Utah State University Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Monday that current Aggie associate coach Tim Duryea (Dur-e-a) has been named the school’s 18th head coach in 110 seasons of USU basketball.
The 50-year old Duryea replaces Stew Morrill who retired after 40 seasons as a collegiate basketball coach, which included 29 years as a head coach, 17 of which were at USU. Duryea had been the longest-tenured assistant coach in school history with 14 seasons.
"Tim understands what it means to be an Aggie and what it will take to move our program to the next level," said Barnes. "His vision, dedication and passion for leading our program could not be overlooked. Tim has been groomed the past 14 years by one of the best basketball coaches in the country, and I have great confidence that he will begin putting his own fingerprints on the program beginning today. Tim has unwavering commitment to ensuring that our student-athletes experience success on the basketball floor, in the classroom and in life, and I look forward to the Aggies continuing their proud tradition under his leadership."
In his 14 seasons at Utah State, Duryea has been part of an Aggie program that has averaged 23.6 wins per season, advanced to the NCAA Tournament six times (2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011) and won five conference championships in the Big West (2003) and Western Athletic Conferences (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), while winning four conference tournament titles in the Big West (2003, 2005) and WAC (2009, 2011).
"I’m extremely honored and humbled to be the next head men’s basketball coach at Utah State, and I am totally invested and passionate about continuing the vision for this basketball program," said Duryea. "I would like to thank University President Stan Albrecht and Mr. Barnes for the trust and belief they have in me to lead this program."
Duryea, who has spent the past seven seasons as the program’s associate coach, inherits a team that returns all five of its starters and 10 letterwinners from last year’s squad that went 18-13 and finished in a tie for fourth-place in the Mountain West with an 11-7 mark after being picked to finish 10th in the 11-team league prior to the season.
"This group of players and coaches has learned a lot about the Mountain West and what it takes to win on a consistent basis. In order for us to compete for championships we must improve individually and collectively, in both defending and rebounding to get to where all of us want to be," Duryea added.
During the last seven seasons, Duryea has been in charge of an Aggie offense that has traditionally been one of the best in the nation, and the 2014-15 season was no different as Utah State led the Mountain West and ranked 14th nationally in 3-point shooting (.394), while also ranking second in the conference and 17th in the nation in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.38), and second in the conference and 19th nationally in fewest turnovers per game (10.4). Individually, USU had the best field goal shooter in the Mountain West last season as redshirt freshman forward David Collette ranked 14th in the nation at 59.1 percent (163-of-276).
In 2013-14, Utah State ranked second in the nation in 3-point percentage (.406), as well as 12th in assists per game (15.9) and 19th in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.44). During the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, USU ranked 24th nationally in field goal shooting at 47.5 and 46.9 percent, respectively, while ranking 28th nationally in field goal shooting (.470) during the 2010-11 campaign.
During the 2009-10 season, Utah State ranked third nationally in three-point shooting (.414), ninth in overall shooting (.488) and 10th in free throw shooting (.758), and was the only team in the nation to rank among the top 10 in all three shooting categories. During the 2008-09 season, USU finished the year as the nation’s best shooting team (.496), while ranking 17th in 3-point shooting (.394).
Duryea spent his first seven seasons at Utah State in charge of an Aggie defense that traditionally ranked among the top in the nation in points allowed, including a fourth-place finish in 2002 (58.1), a sixth-place finish in 2004 (58.1), an eighth-place finish in 2005 (57.8) and a ninth-place finish in 2003 (60.0).
During his time at Utah State, the Aggies have recorded 12 20-win seasons, including setting the school record for wins with a 30-5 mark during the 2008-09 season and a 30-4 mark during the 2010-11 campaign. USU has also had 18 players earn a total of 30 all-conference honors during the past 14 years, including three WAC Players of the Year in Jaycee Carroll (2008), Gary Wilkinson (2009) and Tai Wesley (2011). Furthermore, USU has had three players earn All-American honors a total of four times with Duryea on staff in Carroll (2007, 2008), Wilkinson (2009) and Wesley (2011).
Along with his on-the-court responsibilities, Duryea has also overseen academic progress while at Utah State, which has resulted in 22 Aggies earning academic all-conference honors a total of 40 times over the last 14 years, while nearly 90 percent of USU’s players during that time have graduated.
