Breaking News: Hodge Adds Johnny Estelle and Jase Herl to Staff

[TheReal_jayD]

New North Texas Head Coach Ross Hodge is rounding out his first North Texas staff with the hirings of Texas A & M Kingsville Head Coach Johnny Estelle and Missouri State Associate Head Coach Jase Herl.

Johnny Estelle has spent the last nine seasons as the Head Basketball Coach of Texas A & M Kingsville and compiled a 119-101 win-loss record. He was also the head coach at Navarro College from 2008-2013, he compiled a 126-48 record while he was there.

Jace Herl comes to North Texas after spending the past five seasons at Missouri State serving as the Associate Head Coach on Dana Ford’s staff. Prior to that he spent time with Ross Hodge at Colorado State.

Both are solid additions along with the previously announced Phil Forte. All three staffers have experience in the state of Texas as well as a history of success. The trio of Estelle, Herl and Forte will look to help new Head Coach Ross Hodge as he looks to build on last year’s NIT championship for North Texas.

 

Johnny Estelle Link:

https://javelinaathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/johnny-estelle/1658

Jase Herl Link:

https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jase-herl/942

[Hunter Green]

Any word on how Coach Hodge's staff is coming along? Any portal news? Been kinda quiet.

[MGNation92]

Here you go.

https://javelinaathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/johnny-estelle/1658

https://missouristatebears.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/jase-herl/942

Similar JUCO backgrounds, and looks like him and Herl might've been at Colorado State together for a year or two.

Edited April 25, 2023 by MGNation92

[Jonnyeagle]

 

[El Paso Eagle]

Coach Estelle

 

https://www.kristv.com/sports/javelinas/javelinas-basketball-coach-johnny-estelle-teaches-his-players-about-the-lessons-of-life

[SUMG]

Missouri State has a guy in the portal....forward Jonathan Mogbo. Decent player. Not sure if we're interested. And I don't think he's signed anywhere. 

Anyway....these are great hires by Boss. 

 

Edit: never mind on Mogbo....going to USF

Edited April 25, 2023 by SUMG

[Jdawg48]

I'm hearing pretty good hires. How are they on the recruiting front though?

Edited April 25, 2023 by Jdawg48

[Jonnyeagle]

Quote

Herl won his first game as interim head coach against San Jose State, 90-79, but CSU ended the season with five-straight losses to finish 11-21 (4-14 Mountain West). Herl — a Goodland, Kan., native once in line to run the family car dealership — has a strong junior college recruiting background and previously served as head coach at Northwest Kansas Technical College and as an assistant at South Plains (Texas) College.

Link:  https://www.denverpost.com/2018/04/06/colorado-state-basketball-jase-herl-hired-missouri-state/

Looks like he was a player for CSU but transferred to CMU.

https://cmumavericks.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/jase-herl/667

 

[BleedingGreen]

I hope we hire and / or retain at least 2 African American or Black staff members. I see that as important. 

[NorthTexasSportsNetwork]

53 minutes ago, Jdawg48 said:

I'm hearing pretty good hires. How are they on the recruiting front though?

Forte is our recruiting guy, and I feel like these two will get in the groove quicker than most. Getting more effective HS talent will be key here, I’m excited to see what these guys got.

[BleedingGreen]

It would be great to hire Josh White who loves UNT, learned from Coach Jones and would be a good PG mentor .

[MeanGreenTexan]

6 minutes ago, BleedingGreen said:

It would be great to hire Josh White who loves UNT, learned from Coach Jones and would be a good PG mentor .

"Loves UNT" should never be a qualifier for potential coaches.    See Jalie Mitchell for exhibit A.  I know we love our legends like Josh and Zach Orr, but let those guys create their own paths.   No need to shoehorn them in here if
#1, they're not interested, or have a better thing going (In Orr's case), or
#2, aren't as qualified as the next guy, or doesn't fit with the HC's philosophy.

And before anyone brings up Cobbs...  he was coaching HS Football in Denton already.  It was a no-brainer for everyone involved.

[Hunter Green]

1 hour ago, BleedingGreen said:

I hope we hire and / or retain at least 2 African American or Black staff members. I see that as important. 

If they're the most qualified, I'm all for it.

[All About UNT]

56 minutes ago, BleedingGreen said:

It would be great to hire Josh White who loves UNT, learned from Coach Jones and would be a good PG mentor .

I don't know how much Josh actually loves North Texas. Matter of fact I remember after he graduated we had an away game at LSU and he showed up wearing yellow and purple.

[2020 Sucks]

Estelle is a very high caliber coach!  This is a superb hire…he is incredibly connected and will definitely help us on the recruiting trail!  

[Coach Andy Mac]

 

[NT80]

10 hours ago, NorthTexasSportsNetwork said:

Forte is our recruiting guy, and I feel like these two will get in the groove quicker than most. Getting more effective HS talent will be key here, I’m excited to see what these guys got.

I'd rather us go the JUCO or Portal route.  Older, more experienced = better players.  NT was one of the oldest teams in the NIT last year an announcer said.

[meangreenfaninno]

25 minutes ago, NT80 said:

I'd rather us go the JUCO or Portal route.  Older, more experienced = better players.  NT was one of the oldest teams in the NIT last year an announcer said.

Agreed.  Having a young talent likely means an early exit into the portal in today's environment.  I also like guys coming in the portal because you only get one of those before you have to sit out a season before transferring in so there is a built in incentive to hang around. 

[NorthTexasWeLove]

11 hours ago, BleedingGreen said:

I hope we hire and / or retain the best available coaches that can recruit good young men and mold them into great players and better people.  I see that as important. 

FIFY