Boise State basketball coach Leon Rice turned down the Washington State job to remain at BSU, sources told ESPN and The Idaho Statesman newspaper of Boise. Rice and the Cougars have refused comment. It was learned Friday that Rice had interviewed with WSU athletic director Bill Moos.
Also Friday, school president Elson Floyd said the job had been offered to a candidate he did not name.
Rice, a WSU graduate, is regarded as an outstanding recruiter. Moos stressed the need for WSU’s next coach to be strong in recruiting.
Rice has revived Boise State’s basketball program, compiling a 77-54 record since leaving Gonzaga four years ago. ESPN and The Idaho Statesman reported that Rice has agreed to accept a raise and a five-year rollover contract from the Broncos.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="2182480 https://sportspressnw.wpengine.com/?p=2182480">5 Comments
Good news for BSU. I’m not sure their athletic program losing both him and Petersen in the same year.
A wise choice for Leon even with the allure of a Pac~12 job. Sounds like he might have leveraged more money from BS in the process so the interview was useful for him…his program is on the upswing. He is established in Boise and Pullman isnt exactly on anyones list as a dream destination even for an Alum. No Rice on the Cougar plate this time.
What is the president of WSU doing in this article? This is the AD’s responsibility. Looks like they don’t know who’s on first.
Anyway, why move from Boise (great town) to the Palouse, unless the $$$ are much greater?
Moos should have been courting coaches at the NCAA March madness games and meetings in order to select from the field of 68.
There are plenty of good coaches in small conferences who would come to WSU to coach in the PAC-12.
lol wow this ain’t Boise State football we’re talking about and he turned down a pac 12 job. That’s not good for Pullman. But to be honest as a Husky fan rivalries are not any fun when one of the rivals stinks or isn’t competitive. So I hope the kitties find a good coach who has a style they can recruit to that situation. No stop laughing I really do would the seahawks and 40 whiner rivalry be as much fun if whiners stunk? No it wouldn’t
And to be fair Romar doesn’t exactly have me doing cartwheels over his success in Montlake last few years either. Too much one and done wars with Kentucky and Duke have put them behind big time.