Vandals hire longtime USU assistant

Don Verlin withdrew his name from consideration for the University of Idaho men’s basketball job the last time it was open.

Friday, Verlin, a longtime Utah State assistant coach, accepted an offer to become the Vandals’ head coach. He replaces George Pfeifer, who was fired Tuesday after two seasons. The Vandals were 12-48 under Pfeifer, including 8-21 this season.

“I am tremendously excited and am looking forward to building a winning basketball program,” Verlin, 42, was quoted as saying in a news release from the school.

Athletic director Rob Spear returned to Moscow late Thursday night from a whirlwind trip that saw him interview four candidates in a 24-hour span. Spear said in addition to interviewing Verlin, he also met with former San Diego coach Brad Holland and former Fresno State coach and current (NBA Development League) Idaho Stampede assistant Ray Lopes. Spear declined to identify the fourth candidate.

“When you look at his career record, he has been an assistant coach for 16 years and they have won every single year,” Spear said of Verlin. “He’s been involved in a program that I respect, Utah State. They find a way, year in and year out, to win 20 games. He’s been an integral part of that. He runs their entire offensive system. He’s mentored himself under one of the best coaches in the country in Stew Morrill.”

Attempts to reach Verlin were unsuccessful. He did not respond to messages left on his cell phone or at his home.

Verlin (pronounced VUR-lyn) said that Idaho and USU, which is located in Logan, are not only in the same conference, but they share a similar college-town atmosphere. He said that is a draw to his recruiting style and his family.

“One of the things that really impressed me was the passion Rob Spear and (Idaho president) Tim White have for the University of Idaho,” Verlin said in the news release.

Verlin will be introduced Monday at 5 p.m. at a news conference at the University Inn-Best Western in Moscow.

Spear said contract details were being worked out late Friday. Spear said Idaho must pay the final year of Pfeifer’s three-year base contract. Unless Pfeifer finds another job, Idaho will pay Pfeifer $110,000, Spear said.

Verlin met the criteria Spear was looking for in the next coach.

“I wanted the winning mentality, and he’s a great character guy,” Spear said. “Everybody you talk to in the business speaks highly of his character. The thing is he wants to be at the University of Idaho.”

Spear knows why Verlin wanted to be at Idaho.

“He had in his contract at Utah State that he was the heir apparent to Steve Morrill,” Spear said. “For him to give that up and come to the University of Idaho means he wants this job and he wants to make a difference here.”

Idaho will be Verlin’s first head coaching job. Verlin just finished his 15th season as an assistant under Morrill, the last 10 at USU.

USU (24-11) finished in a four-way tie for the Western Athletic Conference championship this season. The Aggies saw their season end in a 61-57 loss at Illinois State in the first round of the NIT on Wednesday.

Prior to hooking up with Morrill, Verlin was an assistant at Columbia Junior College (Sonora, Calif.) from 1989-91. He worked with Morrill at Colorado State for one season in 1991-92 and then went to Cal State Bakersfield for two years (1993-94). He reunited with Morrill at CSU in 1995 and followed him to USU in 1999.

A native of Roseville, Calif., Verlin has a twin brother, Ron, who is an assistant basketball coach at the University of the Pacific.

Verlin and his wife, Serena, have two children – Jacob, 12, and Sydnee, 5.

Verlin graduated from Cal State Stanislaus with a degree in physical education in 1991. He earned a master’s degree from Colorado State in 1993.