At Least Two Contacted In Coaching Hunt WSU Athletic Director Talks With Mckay, Felton In Quest For Successor To Eastman

Almost a week after Washington State men’s basketball coach Kevin Eastman resigned, two coaches, Colorado State’s Ritchie McKay and Kentucky assistant George Felton, are confirmed as having been contacted by WSU athletic director Rick Dickson. McKay and CSU’s athletic director declined to say anything more than admit they had been contacted.

McKay, whose team defeated Colorado in the NIT on Tuesday, is in his first year with the Rams. He has guided them to an 19-10 season. In two years at Portland State, McKay resurrected the program going 15-12 in his second season after a 9-17 mark his first year.

People around the Colorado State program do not believe McKay would leave after just one year. It also would look bad for further advancement in the coaching business, commented one coach.

But McKay’s wife’s family lives in the Seattle area, and he is a Seattle Pacific graduate, who was an assistant coach under Bob Bender at Washington from 1993-95.

Felton’s connection to Washington State is Tubby Smith. Smith, the current Kentucky coach, coached at Tulsa when Dickson was there. Felton reportedly has had a few conversations with Dickson.

According to sources, Smith gave Felton a strong recommendation.

Gonzaga athletic director Mike Roth has not been contacted. But Roth said while it hasn’t happened, he fully expects to be contacted about the availability of Dan Monson.

University of Oregon athletic director Bill Moos didn’t wait around to contacted by Dickson. Moos telephoned Dickson to promote the cause of Ducks assistant coach Don Newman.

“I don’t know if he was going to call or not, but he listened to everything I had to say,” said Moos.

Other coaches on Dickson’s initial list of candidates include Tulane’s Perry Clark, Rice’s Willis Wilson, Pepperdine’s Lorenzo Romar and Illinois assistant Robert McCollum.

McCollum, the runner-up to Eastman five years ago, said he has not been contacted but was told to not be surprised if he got a call.

According to Pepperdine’s athletic director, John Watson, Dickson has not asked permission to talk to Romar. The feeling among many in the coaching business is that Romar, a former Washington player, would not take the WSU job if offered.

Likewise, Rice athletic director Bobby May said Dickson has not contacted him about Wilson. The belief is Wilson would not leave his alma mater.

Clark has not been contacted and he seems unlikely to leave New Orleans and the South, where all his family lives.

Among other names floating around is that of Southwestern Louisiana’s Jessie Evans. While no one has contacted Evans, the former Arizona assistant would be interested in coming to WSU.

“I’ve been in the Pac-10 and recruited players from the Northwest like Jason Terry and Michael Dickerson,” said Evans. “Washington State is a Pac-10 school, and having helped recruit at Arizona, I think I could do a lot of the same things for the Cougs.”

Paul Hewitt of Siena also has been connected with WSU in some coaching circles.

Boise State’s Rod Jensen and San Francisco’s Phil Mathews appear not to be candidates.

Newman looks to be the candidate receiving the most backing. The former University of Idaho player and Washington State assistant received a glowing endorsement from Moos, as well as other coaches.

“He may be the one guy who has got the type of personality and drive to do it,” one coach said. “And he is not going to get discouraged. He believes he can accomplish anything and win anywhere. That’s the kind of person you need at Washington State.”

Newman, who was asked not to talk to the press by WSU officials after his initial comments last week, indicated at that time that he would be eager to take over the Cougars’ program.

Most believe Monson would shy away from the job, even if it is offered to him. A strong parallel can be drawn between the experience of his father, Don, at Idaho and Oregon to the current situation between WSU and Gonzaga.

The elder Monson took the Vandals to the Sweet 16 then moved on to the Ducks. His tenure in Eugene was tumultuous, and that experience might be enough to keep Dan from jumping at the first available Pac-10 job.

Others believe that, with the Bulldogs’ deep run into the NCAA Tournament, Monson has established himself as one of the hottest commodities in coaching and, therefore, might be in line for a better position.