Grant McCasland felt it was a reunion from when he was hanging out on the sidelines at Chaparral Center.
One-time Midland College coach to become Texas Tech’s new head men’s basketball coach returns to Midland, head football coach Joey McGuire and Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt at the Busch Convention Center for the final Red Raider stop on the Club Wreck’em tour.
McCasland still has many friends from his time at MC from 2003-2009, first as an assistant coach under Shannon Hayes and then as head coach for five years, which included leading the Chaparrals to the 2007 NJCAA national title and a national runner-up finish. In 2009
“It was pretty cool,” McCasland said of his return to Midland. “It’s amazing how much the area has changed, but the heart behind it and the people, that’s what comes to mind when you get here. Good to have you back, man.”
McCasland’s hiring was announced by Tech on March 31, 2007. One night he was coaching North Texas to the National Invitation Tournament title in Las Vegas, and the next day he was flying to Lubbock to get ready for work. Introduction to the Red Raider Nation.
“It was really challenging, but in a good way,” he said. “You wake up in the morning with a to-do list, but that list usually goes out the window in the first hour because there are so many things that need your attention. First of all, we’re trying to make sure we have a good staff and a good roster for the season. That’s had a very positive turn. I love people and I’m excited about the new people we’ve signed.
While the roster is not finalized, McCasland and his staff have added three players off the transfer portal: 7-footer Warren Washington from Arizona State, 6-3 guard McMillian from Grand Canyon and 6-6 forward Darion Williams. From Nevada. McCasland not only knows what those players want to do in Lubbock, but knows how to win.
“The expectation is that we improve the program and win early,” he said. “And to do that, you’ve got to get guys who have experience, but not just experience playing college basketball, you’ve got to get guys who have played in the NCAA Tournament.”
Although his name had been floating around for a few years as a coach at Tech because of his past connections and success, he said he never thought about it before until it finally became a reality.
“I have good friends and to all the coaches that have been here, obviously coach (James) Dickey, coach (Bob) Knight, coach (Tuby) Smith. “There’s been a lot of great coaches and obviously Coach (Chris) Beard and Coach (Mark) Adams being two of the most recent ones,” he said. It was, so how do we do that more? I wasn’t trying to second-guess anyone, especially Texas Tech. Even though it’s close to our hearts when it comes to people, I just love people like Coach Adams. Hey, I never thought maybe that was an option. Now that it is, I’m extremely humbled and grateful. .
We are excited about McGuire
The ability of the group
McGuire is always enthusiastic about everything he does.
But even he must have a little skip in his step when he thinks about the potential of next season’s football team, with most of its starters returning from an 8-5 team that beat Ole Miss 42-25 in the Texas Bowl.
“Probably my favorite word is opportunity because we have a chance to be really good,” he said before addressing Red Raiders fans on Thursday. “The other part is expectations, because usually you’ve done something a year ago and you feel like you’re growing. What I’m talking about tonight, but what I talk about with our players every time we have a first team meeting, is that there are expectations here, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to be successful. We must get to work. But I prefer people who expect us to be good versus people who, I don’t know, are going to be good or anything like that.
McGuire said he believes the program is on the right track, but needs to continue to make strides in the upcoming season.
“This is a really big year. “We have to continue on the path,” he said. We have to do what we have to do, win the games we have to win and play well at home like last year.
Among the returning players is senior wide receiver and Lee grad Loic Fuonji, who had his best year in a red Raider uniform with 34 receptions for 451 yards and three TDs. He is coming off a big spring game in which he caught three passes for 103 yards, including a 57-yard TD reception from a Beren Morton pass.
“He had a great spring game and I watched it again last night, actually, and he had some big draws,” McGuire said. “I expect him to have not only a good year, but an amazing year. I think he could be an all-conference receiver for us and Loic knows it’s all about the injury. He hurt his shoulder early last year, it was an AC tear, but he played because he was so strong. Most receivers probably couldn’t do that. But if you look at OU and Ole Miss at the end of the season, he was fully healthy and that’s who he is.
McGuire, who was competing with Tyler Shaw for the quarterback job, said he was pleased with Morton’s progress.
“As everybody knows, I’m very analytical and numbers-driven, and going into last spring, we felt like he was going to give up 26 sacks in a straight season. We feel like he’s going to give up six sacks this year,” McGuire said. “For one, we’re getting better up front, but two, he understands the offense so well that the ball is coming out on time. He’s got great talent, he’s got great arm skills, he’s a tough kid. We feel really good about our quarterback unit.