By Jarra Gojolo — Managing Editor
To revive — or just plain -vive — a San Jose State men’s basketball program that hasn’t had a winning conference record since Snoop Dogg’s “Doggystyle” hit stores, it would have to take a home run hire at head coach.
They might have found that in Tim Miles.
Miles was introduced as the Spartans’ new head coach Wednesday, in a press conference held at the Provident Credit Union Event Center.
In the longtime head coach’s opening statement he thanked his fellow SJSU coaches, including football coach Brent Brennan — who Miles says convinced him to take the job.
“I really appreciate you and your guidance, because when I had some tough questions that I wanted to go to [SJSU AD Marie Tuite] with, I went to you first. So you know he was a pretty good bridge.”
San Jose is the sixth stop in Miles’ head coaching career. Most recently he was in the head coach’s chair at the University of Nebraska, where he took the Huskers to one NCAA tournament and one National Invitational Tournament.
Before that he took Colorado State to its first NCAA tournament in almost a decade. Assistants on that Rams team included University of Utah head coach Craig Smith and current CSU head coach Niko Medved.
But Miles says a rebuild job like SJSU reminds him most of his head coaching start, at NAIA Mayville State.
“Here we are full circle right? Except we get to live in California instead of eight miles north of the Arctic Circle, so that’s a bonus. Trust me I love Mayville, but it’s cold.”
He led that Mayville team to two North Dakota College Athletic Conference championships and two appearances to the NAIA Championships, MSU’s first appearances in over 30 years.
Miles will be entering a similar situation in San Jose, as the Spartans’ NCAA Tournament drought is 25 years and counting
The Mountain West veteran says he introduced himself to the Spartans’ returning players on a Zoom call earlier Wednesday.
“I want to know what you think the problems are,” Miles said he told his players. “We talked a little bit about that, that’ll stay within us.”
He also told his players there would be a lot of work involved.
“You’re going to get uncomfortable — it’s going to be a challenge, I’m going to challenge you.
“I’m also going to get to know you, so you can feel like i’m investing in you. I shared them my information, one of the guys said ‘we can call you anytime?’ I’m like ‘yeah I’m your coach, I got nothing else going on. Call me — really, I’m bored.’”
The boredom for Miles will end soon, as it will take his very best to bring SJSU from dumpster to contender.
He’s coached — and succeeded — at every level he’s seen as a college basketball coach. From NAIA tournaments, to a Division II school’s transition to Division I, to a March Madness appearance at a Mountain West school, to a March Madness appearance at a Big 10 school.
So you might say, this is his bag.
Follow Jarra on Twitter @JarraGojolo