Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 6, 1995 TAG: 9504060084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FRESNO, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
Jerry Tarkanian, the towel-chomping coach with the highest winning percentage in NCAA basketball history, was hired Wednesday to coach Fresno State, his alma mater.
The former Nevada-Las Vegas coach, whose long-running dispute with the NCAA reached the Supreme Court, replaces Gary Colson, who resigned March 15 after five seasons. Tarkanian, the only candidate to interview for the job, signed a three-year contract.
``I know that the support here is unmatched,'' Tarkanian said at a news conference. ``I've always said the Red Wave is maybe the best fans in the entire country.
``Hopefully, we can get a program going to the level to bring a lot of excitement and a lot of pride to the people of the San Joaquin Valley.''
Fresno State's president, John Welty, had the final word on hiring Tarkanian. Welty said the contract ``establishes the responsibility of the coach to adhere to NCAA regulations.''
In addition, Welty said the athletic department will hire a compliance officer to guide coaches in all sports in following NCAA rules.
Tarkanian, 64, will try to revitalize a team that has had only two winning seasons in the past 10 years. The Bulldogs were 13-15 this season, finishing seventh in the Western Athletic Conference.
The choice of such a prominent coach excited many in the community, and a party for the public was arranged after the announcement to greet Tarkanian.
As a college coach, Tarkanian was known for quickly building consistent winners. Tarkanian compiled a 625-122 record - an .837 winning percentage - during five seasons at Long Beach State and 19 at UNLV.
His UNLV team, featuring Larry Johnson, won the 1990 NCAA championship when it routed Duke by 30 points.
When asked, before his hiring, whether he could lead Fresno State to a Final Four, Tarkanian said: ``Final Four? My goodness. What I'd like to do is get the program to be a national power. By that, I mean being able to compete with anyone on a given day.''
Tarkanian's ties to Fresno State basketball date to the early 1950s, when he played for the Bulldogs. After his graduation in 1955, Tarkanian began his coaching career at a local Catholic high school.
At Las Vegas, Tarkanian made the Runnin' Rebels a headline act. He filled the Thomas and Mack Center, known as the ``Shark Tank,'' and became a big-time star in a city known for its celebrities.
Tarkanian said his connection to Fresno State is the reason he wants to return to coaching.
Despite his success, Tarkanian's teams were plagued by NCAA investigations involving illegal recruiting and eligibility questions.
The NCAA placed UNLV on two years' probation in 1977 and suspended Tarkanian for two years. He continued coaching and appealed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming the probation violated his right to due process. But the nation's highest court ruled against him in 1988, saying the NCAA was a private agency and did not have to provide due process.
Tarkanian resigned three years ago when photos were published showing three former UNLV players in a hot tub with convicted sports fixer Richard Perry. Tarkanian said he had told his players repeatedly to stay away from Perry.
Following a short stint as coach of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs in 1992, Tarkanian became host of a radio sports talk show, gave motivational speeches and made cameo appearances in several movies.
by CNB