Texas A&M’s Billy Gillispie ought to be introduced as “The Blueprint” when coaches and lineups are announced before the Aggies’ game Saturday at Colorado.
It’s no secret CU hopes to find a program builder – some say miracle worker – like Gillispie to replace departing coach Ricardo Patton. Of course, so would every other athletic director in search of new leadership.
“Billy Gillispie is certainly someone who has gotten everyone’s attention,” said Tom McGrath, the point man for CU athletic director Mike Bohn in the coaching search.
After guiding Texas-El Paso to a 24-8 record in 2003-04, Gillispie took over a downtrodden Texas A&M program coming off a 0-16 collapse in the Big 12 Conference. Three years later, the Aggies (14-2, 2-0) will bring a No. 8 national ranking into the Coors Events Center.
“(Gillispie) has created excitement, he’s won games,” McGrath said. “He’s built some things the right way. He’s focused on the long term, and making things happen.”
Gillispie, 47, is everything a head coach should be, Kansas coach Bill Self said. Gillispie served as Self’s assistant at Tulsa (1997-2000) and Illinois (2000-2002).
“People are drawn to Billy Clyde because he’s a good guy,” Self said Thursday during the Big 12 coaches’ weekly teleconference with the media. “He’s a great recruiter, because he’s very well-connected. And when I say he’s a ‘tireless worker,’ I’m not exaggerating. He’s a tireless worker.
“But the biggest thing to me is he’s tough. And his teams are tough. He demands them to be that way.”
McGrath, a former staffer for USA Basketball, pointed out that the Texas A&M administration has done its part. A $20 million expansion of 9-year-old Reed Arena is scheduled to be completed in early 2008. The additional 60,000 square feet will include two practice gyms, spacious locker rooms, plush lounges and video, training and medical facilities.
“Any coach wants an even shake. We’ve had an even shake and a lot more,” Gillispie said of the support from the Texas A&M athletic department.
McGrath smiled when asked if there is another Billy Gillispie out there. Colorado’s search is still in the investigative stage, McGrath said.
“You have in your mind an ideal candidate, but nobody is going to fit all those things,” McGrath conceded. “It’s going to be a gut feeling. We’re going to know when (a candidate with) the right mix comes along.”
Challenging the Pac-10
Big 12 officials announced Thursday the league will begin an annual challenge series against the Pac-10 next fall. The series begins with a four-year agreement.
Similar to the successful ACC-Big Ten Challenge, teams from the Big 12 and Pac-10 will play 10 games each year – five hosted by each conference. Marquee matchups next season include Washington at Oklahoma State (Dec. 1), Texas at UCLA (Dec. 2) and Texas A&M at Arizona (Dec. 2). Stanford will play at CU on Dec. 2.
“It will help our league,” Kansas State coach Bob Huggins said. “It helps our RPI. It helps the exposure.”
Footnotes
That 87-57 manhandling of No. 9 Oklahoma State by sixth-ranked Kansas on Wednesday night in Lawrence sent a discouraging shock wave throughout the conference. Gillispie still believes Oklahoma State is one of the five or six best teams in the country. “We got taken to the woodshed,” OSU coach Sean Sutton said. “It was one of the best performances against us in a long time.”…Only eight seniors are starters on Big 12 teams….Sutton ought to surprise Nebraska coach Doc Sadler with a half-eaten pizza Saturday when their teams meet in Lincoln. Sadler was a student manager to then-Arkansas coach Eddie Sutton in the early 1980s when Sean and his brother, Oral Roberts coach Scott Sutton, were in grade school. “Doc had the job of staying with us when Dad and Mom were on the road,” Sean recalled. “Of course Doc couldn’t cook. We went out for pizza a lot.”
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
