Following a season where he led the team to its first regular-season conference title since 1999, Texas State has officially named Terrence Johnson as head men’s basketball coach.
Johnson, also named Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, assumed duties as interim head coach following the resignation of former Head Coach Danny Kaspar after he was accused of making racist remarks to former players. The team finished 18-7 (12-3 Sun Belt) and entered the Sun Belt tournament as the first seed in the West Division before losing in overtime to Appalachian State on March 6.
“I don’t know that there’s a group of guys I could have done this with than the ones who are in this locker room,” Johnson says in a press conference announcing his official head coach title.
Athletic Director Larry Teis says Johnson will receive a four-year contract, however, the terms of the deal will be revealed at a later date. Teis says the deal will have the same financial conditions Kaspar received in his extension in 2019.
“I didn’t think it was fair to slight [Johnson] any way,” Teis says. “I expect the same outta him as I expect from the previous coach…If you’re put into this situation, you need to feel fully compensated and be comfortable.”
With the interim title finally gone, Johnson does not plan on changing his approach.
“I think being a coach is being a teacher,” Johnson says. “I think being a teacher is being a leader. I don’t get caught up in titles. I believe that I come to work every day with the same goal and objective in mind and that’s to inspire…I can’t make these guys do anything they don’t want to do. I just try to inspire them to be better…These guys know how I feel about them and they know it’s bigger than basketball.”
The Bobcats’ season is not over yet as they hope for an invitation to the National Invitational Tournament in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. If the opportunity presents itself, Johnson says the team would “walk to Dallas.”
Johnson has come a long way from Sebastopol, Louisiana, and considers the moment to be “surreal.”
“Sometimes I pinch myself — it doesn’t work,” Johnson says. “God orders my steps and I just remain obedient…I’m excited to take a break at some point and get to New Orleans and put my arms around my mother and my brothers and just sit back and take it all in.”
This is a developing story. The University Star will provide updates as more information becomes available.
