Wyoming
How Jeff Linder found his way to the Texas Tech basketball staff from Wyoming
Grant McCasland talks Texas Tech basketball’s offseason
Before heading off to the FIBA U18 AmeriCup training camp, Texas Tech basketball coach Grant McCasland talks the Red Raiders’ offseason so far.
When Dave Smart left his post with the Texas Tech basketball team to become the new head coach at Pacific, there was a glaring hole on Grant McCasland’s staff.
As it turns out, to replace one assistant coach, McCasland needed to look at other sitting head coaches to fill the void.
Jeff Linder, who spent the last four years leading the men’s basketball program at Wyoming, officially joined McCasland’s staff on May 14 in what was a rather unique situation.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Linder’s pending arrival in Lubbock on May 9. He also reported Wyoming already had Linder’s replacement in Sundance Wicks, on May 12, two days before Tech announced Linder’s signing.
In those five days, it became apparent things weren’t great between Linder and the Cowboys. McCasland provided some clarity on the situation earlier this week in his first availability of the offseason.
“I think what happened in his scenario is just completely unique to (name, image and likeness),” McCasland said. “How do you build a team and what are the opportunities that each university has to build it? I think ultimately, he was at a transition time where he’s trying to figure out how to navigate this new landscape and we were able to convince him to come to Tech and be a part of winning a national championship.”
McCasland and Linder go back to their time at Midland College together, where they led the team to an appearance in the JUCO national quarterfinals. They first met when McCasland was a residence hall director at Northeastern Junior College in Colorado while Linder was working at Division II Emporia State. Linder was trying to recruit some of Northeastern’s players.
The two coaches are the same age — Linder will turn 47 next month — and have children who are also the same age. They’ve been connected for decades, and the opportunity presented itself to reunite in Lubbock.
“These days in college basketball I think your staff has to be connected,” McCasland said, “and people not only have to love the game, but you’ve got to be able to trust each other and he’s a guy that I trust with everything.”
There is some fallout from how Linder wound up in Lubbock, though.
Alex Taylor, the University of Wyoming beat reporter for the Wyoming Tribune, reported Tuesday via X (formerly Twitter) that Tech and Wyoming reached an agreement to sort out Linder’s buyout with his previous school.
In exchange for Linder coming to Texas Tech, Taylor reported, Wyoming will visit Lubbock for non-conference games during the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons in which Tech will pay guarantees of $150,000 each ($300,000 total).
Wyoming will also receive an additional $200,000 for its return football game in Lubbock in 2028. Tech, which lost at Wyoming on the gridiron in the 2023 season opener, was set to pay $300,000 for the Cowboys’ trip to Lubbock. That price tag will now be $500,000.
“UW agreed to waive the remaining portion of his liquidated damages after Coach Linder vacated the money owed to him,” Wyoming AD Tom Burman said in a statement, “and Texas Tech agreed to provide financial support for a few competitions. UW felt that this was a good compromise.”
Taylor said in a previous social media post that “Linder has talked extensively for the past two seasons about the lack of NIL in Laramie.”
Now that the dust has settled, Linder is officially with the Red Raiders, and McCasland sees it as an immediate positive for Tech’s on-court possibilities.
“I think on the floor coaching and game planning,” McCasland said, “he’s really going to be a huge add for us. … He’s an awesome guy more than anything and I really think he’ll help us basketball wise, but his character and who he is as a person is the biggest add to our program.”
Today’s Wyoming sunrise was captured by Bryce Gilbert in Thermopolis on June 14, 2024.
To submit your Wyoming sunrise, email us at: News@CowboyStateDaily.com
NOTE: Please send us the highest-quality version of your photo. The larger the file, the better.
NOTE #2: Please include where you are from and where the photo was taken.
NOTE #3: Tell us about your sunrise. What do you like about it?
NOTE #4: HORIZONTAL photos only. We cannot use vertical.
California mom who faked kidnapping acts like hoax 'never existed' as 'blindsided' husband breaks silence
In writing the country’s most sweeping AI law, Colorado focused on fairness, preventing bias
Kevin Rennie: Connecticut Bar Association is familiar with silence at crucial moments
Changes to Delaware corporate law clears House after contentious debate
SpaceX to launch delayed Starlink 10-2 mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick pledges to pass Ten Commandments bill after Louisiana passes similar law
Israel will be the ‘ultimate loser’ in war with Hezbollah, Iran says
Gateway Church members return to services this weekend, minus Robert Morris
Ted Cruz calls for death penalty if 2 illegal immigrants accused of killing 12-year-old girl are convicted
Hungarian PM Orban meets with German Chancellor Scholz in Berlin
-
Politics1 week agoPresident Biden had front row seat to dog, Commander, repeatedly biting Secret Service agents: report
-
News1 week ago171,000 Traveled for Abortions Last Year. See Where They Went.
-
Politics1 week agoTrump travels to DC to meet with congressional Republicans, speak with nation's top business executives
-
World1 week agoThe far right will probably fall short in French legislative elections
-
Politics1 week agoDurbin looks to force Supreme Court ethics bill vote amid Alito controversy
-
News1 week agoPhotographer shares ‘magical’ photos of rare white bison calf at Yellowstone
-
News6 days agoIt's easy to believe young voters could back Trump at young conservative conference
-
World1 week agoHezbollah rains rockets on Israel after senior commander killed