Assistant Coach Jeff Boals (offical thread)

[Buckskin86]

Jeff Boals (pronounced BOWLS) is in his third season as a member of the Akron basketball staff, but is in the first with the title of associate head coach. He was promoted to his new position in September of 2008.

Boals serves as the program?s recruiting coordinator and is also responsible for the development of the team?s post players.

A native of Magnolia, Ohio, Boals joined the Zips program after spending two seasons (2004-05 and 2005-06) as the top assistant coach at Robert Morris.

In his two seasons at RMU, Boals worked with the Colonials? post players and served as recruiting coordinator. In 2005-06, RMU guard Jeremy Chappell was named Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year and selected as a Top 25 Freshman All-American by CollegeInsider.com. Part of a program turnaround orchestrated by head coach Mark Schmidt, the Colonials posted the program?s first winning record since 1999-2000, going 15-14 in 2005-06.

Prior to his time at RMU, Boals spent the 2003-04 season as the associate head coach at Division II University of Charleston in Charleston, W.Va. During that time he was responsible for developing the Golden Eagles? post and perimeter players, and oversaw the program?s recruiting effort.

That was actually his second stint at the school, having been an assistant coach from 1996-99. During those three seasons the program recorded a 63-26 mark, and captured the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) tournament championship in 1999 to earn a bid into the NCAA Tournament. The team was also ranked in the top 25 during the 1998-99 campaign, peaking as high as No. 11.

Boals served as an assistant coach at former MAC institution Marshall from 1999-2003. He worked closely with the Thundering Herd?s recruiting during that time, helping the program land an incoming class that was regarded as the best in the league by several scouting services.

A 1995 graduate of Ohio University with a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences, Boals was a four-year letterwinner on the Bobcats? basketball team. Also a two-year captain, he helped guide OU to the 1994 MAC tournament and regular-season championships, the same season the program won the Preseason National Invitation Tournament. In the preseason NIT, the Bobcats notched road victories over Ohio State and Virginia before edging New Mexico State and George Washington at Madison Square Garden.

Boals, who is working towards a master of athletics administration from Ohio, began his coaching career at OU as an assistant coach from 1995-96.

Boals and his wife, Katie, have two children, Sydney (5) and Chase (2), and reside in Fairlawn.

Jeff Boals Bio - GOZIPS.COM?Official Web Site of University of Akron Athletics

Akron assistant replacing Miller?
Jeff Boals, an Ohio native and former Ohio University player who has been on the coaching staff at Akron the past three years, will replace Archie Miller on the Ohio State staff, Rivals.com is reporting.

Neither Matta nor Boals immediately returned messages left for them tonight seeking comment.

Boals' hiring would make sense for at least a couple of reasons.

A native of Magnolia, Ohio, near Canton, he has a strong resume as a recruiter and is close to Adreian Payne, the long-armed, 6-foot-9 forward/center from Dayton Jefferson who is the top uncommitted recruit remaining in the Ohio class of 2010. Payne plays on the All-Ohio Red AAU team with OSU commits Jared Sullinger and Jordan Sibert but has been slow to trim his list of suitors and has not visited Ohio State. That could change with Boals on board, since he presumably was the one who persuaded Payne several weeks ago to schedule a visit to Akron.

Boals also has a track record of coaching post players, which would even up the duties on the practice floor for Ohio State. For the past three seasons, Alan Major has been the only coach working with the posts while three coaches -- Matta, John Groce, Archie Miller and, last year, Brandon Miller, all of them former guards -- focused on the perimeter.

Akron assistant replacing Miller? (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

[fanaticbuckeye]

So what of Archie? It sounds nice to have another post coach in there, just surprised to hear Archie's being replaced so quickly.

[Piney]

Good ol Jeff. I loved him as a player (as the resident Ohio alum). He did all the small things on the court. He set the screens, rebounded and played tough defense. The heart of those great Ohio teams.

[itownbuckeye]

Originally Posted by fanaticbuckeye

So what of Archie? It sounds nice to have another post coach in there, just surprised to hear Archie's being replaced so quickly.

You think there should be a mourning period or something? They had an opening and found a guy they liked. I don't think it happened all that quickly as I'm sure Thad had an idea that Archie would follow Sean.

[LitlBuck]

If he can help us Payne, I don't care when he was hired I guess if he is good enough for Piney he is good enough for me. Personally, I had never heard of him before when it comes to assistant coaches. Sort of a surprise.

[GrizzlyBuck]

BuckeyeXtra - The Columbus Dispatch : OSU: Miller out, Boals in

The Dispatch is confident enough in the Boals hire to have this write up in the internet news, not much, just Archie out, Jeff in, and no response for comments from Matta, Boals or Miller.

It is nice to even out the coaches a bit in terms of coaching the post and perimeter guys.

It's also nice that Payne seems to like him. He should be able to help recruit Ohio and the neighboring states, which is tOSU's wheelhouse.

Thad liked him enough to pull the trigger quickly on this (I know he was in all likelihood looking as soon as SM got the Zona job, as well as always having a few names in the rolodex in case something came up) so that speaks highly of his confidence in Boals.

Welcome to the S&G family Coach Boals

[fanaticbuckeye]

Originally Posted by itownbuckeye

You think there should be a mourning period or something? They had an opening and found a guy they liked. I don't think it happened all that quickly as I'm sure Thad had an idea that Archie would follow Sean.

What are you talking about? I didnt realize Archie was gone, that is why I asked.

[GrizzlyBuck]

Originally Posted by fanaticbuckeye

What are you talking about? I didnt realize Archie was gone, that is why I asked.

