The roster turnover this offseason hasn’t been limited to just the players. Assistant coach Darris Nichols has accepted the head coaching job at Radford, the school announced on Wednesday.
Nichols, a native of Radford, Virginia, is a relative newcomer to the coaching profession. He played at West Virginia from 2004-08 and scored 993 points and dished 399 assists. He won an NIT Championship and led the Mountaineers to a Sweet 16 and an Elite Eight.
After a couple of years playing professionally overseas, Nichols returned to his alma mater for a season as a graduate assistant coach. He then spent two seasons at Northern Kentucky and one at Wofford.
Mike White hired him at Louisiana Tech for the 2014-15 season, and he followed White to Florida.
Nichols worked primarily with UF’s guards, with an emphasis on defense. He’s also known as an excellent recruiter.
“Darris is many things: a former great player, a leader, a great teammate, an old soul, a consistent grinder, an ethical worker, a commanding presence on the court and an awesome human being,” White said in a statement. “It’s a big-time hire by Radford. He’s more than ready to come home.”
Nichols is the second assistant coach to land a head coaching gig this offseason, as Jordan Mincy took the Jacksonville job last month. White has yet to hire his replacement.