Radford picks Jason Whitt to lead Highlanders
Relative unknown has won at every level.
Radford, VA – At a press conference today, the Radford Highlanders announced that Jason Whitt, who was the NAIA National Coach of the Year after leading Pikeville College to their first NAIA Championship, has signed a 3-year contract to become the head coach.
“This is an extreme honor to be able to secure a Division I head coaching job,” said Whitt. “I’m excited for this opportunity that has been given to me and I can’t wait to get started. I almost wish the season started tomorrow.”
“We wanted somebody young, energetic, and most of all, a winner,” said Radford Athletic Director Robert Lineburg. “Jason has won at every level he has been at. He won a state title when he was a high school basketball coach back in Kentucky. He is coming off a national title season at the NAIA level and also won the National Coach of the Year award for that level. We talked to other coaches who knew him, and they all gave glowing reviews. We feel we hired the best guy available.”
Also in attendance at the press conference was Memphis head coach John Calipari, who once had Whitt on his staff as a graduate assistant. Calipari gave a glowing recommendation.
“Passion and purpose is what Jason is all about,” said Calipari. “He knows how to coach and care for his players and he did a great job of putting passion back into Pikeville College Basketball and he’ll do the same thing here at Radford. I wished he had stayed on my staff at Memphis, but he had to go back home because of a family emergency. But I knew then he would end up at a Division I program someday.”
Whitt promised to bring an exciting brand of basketball to Radford.
“I can still remember my old high school coach Rick Mays telling us that we may not always be the most talented team on the floor, but we’ll be the best conditioned team out there. We’re going to run. It’s always been my philosophy. We’ll create as much havoc as possible out there on the floor. We won’t let the other team get comfortable. It’s always been a staple of my teams. We will leave everything out on that floor.”
But for people who are expecting the Dribble Drive Motion Offense to be installed at Radford, Whitt said not so fast.
“People automatically assume that I adopted the dribble-drive just because I was an assistant for one year at Memphis under Coach Cal. I have no problems with the offense, but that’s his thing. Growing up, my favorite coach was Phil Jackson; so naturally, I became a student of the Triangle offense. I would love to meet Coach Jackson one day to go over the finer details of the offense, but I feel my modified version of the triangle is almost as good as the original.”
Radford last made the NCAA Tournament back in 1998, something Whitt wants to change as soon as possible.
“Our goal is to win our conference and make the dance. At any small conference school, that is the measuring stick for a successful season. Then once you get in there…hey, anything is possible.”
Relative unknown has won at every level.
Radford, VA – At a press conference today, the Radford Highlanders announced that Jason Whitt, who was the NAIA National Coach of the Year after leading Pikeville College to their first NAIA Championship, has signed a 3-year contract to become the head coach.
“This is an extreme honor to be able to secure a Division I head coaching job,” said Whitt. “I’m excited for this opportunity that has been given to me and I can’t wait to get started. I almost wish the season started tomorrow.”
“We wanted somebody young, energetic, and most of all, a winner,” said Radford Athletic Director Robert Lineburg. “Jason has won at every level he has been at. He won a state title when he was a high school basketball coach back in Kentucky. He is coming off a national title season at the NAIA level and also won the National Coach of the Year award for that level. We talked to other coaches who knew him, and they all gave glowing reviews. We feel we hired the best guy available.”
Also in attendance at the press conference was Memphis head coach John Calipari, who once had Whitt on his staff as a graduate assistant. Calipari gave a glowing recommendation.
“Passion and purpose is what Jason is all about,” said Calipari. “He knows how to coach and care for his players and he did a great job of putting passion back into Pikeville College Basketball and he’ll do the same thing here at Radford. I wished he had stayed on my staff at Memphis, but he had to go back home because of a family emergency. But I knew then he would end up at a Division I program someday.”
Whitt promised to bring an exciting brand of basketball to Radford.
“I can still remember my old high school coach Rick Mays telling us that we may not always be the most talented team on the floor, but we’ll be the best conditioned team out there. We’re going to run. It’s always been my philosophy. We’ll create as much havoc as possible out there on the floor. We won’t let the other team get comfortable. It’s always been a staple of my teams. We will leave everything out on that floor.”
But for people who are expecting the Dribble Drive Motion Offense to be installed at Radford, Whitt said not so fast.
“People automatically assume that I adopted the dribble-drive just because I was an assistant for one year at Memphis under Coach Cal. I have no problems with the offense, but that’s his thing. Growing up, my favorite coach was Phil Jackson; so naturally, I became a student of the Triangle offense. I would love to meet Coach Jackson one day to go over the finer details of the offense, but I feel my modified version of the triangle is almost as good as the original.”
Radford last made the NCAA Tournament back in 1998, something Whitt wants to change as soon as possible.
“Our goal is to win our conference and make the dance. At any small conference school, that is the measuring stick for a successful season. Then once you get in there…hey, anything is possible.”
34 – 21 – 55
21 – 32 – 53
24 – 33 – 57
35 – 30 – 65
34 – 29 – 63
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