Vandal Basketball Coach Zac Claus Meets Media For First Time

On June 14th Zac Claus was named the interim head basketball coach at the University of Idaho replacing Don Verlin who was fired for cause.

Claus will have to live with the interim title through the entire basketball season because the Vandals are still without an athletic director and Idaho has said a search for a new head basketball coach won't take place until the spring of 2020.

How then does one recruit quality players as an interim coach with no guarantee you'll be around in March?

Claus took some time, nearly two months, before deciding to hold his first press conference and he did so when everyone is thinking football not basketball.

Meeting with the media seemed more a quality control tactic than a necessity Claus, who says he is very humbled by this chance to prove his leadership may well feel this is his opportunity to earn the head coaching job and put an end to any spring search.

Claus has quietly signed several players and feels he has a roster of solid individuals both on the court and in the community. Among those on the roster is Damen Thacker of Meridian who played his high school hoops for Mountain View.

Obviously these are not the best of times in Moscow for the men's basketball program but Claus feels he can make a difference and he was very clear during his first press conference that creating a positive and winning culture is the first step to competing, both for wins and for his own job to become permanent. Or as permanent as a head basketball coaches job can be.

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