Rob Jeter to Western Illinois

[bbtds]

https://amp.jsonline.com/amp/5081728002


Former UW-Milwaukee head coach and UW assistant Rob Jeter will be a head coach again


Jeter, 50, has been an assistant coach for the past four seasons, two at UNLV and the past two at the University of Minnesota. He was with the Panthers from 2005-16, coaching UWM to two Horizon League tournament tiles (and the conference's automatic NCAA Tournament berths), as well as two regular-season titles. Overall, he was 184-170 at UWM and won 20 games five times.

Western Illinois did not renew the contract of Billy Wright after six seasons.

[VUGrad1314]

Great hire for the Leathernecks. Jeter got screwed by Milwaukee. It's sad how that program has fallen and become such a mess after being seen as one of the league's bellcows at the time we joined the HL. If Milwaukee can get back to the mid 2000s level and sustain it for more than a few years, I would take them in the MVC in a heartbeat. Great market good fanbase (when they have a reason to go) good facilities close familiar opponent and if I remember correctly they are an R1 or R2 school which is good for the academic profile. If they add a consistent winning culture to the mix that's an easy sell for me but that is the most important ingredient.

Musings on Milwaukee aside I have to wonder if maybe this hire was made to show the OVC that the Western Illinois basketball program has a pulse and is worth adding. I have to believe that the Leathernecks are angling for a better more stable conference home for all sports and are trying to get the OVC's attention should there be room in that conference in the future. They are a good geographic and football fit for the conference right now; and if Murray State and\or Belmont were to seek another conference, Western Illinois would fit in very well competitively with much of the remaining OVC as well as get their chief rival back for all sports in EIU. It would also be a big travel reduction and a big win for their athletic department as well as a win for the OVC especially in football.