FWTCT's Short-List: Steve Prohm

When looking over Steve Prohm's resume, there is only one area that seems a little light. Experience. However, in his first and only season as a head coach he lead Murray State to a 31-2 record, OVC regular season and tournament titles, and the 3rd round of the NCAA tournament. I know some will say, "He did it with someone else's players!" That's fair enough, but you can't overlook the fact that Prohm has been on the staff at Murray St. since 2006 and played a big role in bringing in the players (like All-American point guard Isiah Canaan from Biloxi) that led the Racers to a top-10 ranking in the polls this season.

What I like about Prohm: #1 - Southern ties: Prohm started his career as a student assistant at Alabama in the 90's and has spent most of his coaching career in Louisiana (Centenary, Southeastern LA, Tulane).

#2 - Well respected, liked by his players: When I watched Murray State in the OVC tournament and NCAA tournament, the way the team responded to their coach really caught my eye. During timeouts the players always looked zoned-in on what Prohm was saying. Since taking over in 2011, Prohm has preached and worked with the team to bond like a family. Not only did he preach it...They lived it.

#3 - Personality: This may be my favorite thing about Prohm. He's a humble, good guy. And It shows in every article I read or interview I see. He doesn't make excuses and he cares about the relationship he has with his players and coaches.

I had a blast watching Murray St. play this season. They share the ball and make the opposition beat them, rather than beating themselves. That is a direct reflection of Prohm's coaching style.

Could State land him? Prohm said after losing to Marquette in the 3rd Round of the NCAA Tournament that he'd be back at Murray, but he only makes $200,000 a year at Murray St (expected to increase) and it would be tough to turn down the money and the prestige of coaching in the SEC (if MSU came calling).