USU hires replacement for Verlin

Stew Morrill went to the enemy to replace the assistant coaching gap with the USU men’s basketball team.

Chris Jones, the assistant coach for the Utes of the University of Utah for the past three seasons, joined the USU staff Monday. He replaces Don Verlin, who last Monday was named the head coach at the University of Idaho.

Morrill is confident the hire of Jones will benefit the Aggies.

“We are getting a quality coach who has lots of experience with basketball in the state of Utah,” Morrill explained. “Chris is a high-energy, get-it-done kind

of guy. He understands the demands of this business and has the drive and skill, plus the experience necessary to perform all the tasks required of an assistant coach at the Division I level. I know he will be a huge assist for our program.”

Jones began at the University of Utah as the team’s video coordinator from 1994-97. That was when the Utes had All-Americans Keith Van Horn, Andre Miller and Michael Doleac.

In 1998-99, Jones coached the Wurthing Bears in London, England. In 2003-04 he was an assistant coach at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. That team won the Frontier Conference championship.

“I’ve always been intrigued and inspired by what Coach Morrill has done at Utah State,” Jones said. “This is a great opportunity for me to continue to learn the game. Utah State’s program speaks for itself with all the success it has had.

In 1993-94, Jones played for the Utes. He helped them win the Western Athletic Conference regular season title and get to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

-samuel.hislop@aggiemail.usu.edu