Northern Arizona coaching opening

Northern Arizona University Coach Mike Adras resigned last night after posting a 2-7 early season record. NAU is a member of the Big Sky Conference.

Dave Brown, a former women's team coach at the school and longtime holder of many positions at the school, has been named interim coach.

It's interesting that none of the three assistant coaches were placed in that position but experience may be why as two assistants have been in Flagstaff going into their third season and the other is entering his second year.

So why is this posted on a WAC blog?

The coaching search is supposed to begin immediately but will someone be hired before the current season is completed? Would that have to be someone not currently in the D-1 ranks or even the other levels?

It seems unlikely that a current head coach would his his team in mid-season but possibly an assistant would make that jump, however awkward.

Could that be a WAC assistant coach?

All of the following is SPECULATION and has NO BASIS in fact but might former Louisiana Tech Coach Kerry Rupp, now operations director at Hawaii, be interested? He's coached at nearby Utah as well as at UAB and Indiana.

How about Idaho Associate Head Coach Ray Lopes, whose coaching résumé is basically out west and Oklahoma?

Or Nevada Associate head Coach Doug Novsek?

Maybe Tim Duryea, in his 11th year at Utah State?

Northern Arizona was 19-13 last season, 9-7 in conference play. The record was 14-14, 8-8 the year before, under .500 prior to that but a solid 18-12 and 11-5 in 2006-07.

The Lumberjack program is known for its shooting guard style so current players and prospective recruits have to be wondering if that will remain the same, or not. There are three touted frosh backcourters, two who are playing 27 and 20 minutes per game thus far.

It's hard to determine the level of attractiveness of NAU's basketball program and, of course, pay would also be a consideration.