah. Connor played point guard for the Utes in the ‘80s and has had two stints as an assistant coach with his alma mater — one under Rick Majerus and now under Larry Krystkowiak — for a total of 10 years combined. Between those two stints, Connor was the head coach at Westminster College and had a 264-114 overall record including a 126-40 record in conference play.

Matthew Harris – @snowmatt1417

Curtis Condie

A program like Utah State wouldn’t normally want to look at a candidate for head coach who would consider the job an epic promotion, but I’m going to be the one who flies in the face of sensibility and roots for the little guy. Having not lost an instate game in almost three years, Condie has carved out a name for himself in high school ball, currently churning out D1 athletes year after year at Wasatch Academy, but he’s made his mark in collegiate coaching before that. Making stops at Utah Valley, Snow College, Northern Arizona, and some place called Don Bosco Tech, I don’t think Condie knows what a losing season looks like, even as he helped the UVU program transition into the NCAA. He wins wherever he goes, and he’s a passionate fireball of a coach (Seriously, check this guys Twitter, @CoachCondie.) Lastly, he may be one of the only candidates in contention for the job who is a true Aggie product, having played under the legend Eustachy in the mid 90s. Condie’s popularity as a candidate may be far-fetched, but it’s not for nothing.