He probably did not realize that you did not realize that Archie was gone, it does appear that Archie is gone, though, so far it looks like Rivals is the only one saying it, but others are picking up on their story and are confident enough in rivals to run with it.

[Piney]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I guess if he is good enough for Piney he is good enough for me. Personally, I had never heard of him before when it comes to assistant coaches. Sort of a surprise.

Naw, I have alterative motives. I need Boals to get some experience with a bigger program so when Groce leaves in 3-5 years for a bigger job the Bobcats can steal another coach from Ohio State, and this time, an Ohio alum to boot

[BrutusBobcat]

Originally Posted by Piney

Naw, I have alterative motives. I need Boals to get some experience with a bigger program so when Groce leaves in 3-5 years for a bigger job the Bobcats can steal another coach from Ohio State, and this time, an Ohio alum to boot

Program continuity at OU? You dream the big dreams, don't you?

[Buckskin86]

Associate coach goes to OSU
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Apr 16, 2009

Jeff Boals, associate head men's basketball coach at the University of Akron, has resigned to join the staff at Ohio State, multiple sources at UA said.

Boals has been the primary recruiter for coach Keith Dambrot and helped land freshman point guard Anthony ''Humpty'' Hitchens and incoming freshman Zeke Marshall, a highly touted 7-foot center.

The sources said Boals' decision to leave will not mean the loss of Marshall, who signed a Division I letter of intent in November.

It is widely known that Boals wants to become a head coach some day, and he has the credentials and expertise to do just that.

It would be difficult for him to go from being an assistant at a mid-major to being a head coach at a mid-major, a likely starting point. It would be easier to go from being an assistant at a major to being a head coach at a mid-major.

Ohio.com - Associate coach goes to OSU

Another thought on Boals' hiring

I mentioned in a blog yesterday why I thought Jeff Boals coming aboard as an assistant coach made sense for a couple of reasons: his close ties to 2010 blue chip Adreian Payne and his track record for coaching big men and, perhaps, infusing them with some of the fire that he played with at Ohio University. The Buckeyes' bigs haven't had enough of that the past two seasons.

I neglected to mention a third potential benefit, one I thought about at times this past season: Having a different voice in coaches' meetings, in practice and in timeout huddles, someone who hasn't seen and done things the same way as Thad Matta does them.

I don't think Matta has had enough of that on his staff since he's been at Ohio State.

He brought two Xavier assistants, John Groce and Alan Major, with him when he was hired in 2004 and added Dan Peters from Cincinnati. Three years later, he transferred Peters to an administrative role and added Archie Miller, who played and coached for Herb Sendek. Sendek was Matta's mentor at one time and also once employed Sean Miller, Matta's top assistant at Xavier, and Groce.

When Groce left last year, Matta replaced him with Brandon Miller, who played for Matta at Butler and worked for him administratively at Xavier and Ohio State before returning to Butler for a year as a coach, then moving back to Ohio State.

Boals isn't from that tree. Before working for Keith Dambrot at Akron the past three years, he worked under Mark Schmidt at Robert Morris. Schmidt is a former Xavier assistant but worked there for Skip Prosser.

Maybe Boals will bring some fresh ideas to Matta's "Ohio State Way."

http://blog.dispatch.com/hoopsscoops...ls_hirin.shtml

[buckeydoptimist]

I'm more interested in his post development rep and recruiting prowess ( particularly with big men ). I don't know that a new voice in the huddle is that big of a thing.

My guess is that Thad was impressed by what he's done ( probably seeing him around while recruiting OH ) and extended the offer when he knew he had a new opening. Good coaches are always on the lookout for assistant coach candidates in their area or nationally that impress them while recruiting the same areas. I know that's why Gary Williams hired Rick Barnes and Fran Fraschilla while he was here - both recruiting phenoms at the time.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

I think this move only helps us in Ohio..........our post development can't really be judged due to only having one year with Oden, Koufos and Mullens..........now Lauderdale has shown progression in two years........Dials improved from his junior to his senior season also...........

[Buckskin86]

If coach Thad Matta adds Akron assistant Jeff Boals to the Ohio State men's basketball staff as expected, Boals' recruiting background could pay immediate dividends.

Boals persuaded Dayton Jefferson 6-foot-9 forward/center Adreian Payne, the top uncommitted 2010 Ohio recruit, to visit Akron, and Boals could add to the Buckeyes' efforts to recruit him.

Payne, who reportedly has a 7-foot-2 wingspan, has made unofficial visits to Ohio State, Dayton, Xavier and West Virginia. He already plays on the All-Ohio Red AAU team with Ohio State recruits Jared Sullinger of Northland and Jordan Sibert of Cincinnati Princeton. Boals coaches post players, so that could help the Buckeyes, too.

Ohio State still hasn't confirmed Boals' hiring. By state law, the school is required to post the job opening for a week before it can announce a hiring. Boals would replace Archie Miller, who left this week to join his brother, former Xavier coach Sean Miller, at Arizona.

The Columbus Dispatch : Bob Hunter commentary: Rumblings

[starBUCKS]

It's official


Boals' hiring is official (Hoops & Scoops: an OSU basketball blog)

Ohio State announced the hiring of Jeff Boals about a half hour ago. He'll be available to the news media at 1 p.m. today, so we'll have a story with comments from him and coach Thad Matta in The Dispatch on Wednesday.
In the meantime, here is the news release from Ohio State:


Jeff Boals, the associate head men?s basketball coach at the University of Akron last season, has joined the Ohio State men?s basketball staff as an assistant, Thad Matta, head coach of the Buckeyes, announced Tuesday.
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