Ellerbe to coach 'M' basketball

When Brian Ellerbe looks back on his Michigan coaching career - whenever it ends - and reminisces about his days in Ann Arbor, two remarkably similar Fridays should stand out: October 24, 1997 and March 20, 1998.

On the former date, Athletic Director Tom Goss named Ellerbe the interim coach of the Michigan men's basketball team. On the latter date, last Friday, Goss promoted the 34-year-old Ellerbe to full-time status and named him Michigan's 14th coach.

"We are very thankful for the opportunity," said Ellerbe, whose contract terms were not revealed, but should be in the range of four or five years. "As we talked about early in the year back in October, the best way to get a job is to do your own."

It rained on that October day, it snowed last Friday. In October, Goss didn't make his coaching decision until late afternoon; on Friday, he didn't make up his mind until 2 p.m. In October, Ellerbe didn't know of the good news until he heard it on h

MARGARET MYERS/Daily Brian Ellerbe holds his daughter, Morgan Ashleigh, after being named head coach of the Michigan men's basketball team on Friday by Michigan Athletic Director Tom Goss.

is car radio; on Friday, he didn't know his fate until Goss pulled him out of his office in mid-afternoon. On both days, press conferences called by Goss kept the identity of the coach under wraps until the last possible moment.

Both times, it was Ellerbe. Two days with so many similarities, but with one giant difference. On that Friday in October, he was given the job only temporarily; last Friday, he was told he's the man.

"In October, Tom gave me an opportunity and he said at that point, 'You have a chance,'" Ellerbe said. "That's all we need and that's all you want in life is a chance."

The announcement came just days after Goss gave other candidates a chance following Michigan's second-round NCAA Tournament loss to UCLA last Sunday. Early in the week, he received permission to talk to Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson and Seton Hall coach Tommy Amaker.

Goss said he narrowed his list of candidates to five, including Ellerbe. He also said he interviewed three candidates this week, but wouldn't reveal the names. Reports said that Goss met with Sampson and Amaker last week and spoke on the phone with candidates as late as this past Thursday night. Illinois State's Kevin Stallings and Evansville's Jim Drews were rumored to be other possible candidates, but neither could be confirmed.

Goss said he had "no doubt" that candidates he interviewed would have done a good job at Michigan, but he decided to go with the man whose office is just down the hall from his.

"What I decided was that there were good coaches out there, but this young man showed us a lot over the past several weeks," Goss said. "We backed away and said, 'We have something here. Let's take a chance.'"

Ellerbe's promotion from interim to permanent coach recalls the path taken by other Michigan coaches. Ellerbe's predecessor, Steve Fisher - who was fired by Goss in early October following an NCAA investigation into the basketball program - was named the coach after leading the team to a national title as interim coach in 1989.

Both Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr and women's basketball coach Sue Guevara were also interims for a time and were promoted during their first year on the job.

Goss said Ellerbe, like other Michigan coaches who were not well known before they took over, will have a chance to make a name for himself in the coming years.

"He, as so many coaches in the past that have come to Michigan, comes without a name," Goss said. "In terms of Bo Schembechler, nobody really knew him before he came. I think in the years to come Brian Ellerbe will make his own mark."

Ellerbe already has made an imprint in the Michigan history books. He guided the Wolverines to a 25-9 season, beat then-No. 1 Duke in December, and led Michigan to the first-ever Big Ten Tournament title.

The status of a couple of Ellerbe's key contributors during the season is still up in the air. While Michigan basketball players Travis Conlan, Maceo Baston and Jerod Ward are all seniors and will not be back, it is yet uncertain whether juniors Robert Traylor and Louis Bullock will return.

Ellerbe said Traylor is "50-50" right now as to whether he'll enter the NBA Draft or return for his senior year.

Bullock's status is also uncertain. Bullock, who was with assistant coach Scott Trost on Friday when Ellerbe interrupted them with the news, will likely make up his mind in the coming weeks. Detroit newspaper reports said Bullock told his father over the phone that he will return for his senior year.

Ellerbe said he would like to add other members to his coaching staff, which this year consisted of just himself, Trost and 10-year Michigan assistant coach Brian Dutcher. Despite his experience, Dutcher was passed over by Goss for the position after Fisher's firing.

03-23-98