Historically, Utah State is one of the top basketball programs in the nation as it has produced a 1,536-1,059 (.592) record in 110 seasons as it has played in the postseason 30 times, including 20 trips to the NCAA Tournament. All-time, USU has won 16 conference championships, including eight tournament titles, while producing 28 All-Americans, 66 all-conference honorees and six conference player of the years stretching over conference affiliations with the Big West (1979-2005), Western Athletic (2006-12) and Mountain West (2013-present).
Prior to joining the Aggies, Duryea was the head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College from 2000-01. During his two years at the helm, his teams produced a 40-25 record and back-to-back trips to the Region Six Championships.
A 1988 graduate of North Texas, Duryea began his coaching career in 1988 at Colorado State before moving on to North Texas in 1993. Duryea then went to Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College as an assistant coach for two seasons before becoming the head coach there prior to the 1999-2000 season.
Duryea played basketball at Denton (Texas) High School and Texas Pan-American before transferring to North Texas. At UNT, Duryea was a co-captain in 1988 for one of only three teams in school history to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
Duryea was born in Medicine Lodge, Kan., on Nov. 16, 1964. He and his wife Angie have 19-year old twins, Tanner (son) and Taylor (daughter), and a 12-year old daughter (Kaylee). Tanner is a freshman lacrosse player at Westminster (Utah), while Taylor is a freshman volleyball player at Dixie State (Utah).
-USU-
Tim Duryea File Coaching History:
2016- Utah State – Head Coach
2009-15 Utah State – Associate Coach
2002-08 Utah State – Assistant Coach
2000-01 Hutchinson Community College – Head Coach
1997-99 Hutchinson Community College – Assistant Coach
1993-97 North Texas – Assistant Coach
1988-90 Colorado State – Assistant Coach
NCAA Tournaments (8): Utah State (6) – 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011; Colorado State (2) – 1989, 1990.
Conference Championships (7): Utah State (5) – WAC – 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011; Big West – 2003; Colorado State (2) – WAC – 1989, 1990.
Conference Tournament Championships (4): Utah State (4) – WAC – 2009, 2011; Big West – 2003, 2005.
Playing Experience: 1986-88 North Texas 1984-85 Texas-Pan American
Education: 1988 North Texas – Business Administration
Birthdate: November 16, 1964 in Medicine Lodge, Kan. Family: Wife, Angie; Daughters – Taylor (19), Kaylee (12); Son – Tanner (19).
What Others Are Saying About Tim Duryea
Stew Morrill, Former Utah State Head Men’s Basketball Coach: "Tim is very deserving of this opportunity and I know how ready he is to be the head coach at Utah State. He will prove that this is a fantastic hire on the University’s part. Tim can handle every aspect of the job. For me personally, this is a very happy day. Good things do happen to good people and everyone who knows Tim, knows that he’s a special guy. Aggie Basketball is in very capable hands!"
Jalen Moore, Utah State Junior Wing: "It’s good for the team, knowing what we have coming in, and he’s excited to be the coach. We are all ready to keep getting better and going up."
David Collette, Utah State Sophomore Forward: "It is a good decision and he deserves the job. He’s going to make some necessary changes that will help us grow even farther as a team."
Dave Rice, UNLV Head Coach and Former Utah State Assistant Coach: "Tim Duryea will do an excellent job as head coach at Utah State and has been an important part of the success of Coach (Stew) Morrill’s teams. He has a great basketball mind and is a tireless worker. Coach Duryea has a stellar reputation in college basketball. He is an experienced recruiter and a team player. I am excited for my good friend to get this well deserved opportunity."
Randy Rahe, Weber State Head Coach and Former Utah State Assistant Coach: "Absolutely a wonderful hire and I couldn’t be happier for Tim and his family. No one, that I can think of, deserves this more than Tim. The work that he’s done up there and the success that he’s had as an assistant over 14 years is great. It is one of those things you like to see – guys that have paid their dues and then get an opportunity – and that is exactly what happened. He’s going to do an absolutely wonderful job for Utah State."
Don Verlin, Idaho Head Coach and Former Utah State Assistant Coach: "I am very happy for Tim and his family and he is the perfect fit for the job at Utah State. Tim has spent 14 years at Utah State and he knows what you need to be successful at Utah State as far as recruiting, academics and scheduling. Tim is very deserving of this opportunity."
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