re: Tide Hoops | Recruiting

Head Coach Nate Oats Announces Hiring of Austin Claunch as Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach

The Crimson Tide adds Coach Claunch, who most recently served as the head coach at Nicholls State

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama men's basketball head coach Nate Oats announced Tuesday the hiring of Austin Claunch as the newest men's basketball assistant coach.

Claunch comes to Tuscaloosa after spending seven seasons at Nicholls State and the last five seasons as head coach. During his tenure, he compiled 90 wins, leading the Colonels to back-to-back Southland Regular Season titles and was named the 2021 Southland Conference Coach of the Year.

"Austin is one of the hardest working guys in the business," Oats said. "His work as a head coach at Nicholls was unbelievable with one of the lowest budgets in the country. He has won two out of the last three regular season championships in the Southland Conference and that is a credit to his hard work and his energy. Austin has a bright young mind and will help out our program in many ways. Not only is he a tireless recruiter and will help us with game planning but he is also a great person who will develop great relationships with our players and have a positive impact in our community."

A rising star in the coaching ranks, Claunch was named to the ESPN 40 Under 40 in 2020 as he led Nicholls to unprecedented success in his five years at the helm. Promoted to head coach in 2018, Claunch served as the youngest coach in Division I men's basketball from 2018-21 and was the second youngest head coach in the country this previous season. Claunch led Nicholls to its first win over a Power 5 team (Nov. 9, 2019 at Pitt) and guided the Colonels to a 21-win season in 2019-20 after being picked to finish 11th in the Southland Preseason Poll.

The Houston native accumulated a 90-61 overall record along with a 58-28 mark in Southland Conference play. Claunch led the Colonels from a ninth-place finish in his first year to being tied for second in the next season, claiming the Southland Conference Regular Season title in back-to-back seasons in 2020-21 and '21-22.

In only his third season, Claunch coached Nicholls to an outright SLC title after going 14-2 in league play and 18-7 overall. Claunch's squad reeled off two eight-game winning streaks in the championship campaign, capped with a win in the semifinals of the Southland Conference Tournament. In addition to having three All-Southland honorees, highlighted by first-team selection and newcomer of the year Ty Gordon, Claunch received Southland Coach of the Year.

"I am extremely excited and thankful for the opportunity to join Coach Oats' staff," said Claunch. "Over the past few seasons, Alabama has proven itself to be one of the premier basketball programs not only in the SEC, but also in the country. The max effort, continuous growth and selfless love established here is evident, even from afar, and I look forward to being a part of this team. I am eager to add value any way I can and learn from one of the brightest and most innovative minds in the game in Nate Oats. It's a thrill to be joining the Tuscaloosa community, and I'm excited to see everyone soon. Roll Tide!"

Mack and Perry have nothing to do with each other. But I don't see us going after any other big men. But if we miss on Estrada, then I'll probably agree.

quote:

---

Mack and Perry have nothing to do with each other.

---

I'm not sure how I implied they did? I'm just referencing how the options are getting thinner and thinner every day that goes by without us landing one of these guys.

After missing on Denver Jones, Cryer, Menefield, Ware, Allen, Battle, etc., all these guys we are throwing our hat in the ring for, ending up with a haul like Walton/Wrightsell after our best regular season ever would be a major letdown.

Really wish Nate would use that last spot on a 3/4 hybrid type player.

Really putting a lot of stock in Walters and Dioubate to play that role

Walton and Parker can probably play 4 some at 6’7. Ricky Council was Arkansas stating PF last year at 6’6.

You obviously lose some rebounding.

Herb played the 4 for is a good bit at 6’7 but he’s a great rebounder for his size. Dioubate and Parker are supposed to be really good rebounders.

We just need the right pieces.

If we miss on Wrightsell or Estrada...go after Nate Calmese hard!

There's multiple guys who fit our style we play so it doesn't matter if we miss on certain guys.

quote:

---

You can't replace a guy like Miller but we should have enough pieces to keep the ball rolling.

---

I feel like people are downvoting me thinking I'm doom-and-glooming more than I actually am.

I said I think we are a tournament team with what we have coming back and what we have added so far. Being a 10-seed or better is a Top 40 team in the country. That's still pretty good. We only made the tournament twice in 15 years between 2006 and 2021

My point was re: Lunardi putting as a 2-seed. That's one of the Top 8 teams in the country. I don't see how you look at this roster how it currently stands right now and think this is one of the Top 8 teams in all of college basketball next season.

1. Quinerly
2. Sears
3. Griffen
4. Walton
5. Bediako

Sub - Pringle
Sub - Cosby
Sub - Dioubate
Sub - Parker
Sub - Walters

Not when you look at what some of these other teams top teams are returning to go with the new talent they are brining in via transfers and freshmen (UConn, SDSU, FAU, Miami, Houston, Arkansas, Duke, Kansas, Gonzaga, Marquette, Creighton, etc.)

If we land 2-3 more primary targets, it will be a different story.

Ranking us as high as Two seed is absurd. We have lost too much,including the entire staff.
The replacements are unknowns as yet; they will have to perform beyond expectations for us to be a Two seed. IMHO.

probably exceeded the World Games, and didnt leave a boat load of debt.