Bobcat Coaching Candidate: Larry Gipson
3/29/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BOZEMAN, Mont. -- Larry Gipson knows what it's like to be evaluated.
"When I was hired at Northeast Oklahoma Junior College," the 30-year veteran of the coaching profession told a crowd of 80 Bobcat fans and media members evaluating him on Wednesday afternoon, "the group of about six people that hired me came to our first game. They sat in the front row of the gym, right across from our bench and they all had clipboards. That was their way of welcoming me."
It should have been apparent from that night forward that Gipson was a good hire in his first college coaching job, and that's what the current Northeastern (Okla.) State University coach hopes to become at Montana State. Gipson is the third of three finalists to interview for the position vacated by long-time top 'Cat Mick Durham three weeks ago.
Gipson's credentials sparkle. The Ohio native led both Oklahoma schools he has coached to national championships, and posted three straight winning seasons as head coach at Toledo before stepping down after five seasons for a combination of personal and professional reasons. "I euphemistically call that my redshirt year," he said to laughter, adding that his year as Assistant Athletic Director at Toledo "was a pretty good year."
In 14 years as a four-year head coach, Gipson's teams have compiled a 244-159 record. His nine-year junior college stint resulted in a 217-87 mark.
Citing the legendary Henry Iba as one of the primary influences on his career, Gipson said he stresses balance in his program. "First and foremost if I'm fortunate enough to be hired to be basketball coach here, the first expectation is to win. There is also an expectation to represent the University well, and a very real expectation to get a degree."
Gipson emphasizes defense, like Iba, but is "not against shooting early or running a fast break. Coach Iba didn't coach in the era of the three-point circle or the shot clock, so you have to coach with what you're given. But you have to do three things well to have a chance to win at a high level. You have to be a good defensive team, playing well defensively on the road. You have to be a good rebounding team. And you can't turn the ball over and take bad shots. Obviously, there is a lot of leeway In how you go about accomplishing those things."
Two things distinguished his two national championship teams from his other successful squads, Gipson said. "First, they were ultra-competition. They just didn't want to get beat. The second thing is that they were very close-knit groups. Those things are very important."
Gipson added that coaches can bring individuals together in a variety of ways. "You can use the military way, put them through a very rigorous preseason and weight training, a very demanding preseason. I like to have the team over to my house for dinner once in a while, go to movies, maybe go bowling, all within the context of the rules."
Still, Gipson said, each team is after the same thing. "There's no greater feeling than to know you've come together and a team and had success and earned that success."
"When I was hired at Northeast Oklahoma Junior College," the 30-year veteran of the coaching profession told a crowd of 80 Bobcat fans and media members evaluating him on Wednesday afternoon, "the group of about six people that hired me came to our first game. They sat in the front row of the gym, right across from our bench and they all had clipboards. That was their way of welcoming me."
It should have been apparent from that night forward that Gipson was a good hire in his first college coaching job, and that's what the current Northeastern (Okla.) State University coach hopes to become at Montana State. Gipson is the third of three finalists to interview for the position vacated by long-time top 'Cat Mick Durham three weeks ago.
Gipson's credentials sparkle. The Ohio native led both Oklahoma schools he has coached to national championships, and posted three straight winning seasons as head coach at Toledo before stepping down after five seasons for a combination of personal and professional reasons. "I euphemistically call that my redshirt year," he said to laughter, adding that his year as Assistant Athletic Director at Toledo "was a pretty good year."
In 14 years as a four-year head coach, Gipson's teams have compiled a 244-159 record. His nine-year junior college stint resulted in a 217-87 mark.
Citing the legendary Henry Iba as one of the primary influences on his career, Gipson said he stresses balance in his program. "First and foremost if I'm fortunate enough to be hired to be basketball coach here, the first expectation is to win. There is also an expectation to represent the University well, and a very real expectation to get a degree."
Gipson emphasizes defense, like Iba, but is "not against shooting early or running a fast break. Coach Iba didn't coach in the era of the three-point circle or the shot clock, so you have to coach with what you're given. But you have to do three things well to have a chance to win at a high level. You have to be a good defensive team, playing well defensively on the road. You have to be a good rebounding team. And you can't turn the ball over and take bad shots. Obviously, there is a lot of leeway In how you go about accomplishing those things."
Two things distinguished his two national championship teams from his other successful squads, Gipson said. "First, they were ultra-competition. They just didn't want to get beat. The second thing is that they were very close-knit groups. Those things are very important."
Gipson added that coaches can bring individuals together in a variety of ways. "You can use the military way, put them through a very rigorous preseason and weight training, a very demanding preseason. I like to have the team over to my house for dinner once in a while, go to movies, maybe go bowling, all within the context of the rules."
Still, Gipson said, each team is after the same thing. "There's no greater feeling than to know you've come together and a team and had success and earned that success."
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