• Photo Showcase: Greg McDermott
• Streaming Video: Log on at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday to see live video of the Creighton press conference introducing Greg McDermott as head coach.
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Creighton's basketball players woke up Saturday morning thinking Dana Altman would be their coach next season.
They went to bed Monday night knowing it will be Greg McDermott.
“It's been crazy, really crazy,'' center Kenny Lawson said. “I think we're as surprised as anyone with what's transpired.''
The Bluejays' race from Point A (Altman) to Point B (McDermott) in just more than 48 hours has left more than a few heads spinning. McDermott's included.
He said Monday that he never intended to leave Iowa State. He hired two assistant coaches last week. He picked up two commitments over the weekend.
But then Creighton Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen called Saturday night to ask if the 45-year-old coach would be interested in replacing Altman, who had decided earlier in the day to become Oregon's next head coach.
By Sunday, McDermott had a job offer to mull over. At 1 p.m. Monday, he accepted.
Tuesday morning at 10:30, McDermott will be formally introduced as Creighton's new coach at a press conference on the basketball court at the school's Sokol Arena. The press conference is open to the public.
“This,” McDermott said, “came out of nowhere.”
He said several factors influenced his decision to leave Iowa State, where his teams went 59-68 and won just 18 of 64 Big 12 games in four seasons.
One is the opportunity to coach his son Doug, who had been recruited by Creighton last fall but decided to sign with Northern Iowa.
Doug McDermott, a senior at state champion Ames High School, is expected to be released from his UNI commitment so he can join his father.
“For our family,” Greg McDermott said, “it couldn't get much better than that.”
Obviously, the 10-year contract Rasmussen offered had to appeal to a coach whose job security was a source of speculation last season, even though he did receive a vote of confidence from Iowa State Athletic Director Jamie Pollard in March.
He met with Cyclone players Monday to tell them he was leaving.
“I am born and raised here, so obviously it was difficult to leave,'' McDermott told reporters afterward. “But again, the opportunity to coach Doug, he is a pretty happy young man right now.''
Rasmussen hardly appeared happy when he emerged from a meeting with Creighton players late Monday afternoon. His face showed the strain of pulling together the deal at break-neck speed. He looked like a man who hadn't slept in two days.
Most likely, he hadn't. He lost more than a basketball coach when Altman decided to end his 16-year relationship with Creighton. Rasmussen and Altman were close friends and golfing buddies.
Rasmussen declined an interview request, saying he will wait until Tuesday to explain how he persuaded McDermott to return to the Missouri Valley, where he coached five seasons (2001-02 to 2005-06) at Northern Iowa and led the Panthers to the NCAA tournament in his last three seasons at the school.
Rasmussen also surely will be asked why he acted so quickly in filling the position — too quickly to suit some Creighton fans.
“I will talk a lot tomorrow morning,'' Rasmussen said.
Several Creighton players said they appreciated the quick work by the athletic director.
“I think it's good that we didn't have a lot of time to worry about what was going on,'' forward Wayne Runnels said. “We're glad he got the deal done.''
Teammate Kaleb Korver said the Jays “have complete faith in Ras.”
“Whatever decisions he made, he's trying to do what's best for the program and our team,” Korver said. “We're behind him 100 percent.''
McDermott expects to bring Erik Crawford, Iowa State's assistant director of basketball operations, with him to Omaha. McDermott said he hasn't made any other decisions on his staff.
Within the past six days, he had hired Nick Nurse as Iowa State's associate head coach and also brought in former Cyclone great Jeff Grayer.
Creighton assistant Darian DeVries said he will meet with McDermott to discuss remaining at the school. Brian Fish is leaving to join Altman in Oregon.
McDermott made $950,000 at Iowa State last season, and his contract has an $800,000 buyout.
Creighton, a private institution, rarely divulges contract information regarding its personnel.
McDermott made it clear Monday that Creighton will provide him with an opportunity that money can't buy.
“It's every dad's dream to have an opportunity to coach his kid,'' he said.
Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune contributed to this report.
Contact the writer:
679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com
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