Larry Farmer’s college career ended more than a quarter-century ago. He hasn’t been a college head coach in 10 years.
Yet it is Farmer’s history of being involved with winning programs and his talents as a recruiter that led Loyola University to choose the 47-year-old as its 16th men’s head basketball coach. The official announcement is Wednesday.
In a Chicago college basketball environment that is becoming increasingly competitive, Loyola Athletic Director Chuck Schwarz said the former UCLA player and coach has the “presence” needed to improve the Ramblers.
“He can relate with players because he was a player,” said Schwarz. “He knows what it’s like to play and win. He can be for us what Larry Bird has been to the Pacers.
“He’ll be a good closer in recruiting because of his presence. He will treat kids with dignity. He will be a role model.”
Loyola is counting on recruits being impressed by Farmer’s resume:
At 20 in 1971, Farmer was in midcareer as a forward on John Wooden’s UCLA teams that would win 89 of 90 games in three years.
At 30, after serving on UCLA’s staff under Gary Cunningham, Gene Bartow and Larry Brown, Farmer took the Bruins’ head job and had a 61-23 record over three seasons.
At 40, Farmer was assistant coach of the NBA Golden State Warriors. Next, he spent five years as head coach of the Kuwait national team. Last season, he was Jim Harrick’s top assistant at Rhode Island.
Schwarz and Loyola’s president, Rev. John J. Piderit, both used the term “next level” when discussing where they wanted Loyola’s program to go.
Schwarz defined this term last month after Ken Burmeister was unexpectedly fired, and the school began the search for the man it would eventually interview.
“We have to stay up with the other schools in Chicago,” said Schwarz. “With UIC and DePaul and with Northwestern when it gets to where Kevin O’Neill can take it. That’s our next level.”
This past season, second-year coach Jimmy Collins directed the Flames into UIC’s first NCAA tournament. Schwarz and some other Loyola administrators have been uneasy about DePaul since it hired Pat Kennedy, who promptly signed many of Chicago’s top high school prospects.
Farmer, who could not be reached for comment Tuesday, will sign a four-year contract. But he is expected to win right away.
Burmeister’s teams had improved in each of his four years from 5-22 to 8-19, 12-15, 15-15 respectively. Four regulars return next season.
“We have Chris Williams from Fenwick and a good new class,” said Schwarz. “Detroit and UIC lost a lot of people. We expect to contend in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference and hope to make the NCAA tournament.”
Former Bulls assistant coach Jim Cleamons was the first of six interviewed for the job. Farmer was the second. Cleamons was believed to have the inside track, but he withdrew to sign as coach of Chicago’s ABL women’s team.
Farmer has no previous background in Chicago. And his coaching career was not always successful. He had a 34-54 record from 1985-1988 at Weber State.
“The previous coach brought in all junior college players,” Schwarz said. “The school wanted to bring in freshmen. The players Larry recruited won 18 games a year after he left.”
Schwarz said Farmer recruited well in his only season at Rhode Island, although his experience in the East was limited.
Farmer will have a free hand in picking his assistants. To ease the transition between a veteran team and a new head coach, he might name one of two assistants from Burmeister’s staff. Both Jay Eck and Lynn Mitchem applied for the vacant head coaching job.
What about X’s and O’s?
“He thinks the UCLA system is a good one,” said Schwarz, a former high school and small college coach. “Man-to-man defense. Pass the ball into the high post. Run the fast break if it’s there.”