Ellerbe and new staff a perfect fit

One of the most sought-after jobs in the country. An incredibly talented squad. Hundreds of screaming Crisler fans.

But one thing he didn't have was time.

Thrust into the head coaching position less than a week before practices began, Ellerbe didn't exactly have months to prepare to lead the Wolverines.

He didn't even have a week.

But this year, after being named head coach in March and securing a long-term deal in August, the former Loyola College (Md.) head coach can finally plan to run the Michigan basketball program the way he wants to run it.

And despite his newfound job security, Ellerbe isn't relaxing.

"In some areas, (the stability) allows you to breathe a sigh of relief," Ellerbe said. "But at the same time, the intensity doesn't dwindle. There's a lot of challenges we need to tackle."

One of those challenges presented itself to Ellerbe shortly after he was hired. He was given full control of selecting a coaching staff, and set out to find people who could do the job the way he wanted it done.

Less than two months after the interim tag was removed from his job title, Ellerbe found those people. He already had the services of assistant coach Scott Trost, who was returning for his third year with the Wolverines. Before the month of May was over, Ellerbe had added two more assistants.

The first addition to the coaching staff was Lorenzo Neely, then an assistant coach at nearby Eastern Michigan. Neely also played for the Eagles in the early 90s, and his combination of youth and recent playing experience sold Ellerbe on the Detroit native.

"Coach Neely has endless energy," Ellerbe said. "Being an ex-player at the college level himself, he really knows how to develop skills in individual players. That's a big part of today's game."

Neely filled the gap created by the departure of longtime Fisher assistant Brian Dutcher, who resigned in May. Administrative assistant Tom Soroboro, who served as a Loyola assistant coach for a year under Ellerbe, also was hired along with Neely.

Ellerbe solidified his new staff shortly thereafter, hiring former Eastern Kentucky head coach Kurtis Townsend.

Before that, Townsend played at Western Kentucky, where he got a chance to play under two of the most revered coaches in college basketball today. Purdue's Gene Keady was then the head coach of the Hilltoppers, and Minnesota coach Clem Haskins was an assistant under Keady.

"Kurtis has a great background of being around some of the better defensive minds in college basketball," Ellerbe said. "I'm anxious to get deeper into the philosophies of defensive basketball with him."

Townsend credits all of his former coaches with shaping the way he thinks today. He not only mentions Keady and Haskins, but also Bud Presley, Townsend's coach at Menlo (Calif.) Junior College. Presley later went on to coach with the Portland TrailBlazers.

"All of my coaches influenced my style of play and what I believe in," Townsend said. "Intensity, toughness and the 'defense wins championships' philosophy - I got a lot of that not only from Gene Keady, but from Bud Presley."

Townsend will specifically work with Michigan's post players, and he specializes in teaching defense. He also assists Ellerbe with the program's abundant recruiting duties.

Ellerbe feels that the new staff's strengths complement each other nicely.

"We have a very difficult combination to put in place with our staff, which is experience along with youth and enthusiasm," Ellerbe said. "I think we're very lucky."

Daily Top 25

Team Comment

1. Duke (1) After '98, everyone can spell Krzyzewski

2. UCLA (1) You see best recruiting class in country

3. Stanford Chelsea gets Secret Service to guard opponents

4. Kentucky Ashley Judd poses for posters, team is inspired

5. Utah Utes have never lost to Jordan; Jazz have

6. Michigan State (1) Saban can't screw this one up

7. Detroit Second-best team in state; get up!

8. Long Island Who needs the Knicks?

9. Connecticut (1) Most excitement since the Whale left town

10. Xavier Stop pronouncing it 'egg-zavier', dammit!

11. Oklahoma State Ride 'em, Cowboys! No, go ahead, ride 'em

12. Syracuse McNabb comes back; team runs option

13. Purdue Cardinal leads nation in wet willies

14. Davidson Two straight Tourneys for the 'Cats

15. Athletes In Action Bad call kept them from beating Hoosiers

16. Indiana Should've lost to Athletes

17. North Carolina So, Dean ... you busy?

18. Miami (Ohio) Opponents too distracted trying to say 'Szczerbiak'

19. Akron Return of the MAC

20. Lee Bollinger House parties earn him spot in Top 25

21. Iona Should've been Iowa, we goofed

22. Wofford Cool name earns them votes

23. Cleveland State Yikes! Vikes excel without Michigan on schedule

24. Prairie View band Trombone injuries keep them from being higher

25. Northwestern Would have been higher; they were shaving votes

Others receiveing votes: John Glenn (yes, the astronaut), Ohio University, Cooper City High School, Vanderbilt, Cleveland St. Ignatius, Michigan, Horace Greeley High School, St. Gregory College Prep, Elizabeth Hurley, Alan Goldenbach

Michigan fast facts

Overall record: 1,193-759

Big Ten record: 624-538

Big Ten titles: 13*

Last Big Ten title: 1986

NCAA Tournament appearances: 20

NCAA Tournament record: 41-19

Last NCAA title: 1989

First-team All-Americans: 4

First team All-Big Ten selections: 20

*1998 Big Ten tournament champs

11-12-98